We visited the Kosovo Monasteries at Pec and Decani in June 2017. In fact, in what was possibly an excess of enthusiasm for Mediaeval Serbian monasteries, we took in consecutively, in under 24 hours, the Monastery at Studenica and those at Djurdjevi Stupovi and Sopocani before driving south into Kosovo from Montenegro on the mountain road over from Rozaje. The drive from Sopocani to the monastery at Pec took around 3 hours including 2 frontier crossings.

Pec (Peja) is a surprisingly busy town with a chaotic “anything goes” atmosphere and building taking place everywhere – it isn’t clear how “controlled” all this activity is, and neither is the nature of its economic underpinning! Kosovo has the reputation of being something of a mafia state based on smuggling of goods, narcotics and people with “construction” being a good money laundering method - See . The monastery lies to the west of the town at the entrance to the Rugova Gorge and, as we approached the town, it was obvious where we needed to be - unfortunately the main road came to a dead end at a square, there were no signs for the Monastery and the nearby “Tourist Office” was closed for “Brek”! A taxi driver wouldn’t assist us unless we took him to get there but the receptionist in the nearby main hotel provided a useful sketch map! The monastery at the moment is situated at the very end of building developments extending West from Pecs – it must surely come under greater pressure in future years.

At the monastery we had to have our passport details noted by a bored Kosovan policeman sitting outside his hut, who then lifted the barrier for us to pass by with our car (having tried to convince us that the walk wasn’t far – lifting that barrier was such a bother). The monastery is surrounded by a high newly-renovated wall and, on passing through the main gate, we were met by a nun speaking excellent English – “You are the ones coming by car?” It appeared that the policeman’s duties included radioing through the arrival and description of all visitors. Entrance now is 2 Euro pp – the only Serbian monastery we came across with an entry fee. This includes an audio guide with details of 17 different locations both inside and out. Worth listening to, but perhaps excessively detailed in its use of architectural terms and references to Serbian history for the average visitor! Interior photography is not allowed and there are non ecclesiastical “helpers” inside both to help direct visitors to the correct audio numbers and also to “guard”. We were the only visitors, though a small group of backpackers arrived as we left.

We really enjoyed the main church – or should I say “churches” as it consists of 3 churches joined together by a “Narthex” (one of those terms you will need to know!), each being entered in turn from within it, plus a further small church with its own external entrance. The paintings are all in pretty good condition. The whole atmosphere is of darkness, heaviness and lowness – very different from what we were to see at Decani.

The church is at the centre of an active monastery and, in the surrounding gardens, nuns busied themselves sweeping leaves etc. The audio had mentioned a major fire in 1981 but assigned no cause. This was rather earlier than the main Kosovo conflict but I asked whether the fire had been arson or not. The reply was along the lines “Only God knows”. It appears that the Serbians believe it was indeed arson - See this article . I also asked about the Kosovan police providing security rather than KFOR. It appears that this has been the case since 2013 as part of a KFOR policy of gradually handing over to Kosovan civil authorities as its numbers are run down (See ). But it was clearly not regarded positively in the Monastery (“We have our own security” and “there are only 3 Serbians on the Pec city council now”)! The possibility that Kosovo would gain UNESCO membership was mentioned as a particular concern since, at that point, all control of the sites would presumably transfer to Kosovo as the responsible “State Party” even though it would not be a UN member or fully recognised internationally. Kosovo’s last attempt to gain membership was in Nov 2015 when it fell just 3 votes short of the 95 required (50 against and 29 abstentions. Full voting details here)

It took around 40 minutes to drive the 20kms between Pecs and Decani monasteries. The latter is 2-3 kms west of Desan town and is signed at the roundabout. Around half way you have to drive through a chicane of tank traps overlooked by a KFOR watch post. The last recorded attack on the church I have been able to discover took place in March 2007 when grenades were thrown at it but doing little damage. At the monastery itself, our passports had to be handed over to a fresh faced young Austrian soldier who gave us a plastic returnable “receipt”. Entry to the monastery required someone from the inside to open the electronic lock but there was no entry fee and, once inside, we were left to ourselves (the only other 2 visitors were leaving just as we arrived).

Decani monastery consists of a walled circle of secular buildings surrounding a single church which sits within a lush lawn sprinkled with mature trees – all very peaceful. A surprising aspect to us was the lack of any exterior similarity between the design of the Pec and Decani churches. Whilst the first Pec church was from 13th C the other 2 were actually built around the same time as, or after that at Decani (1327-35). Decani is tall with relatively large windows and is marble clad, in complete contrast to Pecs’s low profile, lack of windows and deep red paint (Photo). However, although we are not experts in the artistic styles of the period, to the untrained eye the paintings at Decani covered the same subjects in much the same way as those at Pecs - there was that same painting of a rather surprised Lazarus and the Dormition and the “family tree” of religious personages etc etc. I am afraid that a lot of it just went over our head and ability to fully appreciate. Whilst I preferred what seemed to me to be the darker more “mysterious” atmosphere of Pecs, Mrs Solivagant preferred the lighter character of Decani. If you make it to the area it would seem a waste not to take in both!! By the way Clyde - both Pecs and Decani have a bronze UNESCO nomination plaque on their walls!