The Monastery of King Marko is situated along the east
slope of Mt. Vodno and approximately a 20 minute drive outside of Skopja. Volunteer workers from the nearby villages and the
city help to maintain the natural beauty of the monastery. The flowers provide a bright
and cheerful feeling to the building used as residence by the nuns and their guests.
A corroded old kotle (Macadonian, metal pot for cooking or
boiling water) hangs artistically near the traditional kitchen of the monastery.
Wood is stockpile against one wall of the monastery.
Winters are cold and this provides fuel for heat.
Wallpainting of Christ marks the doorway to the
ground floor refectory. The woodpile almost obscures the painting. Many visitors come to the
monastery on feast days so there are two refectories; one above the other. The ground
floor refectory has a poorly preserved wallpainting of the last supper in the north niche.
Small car belonging to a volunteer working in the
monastery is parked in the shade.
Locally quarried stones (for building and restoration) are
stockpiled in a corner inside the monastery.
An inscription from 1886 describes renovation and restoration
of the monastery. The building feel into near total neglect and disrepair during the 20th century.
Gravestone from the 1930s of a abbot.
Closeup of the gravestone.
Bell tower of the monastery.
Click here to see image King Marko and Saint Demetrius over the door of the
Church of St. Demetrius.
Click here to see images of the wallpainting with clues to
Medieval material culture in Macedonia during the 13th century AD.
Click here to see images of the wallpaintings of sacred importance
inside of the church of St. Demetrius (within the monastery).
Click here to see images of the objects in the interior of the
Church of St. Demetrius.
Webpage updated 3 December 2005