Works have been launched to reconstruct the monks’ quarters destroyed by massive fire that had engulfed the Treskavec monastery near Prilep in early 2013.

The Ministry of Culture has set aside EUR 2 million for the reconstruction, Culture Minister Elizabeta Kanceska-Milevska said Wednesday while surveying construction works at the monastery, which are expected to be completed in three years’ time.

At the same time, the Prilep Museum is drafting projects to reconstruct parts of the church and its refectory. The entire monastery complex is expected to be renovated by late 2018.

The reconstruction of the monastery means a lot for the Municipality of Prilep since it contributes to bolstering monastery tourism, Prilep Mayor Marjan Risteski stated calling Treskavec ‘one of the most beautiful monasteries in the Balkans.’

Dating from the 12th and 13th century, Treskavec monastery is located near the hilltop called Zlatovrv. It is also home to an extensive collection of Byzantine frescoes, some considered masterpieces of Orthodox Christian art.