During my stay in Leskovac at the end of July 2025, I went on a couple of trips outside the city with my cousin and her husband. One of those trips took us southwards and our first stop was the Rudare Monastery, which, as a cultural monument, is an immovable cultural property of great importance.
Rudare Monastery
The exact time of construction of the church dedicated to St. Paraskeva of the Balkans is unknown, but it was restored in 1799. However, when you reach the clearing from which a gently sloping path leads up to the church, the first thing you actually encounter is the impressive two-story monastery dormitory, with its central section, entirely made of wood, serving as a porch and terrace. This dormitory is considered one of the most beautiful in this part of Serbia.
Rudare Monastery, a detail
Rudare Monastery, a detail
The base of the dormitory is made of rubble stone, but it becomes visible only when you walk around the building that is situated on a gentle slope. From the front side, due to damage to the facade, parts of the half-timber structure can be seen.
Rudare Monastery, a detail
Due to the extent of the damage, the half-timber structure is even more visible from the side and the rear of the dormitory, as is the base made of rubble stone.
Rudare Monastery, a detail
Rudare Monastery, a detail
Although we didn't find anyone here, and at first glance it seemed that this beautiful dormitory had simply been left to the ravages of time, we all got the impression that some work was being done on it. To begin with, the roof looks new, which is certainly important to prevent leaking. In addition, on the side of the building, on the upper floor, there is a glazed wooden frame that appears to serve both as support and protection from the elements. What I mean is that I sincerely hope this absolutely impressive dormitory will be restored and put back to some meaningful use.
Although the road (theoretically asphalt, but in practice full of potholes) that brought us here leads directly into the heart of the monastery, there is also a lower gate that opens onto a dirt road.
Rudare Monastery, a detail
As for the church, it was built on the remains of a much older church and it gained its current form during the restoration in 1799. The church has a rectangular plan and consists of a naos, a narthex on the western side, and a semicircular apse on the eastern side.
Rudare Monastery, a detail
The year of restoration is engraved above the entrance door, but it is barely visible in the following photo because everything has been uniformly whitewashed.
Rudare Monastery, a detail
Rudare Monastery, a detail
Rudare Monastery, a detail
I also went to the side door as well, but everything was locked and since there was no one within the monastery grounds, all I could do was peek through the windows. Fortunately, some of them were open (though with small openings), so I managed to see and capture a bit of the interior.
Rudare Monastery, a detail
The barrel vault has a fairly large span, nine metres, which shows that the craftsmen who built this church were highly skilled in their trade.
Rudare Monastery, a detail
The wall paintings were done at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, while the old icons from the iconostasis were replaced in 1907 and 1908.
Rudare Monastery, a detail
Then I climbed the elevation from which I could get a better view of the church.
Rudare Monastery, a detail
Here on the elevation, there is also a village cemetery, but old tombstones can be seen on the side, too.
Rudare Monastery, a detail
Then I went to the plateau in front of the church, from where I captured the bell tower and the dormitory, while afterwards I followed the path down towards the dormitory where the car was parked.
Rudare Monastery, a detail
Rudare Monastery, a detail
It is quite clear from the well-maintained monastery grounds that this is not an abandoned monastery, but whoever lives here or maintains the space was not present at the time. Still, various details showed that someone is making an effort to beautify the area, even if in very modest, but imaginative ways.
Rudare Monastery, a detail
There is also a drinking fountain with an old stone slab bearing an inscription built into it, as well as parts of old tombstones.
Rudare Monastery, a detail
We then moved on less than 10 km further south to the village of Strojkovce. There is another cultural site, the Watermill and Decorative Braid Workshop Complex, which has since evolved into the Textile Industry Museum. However, although it is a museum, visitors need to make an appointment (through the National Museum in Leskovac). There are too few visitors for the museum to be open all the time, but on the other hand, a very kind host lives nearby and is always ready to open the museum and with a story guide the interested visitors through it.
Watermill and Decorative Braid Workshop Complex
The watermill was built during the Ottoman period (before 1877), while the decorative braid workshop (gajtanara) began production at the end of the 19th century, specifically in 1884, which is considered the founding year of the textile industry in Leskovac.
Namely, gajtan (decorative braids) was highly sought after, but production ceased with the withdrawal of the Turks. Initially, the gajtan was imported from Bulgaria and the first machines for making products from wool, cotton, and silk were also imported from there, leading to the establishment of this workshop. It was connected to the watermill because the water flowing through the channel powered the mechanism that turned the wheels for braiding the gajtan. At first, the workshop was owned by four entrepreneurs, but by 1896, production moved from here to Leskovac, where the first textile factory began operating, marking the start of more intensive development of this industry throughout the region.
As for the building itself, although unique, it is clearly divided into two parts and features basic elements of vernacular architecture. On the left is the watermill/gajtanara space, under which a stream flows, while on the right is an entrance porch with rooms upstairs. This clearly indicates that the owner of the watermill also lived in the house here.
Watermill and Decorative Braid Workshop Complex
After listening to the introductory part of our host’s story in front of the building, we began the tour of today’s Textile Industry Museum. The exhibition is very modest and was set up about 40 years ago, but I was still very glad to have come here. Both the space itself and some now historical photographs give a certain charm to this place and to the whole story.
Textile Industry Museum, a detail
Textile Industry Museum, a detail
Textile Industry Museum, a detail
Textile Industry Museum, a detail
Textile Industry Museum, a detail
Textile Industry Museum, a detail
Textile Industry Museum, a detail
Textile Industry Museum, a detail
Textile Industry Museum, a detail
Since the museum was opened back in 1959, while the exhibition was set up in 1984, the displayed photographs reflect the ideas that were important at the time – “the unstoppable progress of socialism, industry, and the working class,” as well as the casual meetings of Comrade Tito with textile workers from Leskovac.
Textile Industry Museum, a detail
Textile Industry Museum, a detail
The entire Watermill and Decorative Braid Workshop Complex, along with the space surrounding the building, also forms a specific spatial and ambient ensemble, making it interesting and beautiful from that perspective as well.
Textile Industry Museum, a detail
Just under 6 km farther, with a turn off the main road, you reach another cultural monument, the Čukljenik Monastery, which is an immovable cultural property of great importance.
Čukljenik Monastery
Within the monastery, which dates back to the 15th–17th century, there is the Church of St. Nicholas, which was converted into a parish church in 1884. The history of Čukljenik is largely unknown, but it is clear that the monastery was built in the midst of an exceptional natural setting, on the slopes of Mount Kukavica. The village itself was formed only after the First Serbian Uprising.
Čukljenik Monastery
There was no one here either and the church was locked, so I can mostly speak about it based on what I’ve read. It is a single-nave structure with a narthex and a semicircular apse built at the same time. The exo-narthex was added later and I was able to peek through the glass on the door there.
Čukljenik Monastery, a detail
Here, too, there are small windows on the side walls, but they were closed, so I was only able to capture parts of the interior by pressing my phone against the glass.
Čukljenik Monastery, a detail
Čukljenik Monastery, a detail
Then I took a short walk around the monastery grounds, first taking photos of the church and then of the chapel dedicated to the Mother of God.
Čukljenik Monastery, a detail
Čukljenik Monastery, a detail
There is also a monument dedicated to "Vladimir, son of Stojan and Stana Radenković" (as inscribed on the monument), who was known as Vlajko, hence the name "Vlajko’s Monument." Two surnames also appear next to his name, Radenković and Stojanović, due to the old custom of children taking their father's first name as a surname. He was a Serbian army sergeant credited with the liberation of both Leskovac and the entire surrounding region from the Turks in December 1877, during which he was killed. The monument, that stands at 3.25 meters tall, was erected here in 1907.
As for the chapel, it was open, so at least there I was able to go inside.
Čukljenik Monastery, a detail
Outside the monastery courtyard, there is also the monastery watermill, built in 1786, but restored in 2005. It was closed, so I can't say anything about the interior.
Čukljenik Monastery, a detail
Right near the watermill, there is a nicely arranged spring. Svetlana, my cousin, and I went down there for a bit and refreshed ourselves with the wonderful water, while Dule went for a short walk up a dirt road.
Water spring in the village of Čukljenik
Just as we were waiting for Dule to return, I noticed some signs and realised that there are hiking trails and markers here. I thought how wonderful it would be to come someday fully equipped for hiking and set off on a beautiful walk in nature. I’m afraid my fitness level doesn’t quite match my wishes and dreams, but it’s important to have goals in life.
We then returned to the main road because the next destination was Vučje, a small urban settlement about 15 km from Leskovac. It has only around 2,500 inhabitants, but the place is remarkable for several reasons and is considered one of the “better-kept secrets” in this part of Serbia. Of course, as someone who spent a good part of childhood in Leskovac, Vučje is very familiar to me because we often came here to swim in a small reservoir (the cold mountain river water didn’t bother us at all), and once I even stayed for a week at the local hotel with my grandmother.
Still, I didn’t know everything that could be seen here and Dule, my cousin’s husband, helped me with that. He specifically pointed out the mills near the road, as well as the Church of Saint John the Baptist. To start with, we went down from the road to reach two watermills.
Watermill in Vučje
They were closed and I don’t know how often they’re used, but judging by the overall state of the roofs and the buildings, I would say they are taken care of.
Watermill in Vučje
Namely, due to the abundance of water from the Vučjanka River, there used to be over twenty watermills in the area around Vučje. Today, however, only four remain and the Vučje Cultural Centre is working to promote them by organising "Watermill Days" every October. The watermills are on average about 150 years old, so it’s great that efforts are being made to preserve them as a valuable and important part of our national culture and heritage.
The Vučjanka River
These two watermills are not located directly on the river itself; instead, water is brought to them through a canal. When I climbed up to the upper watermill, I saw that the canal has two sluice gates that regulate whether the water used in the upper mill is returned to the river or sent further down towards the lower watermill.
Watermills in Vučje, a detail
Watermill in Vučje
After this, we returned to the main (though rather narrow) road, but soon stopped again, parked the car, and then walked to the Church of Saint John the Baptist. On the way, we crossed a bridge over the Vučjanka River and spotted an interesting local resident of the area nearby.
The Vučjanka River
Resident of the surroundings of Vučje
As for the Church of Saint John the Baptist, it is built on a plateau at the top of a small elevation.
Church of Saint John the Baptist in Vučje
There was once a medieval church on this site, founded by Nikola Skobaljić (1430–1454), a Serbian Voivode (medieval title for a leader or a warlord) who was the last to resist the Ottomans before this region fell under their rule. The remains of that old church, destroyed by the Turks but highly respected over the centuries, existed until the 1930s. At that time, the beautiful church that can be seen today was built in its place, and many consider it one of the most significant examples of church architecture in Serbia between the two world wars.
Church of Saint John the Baptist in Vučje
Its architect is Grigorije Samojlov (1904–1989), whom I already mentioned in part 4 of these stories when I talked about the Vojvodić Family House in Leskovac, which is also his work. The new church was built between 1932 and 1938, and its consecration was a highly significant event in this part of Serbia.
Inside, there was an exceptional harmony, further enhanced by the soft sounds of spiritual music playing discreetly. Admittedly, outside some craftsmen were working on a nearby building, so the occasional hammering could be heard.
Anyway, here are a couple of photos from inside the church.
Church of Saint John the Baptist in Vučje, a detail
Church of Saint John the Baptist in Vučje, a detail
Church of Saint John the Baptist in Vučje, a detail
The surroundings of the church are very beautiful and serene, and we started heading back the same way towards the car. Along the way, I noticed a signpost indicating the direction of a circular hiking trail that leads to several interesting sites in the area, specifically in the region of the Vučjanka River canyon.
Surroundings of the Church of Saint John the Baptist in Vučje
Along the way, I spotted a juvenile white wagtail (Motacilla alba) in a yard.
Juvenile white wagtail
We just had a short drive left to reach the parking lot at the Vučjanka Recreational Area. Here’s a map showing the locations of all the places I’ve mentioned.