Zavala Monastery

Zavala Monastery is one of the most precious spiritual treasures of Herzegovina, on the edge of Popovo Polje, three kilometres from Ravno. Dedicated to the Presentation of the Mother of God, it is quite unique in its setting: the church's northern side is tucked under a huge rock that forms much of its wall, so the complex breathes the calm of a hermitage. The monastery is first mentioned in 1514, though it is believed to be older, while tradition links its origin even to the Roman emperor Constantine.

Zavala's greatest treasure are the frescoes painted in 1619 by the Hilandar monk Georgije Mitrofanović – considered the finest painting in BiH from Ottoman times. Beside it, a stone bell tower with three bells rises on the rock, and the complex includes a lodge, an old school and a cave hermitage. Zavala Monastery is also linked to Saint Basil of Ostrog, who was a novice here.