highlights

Raca monastery lies on a bank of the river Raca, and is 6 kilometres away from Bajina Basta – which is more than an hour’s walk. It was built by Serbian king Dragutin in 1276. Monastery got deserted during the great migration of Serbs lead by Arsenije III Carnojevic in 1690, when it was burned down by the Turks. In 1784, monk Melentije Stefanovic obtained a decree from the Turkish government allowing him to restore the monastery. Eighteen years later, Turks burned the monastery once again, because Melentije took part in the First Serbian Uprising. Hadji Melentije was buried in the monastery, and the following verses can still be seen inscribed above his grave:

“Wait till I burn Racha on the Drina and execute Hadji Melentije”.

On the southern wall of the monastery there’s a bas-relief dedicated to Hadji Melentije Stefanovic, made out of white marble with engraved figure, work of Mihailo Milovanovic from the year 1924.

The interior of the monastery is decorated with frescoes and icons, and the monastery iconostasis with two icons of Jesus and Holy Virgin is considered to be one of the most beautiful in Serbia. On the outer wall there is a memorial plaque dedicated to people killed in the wars 1912 through 1918. Bell tower with three bells, 12 meters tall, dominates the surrounding area.