The monastery of Nikita is situated on the hill among the vilages of Gornjani, Banjani and Chucher, 15km away from Skopje city center. It is one of the most important monuments of medieval Macedonian architecture and painting. 

The monastery of Nikita is situated on the hill among the vilages of Gornjani, Banjani and Chucher, 15km away from Skopje city center. It is one of the most important monuments of medieval Macedonian architecture and painting. 

The monastery is built of carved stones, bricks and mortar. It has a cruciform shape in a rectangular space with a dome. The fresco painting inside the monastery is in very good condition. The fresco paintings date back since 1324, they were painted by the painters Mihail and Evtihij and due to its rich iconographic repertoire and high artistic value, the fresco paintings are considered as masterpiece in the medieval art in Macedonia.

The facades were decorated with arcades filled with different geometrical ornaments, giving the monument a decorative and vivid look.

There is a secret of the monastery – Stepping on the stone of love. There is a stone under the carpet in the middle of the church, were people step on to that stone, believing it would help them get married, get children, be healthy, etc. One has to step on the stone, turn around three times, make a wish and then two prayers are read.

The monastery’s celebration is on 28^th September, the religious holiday of St. Nikita. The martyr lived in the 4^th century and was known for spreading Christianity among the Goths, who lived along the river Danube.

Source: http://users.stlcc.edu