Western Influences in Medieval Church Architecture in Serbia and Montenegro - from Romanesque towards Gothic

Abstract

The article deals with the appearance of western influences, from Romanesque towards Gothic in the architecture and sculpture of medieval Serbia. These influences were the result of the expansion of the medieval Serbian state, inclusion of medieval Zeta, where the Roman Catholic church was predominant, and the arrival of German miners who settled in new mining collonies. The Royal family became linked with western European states through family relations, and some of the Serbian kings even accepted Roman Catholicism as their religion. This resulted in the erection of a series of royal mausolea which, with their Romanesque and late Romanesque character, present a local variant of western art. Medieval Serbia, until its decline, was a fully integrated part of the western world, and its stronghold against Byzantium.