As the Plateau is surrounded with the range of the most beautiful mountains of Stari Vlah, numerous cultural-historical monuments are dispersed all over the surrounding area. Wherever you go, only after a few tens of kilometers you will run into a monument of immensurable cultural and historical value. Fifteen kilometers from Sjenica, beside the road to the city of Novi Pazar, there is Sopoćani monastery (1263 A.D.), founded by King Stefan Uroš I. The monument is under the protection of UNESCO; its fresco of the Dormition of the Virgin is declared as the most beautiful fresco of the middle age, at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1961. A few kilometers away, in the city of Novi Pazar, there are the Peter’s Church (the oldest sacral monument in our country), archeological remains of the medieval capital Ras, the monastery Djurdjevi Stupovi (1171 A.D.), with the Chapel of King Dragutin (1282 A.D.). Near the city of Novi Pazar, on the slopes of Golija Mountain, there are monasteries Gradac, the foundation of Queen Helen of the Anjou, and Studenica, the endowment of the founder of Nemanić dynasty. If you go the other side, towards the town of Kraljevo, you will come to the monastery Mileševa, the foundation of King Vladislav. Its fresco The White Angel is perhaps the most famous work of art of the medieval Serbian painting. On the road to the cizy of Užice, in the town of Arilje, there is the foundation of King Dragutin, St. Achilius Church. Within the territory of Sjenica municipality there is a real pearl of medieval architecture, the monastery Kumanica.

The environment of the Pešter plateau abounds in numerous cultural-historical monuments of Islamic culture and art, too. In Sjenica there is the Sultan Valid mosque (19th century), founded by the mother of Sultan Abdul Hamid II, its dome is 15 meters in diameter being one of the most beautiful Islamic monuments in our country. In the city of Novi Pazar, beside the city fortress with the Tower from the 15th century, you can see the Altun Alem mosque (16th century), the Amir Aga’s Han (17th century) and Hamam (Turkish bath) - a gift from the founder of the town, Isa-Beg Isaković. In the city of Nova Varoš, there is a representative building of the Islamic architecture, old town hall (Kajmakamija), built in the late 19th century.

the Kumanica Monastery		The White Angel

The Kumanica Monastery
Time of the construction of the church of St. Archangel is not completely certain, although it is assumed to be in 13th century. This church is mentioned in "Krusevacki pomenik" written in 11th century. In the year 1604, the Kumanica’s gospel was contributed there. Otherwise, the church has been in ruins and abandoned for centuries. The first archeological research was done in 1971. Although the church has been ruined for last few centuries, it has remained the stronger cultish place than many other reputed monasteries in the area. During 2000's the church was rebuilt and roofed. The Kumanica monastery belongs to Sjenica municipality. A church in Kumanica is dedicated to St. Archangel Gabriel, the immaterial, spiritual God’s power.
Healing powers of the monastery have been known from ancient times. It is one of the rare holly places where the pilgrimage is made by people who wear šajkača (Serbian national hat), Montenegrin caps and fezzes. "Pomozi Bože" (God Help, With God Help) and "Bismillah" (In the Name of God) could be heard in the temple.