Fruška Gora has 16 monasteries. Here are six worth the detour

Fruška Gora is called Serbia's Holy Mountain, and that isn't a tourist slogan — it once had 35 monasteries, and 16 survive today, built between the 15th and 18th centuries on a mountain barely fifty kilometres long.

Here are the six most worth stopping for, roughly in the order they line up along the mountain.

Krušedol — the imperial tomb

Krušedol was built by the Branković family between 1509 and 1516, and has since been one of the Serbian Church's most important burial sites: Patriarchs Arsenije III and Arsenije IV are buried here, along with King Milan Obrenović. The iconostasis is Baroque, the frescoes span several eras, and the monastery sits closest to Sremski Karlovci and the wine road running through it.

GuideKarlovci on the way to the monasteries?Sremski Karlovci →

Novo Hopovo — the easiest to reach

Built by St. Maksim, born Đurađ Branković, between 1496 and 1502. The church standing today dates to 1576, with frescoes from 1608 — and the biggest practical plus is that the monastery sits literally a hundred metres from the main road near Irig, no dirt track required.

Vrdnik — the relics of Prince Lazar

Known as Mala Ravanica, and the name isn't accidental: the monastery held the relics of Prince Lazar, hero of the Battle of Kosovo, for centuries, which made Vrdnik one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Serbia. Part of the relics are still displayed today in a glass reliquary in the church, while the bulk were returned in 1989 to Ravanica, his original foundation. The iconostasis was carved between 1809 and 1814.

Jazak — the last Nemanjić

In 1705 Jazak received the relics of Tsar Uroš, the last ruler of the Nemanjić line — the dynasty that ruled medieval Serbia for nearly two centuries. The current church dates to 1736, and its iconostasis was painted by Teodor Kračun, one of the most important Baroque painters of the period.

Grgeteg — the miracle-working icon

Founded in 1471 by Despot Vuk Grgurević, better known as Zmaj Ognjeni Vuk (the Fiery Dragon). Grgeteg holds an icon of the Virgin believed to be miracle-working, and of all six on this list it sits in the quietest surroundings — no traffic, just forest and silence.

Velika Remeta — the Baroque bell tower

Construction began in the 15th century, it's dedicated to St. Demetrius, and the Baroque bell tower that marks it today was added in 1735. The façade was reworked between 1733 and 1753 — you can see the monastery passed through several stylistic periods, not just one.

Practical, before you go

• Entry is free at all six; a donation is customary and welcome, not required.
• There's no officially fixed schedule — most are open from early morning to dusk, but the church closes during services.
• There's a dress code: shoulders and knees should be covered, and women often cover their heads too; larger monasteries usually keep shawls at the entrance to borrow.
• Public transport between the monasteries is practically nonexistent — you see the mountain by car, which is why almost nobody fits all sixteen into one day.

Fruška Gora isn't a place you “do” in a day — six monasteries from this list is already a full day of driving and stopping, and the other ten wait for next time. The best base is Novi Sad or Sremski Karlovci, both under half an hour from the first monastery on the route.

GuideBasing yourself in Novi Sad?Novi Sad →