St Jovan Bigorski Monastery

Sveti Jovan Bigorski stands on the slope above the Radika valley, founded in the eleventh century and rebuilt several times, and the reason to come is inside: an iconostasis carved between 1829 and 1835 by Petre Filipovski-Garkata and his workshop, worked in walnut into hundreds of biblical figures and scenes at extremely fine scale, generally regarded as the masterpiece of Macedonian woodcarving. A fire in 2009 damaged part of the complex but the screen survived.

What to look for

• The iconostasis - a walnut screen carved between 1829 and 1835 in extraordinary detail.
• The carvers' self-portraits - the workshop members worked into the carving.
• The monastery buildings - the complex on the slope above the Radika.
• The valley setting - the Radika gorge below the monastery.

When to go

May to October is the season for the road. The monastery is open daily outside services. Dress rules apply and are enforced.

Practical notes

Dress rules are strict and clothing is provided at the gate. Photography inside the church is usually prohibited. The 2009 fire destroyed part of the complex and rebuilding continues.

Nearby

Duf Falls are north, and Mavrovo is northeast.