Church & monasteryDalmatia

Krka Monastery: an Orthodox monastery on Roman and Gothic ground

Krka Monastery (Manastir Krka) is a Serbian Orthodox monastery dedicated to the Archangel Michael, about 3 km east of Kistanje in central Dalmatia, and it lies within Krka National Park. Roman remains, a late medieval church and later rebuilding are layered on the same spot, so it is one of the more intriguing sacred sites in the Dalmatian hinterland, away from the usual coastal routes.

The best-known Orthodox monastery in Croatia stands on top of a Roman site, with catacombs below and a Gothic window in its walls. Even the founding date on the stone above its gate turned out to be a nineteenth-century forgery.

WhereAbout 3 km east of Kistanje, in the Krka river valley, central Dalmatia

TypeSerbian Orthodox monastery, protected cultural property within Krka National Park

Best forArchitecture and history lovers, quiet stops inland from the coast

Getting thereBy road from Kistanje, about 3 km to the east; nearby sites include Burnum (about 7 km)

The history of Krka Monastery

The spot is a layered archaeological site with continuity from antiquity to the present. The monastery stands on an ancient Roman site, and Roman burial catacombs, stones from Roman times and graves have been found there. Walls beneath the ground show that the complex was once much larger than the present monastery.

Architectural remains point to a late medieval church or monastery, probably from the 14th century, built in a Gothic-Romanesque style that was unusual for Orthodox churches. A Gothic frame with a rosette, found in a wall, is almost identical to one at the Catholic church of St Mary and the Franciscan monastery in Bribir. This suggests the same workshop and a possible link with the Šubić family, the dukes of Bribir.

A popular tradition dates the foundation of the Orthodox monastery to the 1340s or 1350s, but researchers have found no historical evidence for it, and an inscription above the entrance dated 1402 is considered a 19th-century forgery. The earliest source mentioning a church or monastery dates from 1458 and names a monk called Pahomije. An Ottoman census of 1550 records a church of St Michael. Most sources place the founding of the Orthodox monastery in 1577 or later, with the main buildings rising in the second half of the 16th century.

In 1647, at the start of the Cretan War, the monastery was attacked and plundered by the Ottomans, and the monks and local people fled to Venetian Dalmatia. The monastery was partly renovated in 1660 and, after a long period of abandonment, rebuilt from around 1787. The church went through three main building phases, and between the 18th and 20th centuries the monastery was extensively rebuilt, which gave it most of its present appearance.

Curiosities about Krka Monastery

The monastery was built on top of an ancient Roman site, and Roman burial catacombs have been found there.
A Romanesque-style belfry and a Gothic window are part of an Orthodox monastery, a mix that the architecture of the time did not usually offer.
A fragment of Gothic stonework with a rosette matches one found at the Franciscan church in Bribir, hinting at a link with the Šubić family.
The inscription above the main gate, long read as 1402, is now regarded as a forgery of the 19th century.
The first written mention of a Christian church or monastery on the site is from 1458 and names a monk called Pahomije.
The monastery lies in a wide ravine known as Carigradska draga, and it is officially protected as part of Krka National Park.

Tours near Krka Monastery

Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:

From Split: Krka Waterfalls, Food & Wine Tasting Tour

★ 4.9 (11075 reviews) · 10 h

See details ›

Krka Waterfalls Tour from Split with Boat Ride and Swimming

★ 4.9 (3134 reviews) · 7.5 h

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Krka Waterfalls Day Tour with Boat Ride from Split and Trogir

★ 4.8 (2512 reviews) · 8.5 h

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From Split: Krka Waterfalls Tour

★ 4.8 (1678 reviews) · 8 h

See details ›

Visiting Krka Monastery

The monastery lies in the Krka valley about 3 km east of Kistanje; check locally whether and when visitors are admitted, as the sources give no visiting information.
Look for the church of the Archangel Michael, the Romanesque-style belfry, the Gothic window and the courtyard.
As a religious site, quiet behaviour and modest dress are customary.
Burnum, a Roman site, is about 7 km away, and Knin Fortress and Ostrovica Fortress are within about 20 km.

Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.

Map: where Krka Monastery is

Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors

Photos of Krka Monastery

Questions

Where is Krka Monastery?

It stands about 3 km east of Kistanje in central Dalmatia, in the valley of the Krka river and within Krka National Park.

Who is Krka Monastery dedicated to?

It is dedicated to the Archangel Michael and belongs to the Serbian Orthodox Church.

How old is Krka Monastery?

The site goes back to Roman times, a late medieval church stood there, and most sources date the Orthodox monastery to 1577 or later.

Was Krka Monastery founded in the 14th century?

A popular tradition says so, but researchers have found no historical evidence, and the inscription once cited for 1402 is regarded as a later forgery.

What makes the architecture unusual?

A Romanesque-style belfry and a Gothic window show that the monastery grew from a late medieval church of a style unusual for Orthodox buildings.

What else is near Krka Monastery?

Burnum, a Roman site, is about 7 km away, and Ostrovica Fortress and Knin Fortress lie within about 20 km.