Serbian monastery in the autonomous region of Kosovo, on the Bistrica River.

Dečani was founded in the first third of the 14th century. The Church of the Pantocrator (1327-35; architect, Vit of Kotor; five aisles, with three apses and a three-aisled western narthex) combines features of the Roman basilica and the Byzantine cross-domed church with cupolas. Built of rows of polished marble of two colors with decorative carving (around the windows, portals, and capitals), the church is distinguished by its graceful symmetry and its festive appearance. In the interior, it is decorated with frescoes (1335-50), including portraits of the kings of the Nemanja family; there is a decorated wooden sarcophagus containing the remains of the founder of the monastery, King Stefan III. In the vestry are Serbian jewelry masterpieces and illuminated manuscripts of the 14th to 17th century.