ST. JOACHIM OSOGOVSKI MONASTERY
The monastery and churches of Saint Joachim Osogovski are found near the town of Kriva Palanka, in northeastern Macedonia, very close to the Bulgarian border.
The both churches from the 13th and the 19th century aren't interesting as others in Macedonia, but the settlement is that, what makes the monastery special. It is about a 2-1/2 hour drive from Skopje via Kumanovo, then a half-hour walk up the mountain road. Taxis can be called from the nearby restaurant.
In the summer it has been used for an architecture summer school - at any time travelers can stay here and enjoy the peace and the beauty for very little money.
Here are some gravestones next to the older of the two churches. The 19th century church is filled with 19th century religious frescoes, but pictures are not allowed. That's okay actually as they have been heavily restored. You can take pictures of the frescoes on the walls and roof of the church porticoes. This is one in the small portico dome to the right of the main entrance.
This wall fresco is of the death of the Virgin Mary - you can see Jesus calling to her from the cloud. Along the bottom of the walls on each side of the entrance to the church are graphic renditions of the way you will suffer in Hell for a particular sin. I'm not sure which sins these are!
