Basic info
The church of St. Panteleimon was built in 1878 right after the liberation of Nis from the Ottoman imperia. About one hundred meters above the current temple, one finds the remains of the original church which was built by Stefan Nemanja , the grand prince (VelikiŽupan)of Serbian province Raska. There are several springs of water around the church which are believed to be miraculous and therapeutic.
Location
Kosovke devojke 34
Phone
+381 18 215 405
More info
An old monastery church of Saint Panteleimon was rebuilt by Stefan Nemanja in 12th century. He expended the church, decorated its exterior and interior so that it resampled other Nemanja’s churches. Stefan Prvovenčani in the biography of his father compared it with the most beautiful and the largest monasteries from that period, even with the Studenica monastery.
Historic meeting
This church is important also because of the historic meeting that occurred in its churchyard between Stefan Nemanja and German Emperor Friedrich I Barbarossa, who was on his way to the Third Crusade campaign on Jerusalem. About this event, German count and Bishop Dietpold von Berg in his work Chroniconmagnipresbiteri wrote: “Coming to the city of Niš to the great Serbian servant Stefan Nemanja, we met the greatest respect, and the Lord Imperator (Friedrich I Barbarossa) received him with honors, dealing with their things and gave him honorable gifts, just as He received from him (Stefan Nemanja) great gifts. Equally with other champions from the mentioned escort, we were honored with wine, mead and venison.”
After the Ottoman conquest of Niš in 1386, the monastery of Saint Paneteleimon was destroyed. After the liberation of the city in 1878, the foundation stone was laid for the construction of a new church southwest from the old Nemanja’s church, next to the spring of healing water. The interior was painted by Đorđe Zografski and Dušan Miletić in the second half of the 20th century.
