highlights

The Koporin Monastery is located near Velika Plana, tucked in the woody valley, on the road from Velika Plana to Smederevska Palanka.

The easiest way to reach the monastery is by car, by highway E 75 from Belgrade to Velika Plana. From Velika Plana follow the road signs, turn after the petrol station and go through the place passing by the nice little church. After a few more kilometers you will see the road sign pointing to the left, towards the monastery. There is only one kilometer from there.

If you don’t own a car, you can easily reach Velika Plana by bus or by train, because it’s on the main road toward the South (there are at least five buses a day from Belgrade, and all trains to Nis stop in Velika Plana).From there you can catch a line for Smederevska Palanka (buses operate very often, nine buses a day on work days, only three on weekends), take off at the turn to Koporin (you have to ask the driver or one of the passengers), from where you can reach the monastery by foot. Or you can go directly to Smederevska Palanka (buses also operate very often from Belgrade and Smederevo), and then catch a line to Plana.

More information you can get at the bus station in Velika Plana (phone: 026/522-028), or Smederevska Palanka (phone: 026/321-675), and the bus station Lasta (026/323-199).You can also check Lasta bus operator’s web site: www.lasta.co.yu In the worst scenario you can walk from Velika Plana to Koporin (between 5 and 10 km), or you can hitch-hike because the road is very busy, so somebody will give you a lift for sure.

The Koporin monastery is a foundation of the Despot Stefan Lazarevic, built in 1408. Today this is an extremely well arranged convent. The monastery church is one-naved, plain building with kube (chapel), devoted to the Sacred Martyr and Archdeacon Stefan. Only the minor part of the frescoes is preserved, including the portrait of the Despot Stefan. The monastery was devastated many times, and it played very important role in the uprisings in the 1788 (Koca’s Uprising) and in 1804 (the First Serbian Uprising), by giving the sanctuary to the rebellions which provoked the Turks to burn it down. It was reconstructed in the 19th century.

Near the monastery is a spring of sacred water. In the 70’s of the past century, the relics of the Despot Stefan Lazarevic were discovered, which was the sensation because, until then, it was thought that he was buried in his main foundation- the Manasija monastery. In his hagiography, written down by Constantine the Philosopher, it is said that the Despot Stefan died suddenly in hunting on Kosmaj Mountain in 1427, and that he is buried in his foundation, but it doesn’t say in which one. Because of the sudden death and endangerment of the Turks in that time, it was probably faster and more discreet to have him buried exactly in Koporin.