• Length in direction: 15,5 km.
  • Difficulty level: 7/10
  • Climbing time: 3,5 hours
  • Climbing with children: 4,5 hours
  • Height difference: 1.099 m.
  • Starting point:

    Village Banjane
    Round MTB tour through four monasteries above village Banjane (31 km.)

Navigation help: more in Tips
Map with all trails

Saint Nikita – the main and only monastery church of the medieval Gornjan Monastery in the Skopje village of Gornjane. It has been declared a monument of Macedonian culture. This medieval church is located on a hill called Tromedja, below which are the villages of Gornjane, Banjane and Čučer. Historical data indicate that the church is a Byzantine building and may have originated from the 12th century, from when other Byzantine buildings around Skopje originated. However, that building was later demolished and the church together with the monastery were rebuilt in 1307 by the Serbian king Milutin. However, the latest research shows that the church may have been built later, in the period 1319-1320. Inside the church there is a stone under which are believed to be the relics of Saint Nikita. A ritual is also associated with this stone, that is, anyone who has any trouble or desire comes to the church and first lights a candle. Later, the church mason will remove the carpet under which the stone itself is located. The man will stand facing the altar. He will cross himself, make a circle and bow facing the altar. He will repeat this three times. After the last round, the prayer “Our Father” is said and the pain or desire is said.

St. Ilija Gorni – church in the Skopje village of Banjane, Municipality of Chucher-Sandevo. It belongs to the North Skopje bishopric in the Skopje Diocese of the MOC – OA. It represents a temple of the monastery of the same name. The church has been declared a cultural heritage of Macedonia. It is located on the slopes of Skopska Crna Gora, not far from the village and the valley of Banjanska Reka. The monastery church is a small one-nave building with a three-sided altar apse from the east, built in the 14th century. On the north side, the church is connected to a rock that gives it an unusual appearance. In 1846, the icons of the iconostasis were restored by Dicho Zograf, which is indicated on the parapet plate of the iconostasis under the throne icon of Jesus Christ the Sustainer, signed and dated 1846. The eight apostolic icons are also his.

Holy Annunciation – village church in the Skopje village of Banjane, Macedonia. It has been declared a monument of Macedonian culture. A dirt road leads to the church, which doubles over the monastery “St. Nikita” and passes by the church “St. Mother of God”.

Holy Mother of God – in the courtyard of the monastery you will see the tree that resembles a pregnant woman, and which the story says helped many women who were infertile to get pregnant.

Source: Wikipedia

Tour

(under construct.)