“St. Panteleimon” – a monastery church in the monastery of the same name in the village of Gorno Nerezi, on the Vodno mountain, eight kilometers southwest of Skopje. The monastery complex is surrounded by high walls, and it includes the church built in the Macedonian style and the monastery quarters. On the walls of this cultural monument, frescoes have been preserved, which, by their quality, are among the highest achievements of Byzantine painting from the time of the Komnenian dynasty.
The church was built by the Byzantine prince Alexei Angel, son of Constantine Angel and Theodora, daughter of the Byzantine emperor Alexei I Komnenian (1081 – 1118). The construction of the church in 1164 is evidenced by the inscription on the marble lintel between the narthex and the nave of the church, which reads: “This temple of the holy and glorious Great Martyr Panteleimon was beautified with the funds of Mr. Alexei Komnenos, son of the Perfirorodna lady Theodora, in the month of September, indict 13, year 6673 (=1164), during the abbotship of the monk Joanikij.”
The church, which was built in the Macedonian style, according to its dimensions, belongs to the order of smaller churches of the type of inscribed cross in a rectangular space, i.e. a combination with a free cross. Ordinary crushed stone, taken from the vicinity of the monastery, and bricks were used to build the church, which were turned into polychrome surfaces with great skill, which emphasizes the impression that the building grew from a monolithic rock, which ends in the upper part with one larger octagonal and four smaller four-sided domes.
From the time the church was built in 1164 until 1555, when one of the strongest earthquakes occurred in this region, the monastery was completely preserved. It is not known what the old monastery quarters were like and how much they suffered, but it is known for certain that the church lost its central dome, in which, it can be assumed, Jesus Christ the Almighty was painted, with the figures of the prophets flanked on the sides by the eight windows. Some of the vaults, in which compositions illustrating the Great Feasts were painted, were also damaged. Working on the new fresco, the icon painters tried to preserve every square centimeter of the old one, arranging their drawing and composition to the fragmentarily preserved figures from the old fresco. These efforts are particularly illustrated by the composition “The Communion of the Apostles” painted in the apse space, where parts of the bodies of the saints that were painted within the old fresco can be recognized under some of the newly painted saints.
In the second half of the 19th century, a new painting was painted over the older painting, the work of an unskilled painter, and completely covered the old painting. In 1926, most of the old painting was rediscovered.
Complex Macedonian Village
The Macedonian Village complex represents the culture and tradition of Macedonia and is of great value for the promotion and development of tourism throughout the country. On an area of 12,000 m2, the complex consists of sixteen authentic houses with a total accommodation capacity of 100 guests. Located only 8.5 km from the city center of Skopje, the capital of Macedonia, in the beautiful nature of Mount Vodno, which is rich in beautiful forests and clean mountain air, the complex is known for its unique charm and offers visitors the opportunity to enjoy a traditional ambiance, delicious food and numerous activities. The Macedonian Village complex consists of a total of 49 rooms, located in 12 different houses, built according to the authentic Macedonian architectural tradition of the 19th and 20th centuries. The design of the houses is inspired by different geographical areas of Macedonia, including:
- Bitola House
- Prilep House
- Veles House
- Struga House
- Galichnik House
- Reka House
- Skopska Crna Gora House
- Kratovo House
- Berovo House
- Delchevo House
- Kumanovo House
- Tetovo House
The resort is built exclusively of wood and natural stone, and the rooms are decorated with ethnically selected stylistic details and natural materials. The resort offers one traditional restaurant, one fine dining restaurant and a bar; there is also a silver workshop, souvenir shop, pottery, weaving workshop, ethnological museum and market. A wine cellar, fitness, small spa and animal stable will also be opened soon. Distances: Sredno Vodno: 4.8 km City center: 8.5 km City park: 8.4 km Alexander the Great Airport: 33 km Railway station / Bus station: 10 km. More info on https://makedonskoselo.com/.
Tour
A great tour for the whole family + free parking and no crowds at Sredno Vodno. The trail starts right from Complex Macedonian Village, which is newly reopened. For the first hundred meters, the trail follows a dirt road and then a hiking trail begins through a beautiful forest. At 2/3 of the route, the trail connects with the famous Vodno – Matka route. An ideal trail for families, children, grandparents :)
Mountain trails nearby:
Bike trails nearby:
