Destroyed And Desecrated Serbian Orthodox Churches In Kosovo And Metohia (1999-2000)

10. THE CHURCH OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE HOLY VIRGIN in Dolac near Klina

The monastery Church of the Holy Virgin (also known as the Church of our Immaculate Lady) was built in Dolac near Klina. The church was a single-nave building, rectangular at the foundations, with a semi-cylindrical vault and a semi-round apse. Two layers of frescoes were preserved. The more recent one dated from 1620 while the older, found underneath, was from the 14^th century. These were roughly restored, especially those found in the lower zone of the southern wall. Fragments of an old fresco were known for their very fine drawings and colours. Similar features could be found in the later date fresco, from the 17^th century. Many think that the church is older than Decani and built four years before the Battle of Kosovo (1389).

A precious Evangelistar from 14^th-15^th century and an Octoichos for I-IV voices from the 15^th century used to be preserved in Dolac.

	The vandalized and burned interior; the altar table smashed into pieces
The frescoes which decorated the church	The smashed pieces of frescoes
The monastery before destruction	The monastery after destruction

In July 1999, after the Italian KFOR soldiers deployed in this area, the Albanian extremists vandalized the church and smashed the altar table to pieces. The churches in the nearby villages of Klina and Djurakovac were also desecrated and vandalized as were several less famous churches in the vicinity. The latest information reveals that the church was blown up and levelled with the ground at the beginning of August.