Serbian Christian Monuments in Danger

On February 17, 2026, a Serbian guest exhibition opened at the Museum of Ethnography, showcasing outstanding examples of Serbian medieval Christian cultural heritage. The exhibition is open to visitors between February 18 and March 15, 2026.

The exhibition focuses on monuments of international significance, such as the monasteries of Visoki Dečani and Gračanica, the Patriarchate of Peć, and the Our Lady of Ljeviš church, Prizren. These sites are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger, and are defining works of medieval art and ecclesiastical culture in the Balkan region.

Visitors can gain insight into the history of these sacred places through masterpieces of fresco art, ecclesiastical architecture, and decorative sculpture, as well as medieval written records such as founding documents, wall inscriptions, and texts carved in stone. Several of the frescoes on display are part of the richest iconographic programs of the late Byzantine Middle Ages, which have survived almost in their entirety. One of the special features of the exhibition is that it focuses not only on artistic values, but also reflects on the fragility of cultural heritage. Visitors can see the damage suffered by certain monuments as a result of armed conflict, vandalism, or uncontrollable forces of nature, and learn about the international efforts being made to preserve them.

The exhibition provides an opportunity for the public to "get closer" to these centuries-old sacred places and to perceive the fragile balance between spiritual significance and physical vulnerability. Visitors can also discover fascinating stories that are rarely made public. The exhibits include works in which the medieval masters and their signatures can be identified, as well as royal foundations behind which lie power struggles, family dramas, and historical turning points. 

One of the most moving stories in the exhibition is connected to the frescoes in the Our Lady of Ljeviš church in Prizren. The walls of the church were painted in the early 14th century and are considered one of the outstanding works of late Byzantine art. The frescoes remained relatively intact for more than six hundred years, despite wars, changes of empire, and historical upheavals. In March 2004, however, the church was deliberately set on fire. The flames and smoke severely damaged the interior: the faces of some saints were scorched, while other scenes almost disappeared from the walls. After the destruction, it seemed for a long time that a significant part of the frescoes had been lost forever. However, the restorers made a surprising discovery. Some of the natural pigments and layers of plaster used by medieval masters proved to be more resistant to fire than later repaintings. During the removal of the damage, details emerged that no one had seen for centuries: delicate facial features, tiny inscriptions, almost "hidden" pictorial solutions. Today, the church bears both the marks of destruction and the evidence of survival.

The Serbian guest exhibition is being held in the spirit of international cultural cooperation and Central European cultural dialogue, contributing to a shared understanding of the importance of preserving European cultural heritage.

To experience all features of the exhibtion, please download and install the Holograd app!  The digital application completes the exhibition experience.