Zavala Monastery

The Zavala Monastery (Serbian: Манастир Завала, romanized: Manastir Zavala) is a Serbian Orthodox monastery located in the village of Zavala on the southwestern edge of Popovo Polje, in Ravno, Bosnia and Herzegovina municipality, in the southernmost part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is first mentioned in 1514, which means that the monastery already existed by the early sixteenth century. The monastery was designated National Monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina by the KONS in 2003.^[1]

Zavala Monastery
Манастир Zavala
The monastery in July 2017
Religion
Affiliation	Serbian Orthodox
Rite	Eastern Orthodox
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Eparchy of Zahumlje and Herzegovina
Patron	Presentation of the Virgin
Year consecrated	c. 1514
Location
Location	Zavala, Ravno
Municipality	Ravno
State	Bosnia and Herzegovina
Shown within Bosnia and Herzegovina
Geographic coordinates	42.8497°N 17.9796°E / 42.8497; 17.9796
Materials	stone
KONS of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Official name: Church of the Presentation of the Virgin in Zavala, the architectural ensemble
Type	Category I cultural property
Criteria	A, B, C i.ii.iii.iv.v.vi., D iii.iv., E ii.iii.iv.v., F i.iii., G i.ii.iii.iv.v.vi., H i.ii.iii.
Designated	5 March 2003 (?th session, decision No. 08.2-6-148/03-2)
Reference no.	1820
Website
website

Location and history

Zavala Monastery

Some 55 kilometres to the east lies the town of Trebinje. The monastery is dedicated to the Presentation of Mary. The northern wall of the monastery's church is situated within a cave. This monastery is also known as a place where Basil of Ostrog entered into monasticism.

The Zavala monastery is first mentioned in 1514, when abbot Serafion bought a vineyard in Orahov Do from certain Božo, son of Radoslav.^[2] Two years later, in 1516, the Ottomans ordered the destruction of Catholic churches built before the conquest of Herzegovina. For this reason, many Catholics in the region of Popovo Polje converted to Eastern Orthodoxy. The proximity of the Zavala monastery was the main factor in their conversion.^[3] In 1587, the monastery received approval from the Sultan to be renovated according to the original dimensions.^[2]

During World War II, the monastery suffered major damage, and in the Bosnian War it was further damaged and abandoned. In the early 21st century, the frescoes were restored, the church and dormitories were renovated, and the monastery became active again.^[4][5]

Zavala and Vjetrenica

The site of the restored monastery, together with Zavala's village old architecture and stone masonry, and with Vjetrenica cave, constitutes cultural-historic, architectural and natural assemble, protected by KONS as an important national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Because of its importance as national heritage, as well as tourist and ambiental attraction, the site is also placed on the UNESCO Tentative list for inscription into UNESCO World Heritage Site list.^[6][7]

See also

• Popovo Polje
• Vjetrenica
• Trebišnjica
• Ravno