Sixteen orthodox monasteries have been united in a space 40 km long, so to say, there has been an impressive cultural offer. This mixture of the Byzantine style and the baroque architecture of the monastery ensemble well known in Serbia, would at the same time be the place of the riches of the churches, the peaceful and the greenish place and the reception by the priests. There has been here the tradition of the reception of the foreigners with the greatest respect, so that the priest would not hesitate to invite you to the table after a short discussion, to taste a glass of dry sljivovica.
All monasteries had been constructed between XV and XVI centuries in a mountain massive, and the monks had found a protection from the Turkish violence. The best known have been Grgeteg, Hopovo, Jazak, Krusedol and Velika Remeta. In this period Srem belonged to the kings of Hungary who had ceded to Stefan Lazarevic, then to Djurdje Brankovic the fortified places. About the middle of XV century the despot Brankovic had received the authorisation by the pope Nicholas V to be the founder of nine monasteries in the province of Srem. This designated the beginning of the development of monasteries of Fruska Gora.
KRUSEDOL
Founded at the beginning of the XVI century by the prince Djurdje Brankovic, the monastery of Krusedol became the residence of the bishop of Srem in the XVI century, it has been known by the crypt where had been buried the members of the family of Brankovic, as well as the King Milan Obrenovic (died in 1901). The building had been burnt by Turks in 1716, after the Petrovaradin defeat, but it had kept its original structure.
By its architectural design the church has been attached to the sacred objects of Morava. Thus it had been erected on a design of three connected apsides covered by the semi-domes. After the fire in 1716 the paintings had been covered by a layer of oil paintings made between 1751 and 1756 with an evident influence by the Russian painting and the West baroque. In narthex you may be observing a procession of the Serbian kings at the bottom and the scenes from the Christ life and of the Passion. You should notice Christ Pantocrator presented in the dome.
HOPOVO
Belonging also to the architectural group of Morava , this monastery has been outstanding by its abundance and its place. placed in a narrow cleft and surrounded by the forested massifs, Hopovo pointed out the respect and peacefulness. Damaged by Turks in XVI and XVII centuries, Hopovo has been distinguished by its narrow connections supported by the Russian monks. Thus the relics of the Russian monk from the IV century or those of St. Anastase of Constantinople have been conserved in the incrusted wooden case. From 1920 to 1943 had also given asylum to the Russian monks after the October Revolution. At the entrance to the church there is also the coffin of Mother Catharine, close to the Romanoff family. But in 1941 the ustashi had burnt 42 out of 61 icons and had taken all important liturgical objects.
Besides the classical design in the shape of a cross, the monastery church has been interesting by its wall paintings. The frescos in the naos had been painted by the artist having been staying on the Mount Athos, the fact explaining the composition analogous to the Great Lavra of Crete. On the narthex there are many scenes from the life of Christ, but also the representations of Saint Warriors, of hierarchs and hermits.
