Church of the Presentation of the Holy Virgin, Belo Polje (Peć / Peja) is entry #23 in the May 2009 archival catalogue of the Reconstruction Implementation Commission (RIC). According to the original technical site sheet, the site is described as: Three aisled basilica, barrel vault, decorative wall paintings. Guest house and graveyard. Originally built in the XVI. Later restoration from1868.
Historical and Architectural Significance
According to the archived Reconstruction Implementation Commission (RIC) dossier #23, the site description reads: Three aisled basilica, barrel vault, decorative wall paintings. Guest house and graveyard. Originally built in the XVI. Later restoration from1868. Protected (Serbian counterpart: Trobrodna bazilika, polukružni svod, dekorativne zidne slike. Konak i groblje. Prvobitno sagrađena u XVI veku, a kasnije obnovljena 1868.Zašticeni spomenik.). Within the RIC documentation, this summary served as the baseline architectural identification of the building structure, materials, and ancillary structures within the complex.
Covered by standalone 2005 tender lot Ref. No. 10 and by 2006 tender Ref. No. 43000-06-007-5-2-1 ('Restoration works in the Church of the Presentation of the Virgin in Belo Polje. Peje/Pec').
Destruction and Recorded Damage (March 2004)
Under the heading 2004 — Damage Assessment in the original RIC dossier, the following condition was recorded: Roof in very bad condition, doors and windows damaged, interior vandalised and affected by fire, iconostasis burnt down, wall paintings covered with soot, stone pavement, partially destroyed. Site: surrounded by a low wall, cemetery vandalised.
Damage assessments in the RIC dossiers derive from the three joint technical assessment missions conducted by the Council of Europe and the European Commission between May and July 2004, involving heritage protection specialists and representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
Reconstruction and Conservation Works (2005–2009)
The table below presents the chronology of interventions from 2005 to 2009 according to the verified RIC archival dossier and tender registers:
| Year | Completed Works and Interventions | Stage Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Full re-roofing: consolidation of the vault, new timber roof structure covered with ceramic roof tiles Replacement of damaged stone slate floor Reconstruction of three gravestones in the graveyard New fence and gates to the site | Completed |
| 2006 | Clearance and removal of damaged elements Perimeter drainage around the church Repair or substitution of external and internal plasters Perimeter pathway New joinery Floor repairs Electrical installation | Completed |
| 2007 | No interventions carried out. | Completed |
| 2008 | No interventions carried out. | Completed |
| 2009 | Repairs to the cemetery New iconostasis Restoration of the wall paintings | Planned |
Analysis of archival dossier #23 shows the year-by-year progression of works under the mandate of the Reconstruction Implementation Commission. Works carried out in 2005 formed part of Phase I emergency protective interventions (consolidation, roofing, securing openings, clearance, and perimeter fencing) implemented across 30 sites.
When reading the 2009 entry, note that the English original explicitly states 2009 — Further Interventions Programmed, whereas the Serbian heading uses the shorter label 2009 — Dalje intervencije. Listing an activity under 2009 therefore documents a programmed plan as of May 2009, not confirmation of subsequent execution.
Conservation Context and Monument Condition
According to the Commission's May 2009 documentation,
Frequently Asked Questions
How is site #23 titled in the original RIC catalogue?
In the English catalogue it is listed as '23 CHURCH OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE VIRGIN Bellopolë/Belo Polje (Pejë/Pec)', and in the Serbian catalogue as '23 CRKVA VAVEDENJA BOGORODICE u Belom Polju, Peć'.
What damage was documented in the 2004 assessment?
According to the original RIC dossier: Roof in very bad condition, doors and windows damaged, interior vandalised and affected by fire, iconostasis burnt down, wall paintings covered with soot, stone pavement, partially destroyed. Site: surrounded by a low wall, cemetery vandalised.
What protective works were recorded in 2005?
For 2005, the dossier records: Full re-roofing: consolidation of the vault, new timber roof structure covered with ceramic roof tiles Replacement of damaged stone slate floor Reconstruction of three gravestones in the graveyard New fence and gates to the site.
What is the chronological cut-off of the data in this dossier?
Primary phase data is bounded by the May and July 2009 archival snapshots of the RIC website. Items listed under 2009 denote 'Further Interventions Programmed' at that date, not proof of subsequent completion.
Sources and Further Reading
- Report Submitted by UNMIK Pursuant to Article 2.2 of the Agreement Between UNMIK and the Council of Europe Related to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (ACFC/SR/II(2009)002) — Council of Europe / UNMIK (31. maj 2010.) · Source document ↗
- RIC Archival Page: The Background / Uvod — Reconstruction Implementation Commission (RIC) — archival snapshot (17. maj 2009.)
- RIC Archival Site Dossiers (/inc/{eng,srp}/sites/*.html, May–July 2009) — Reconstruction Implementation Commission (RIC) — archival snapshots (17. maj 2009. / 28. jul 2009.)
- RIC Archival Page: RIC Mechanism / KSO mehanizam — Reconstruction Implementation Commission (RIC) — archival snapshot (16. maj 2009.)
- RIC Archival Tender Lists 2005–2009 (/inc/{eng,srp}/–, May 2009) — Reconstruction Implementation Commission (RIC) — archival snapshots (16. maj 2009.)
