The Miroslav Gospels – manuscript from 1180

The Miroslav Gospel, a liturgical book produced in around 1180 is an illuminated manuscript with stylistic and iconographic characteristics resulting from the blending of West (Italian) and East (Byzantine) influences and containing miniatures of exceptional beauty.It is also one of the most influential artistic testimonies that represent road  from West to East . 

 It is the earliest preserved Serbian illustrated manuscript, dating from the 12^th century and written in Cyrillic, with the status of a national treasure and declared as an cultural property of exceptional importance. The Miroslav Gospels are also one of the most beautiful manuscript books in the world, whose global importance has been affirmed by its inclusion in 2005 in the UNESCO Memory of the World register which currently comprises only 120 documents of exceptional and universal importance.

The name was acquired by its founder, Prince Miroslav, brother, Grand Duke Stefan Nemanja. It is assumed that it was written and decorated in the church of St. Peter and Paul in Bijelo Polje. By its composition it is a liturgical books in which texts are arranged according to the readings during the church year. Text Miroslav's Gospel was written in pen, in two columns, black, and most of the headlines are red. The book contains 296 miniatures drawned by pen, painted with a brush, red, green, yellow and white and decorated with gold.

The original of the Miroslav Gospels is kept in the National Museum in Belgrade, with the Serbian National Library responsible for its conservation and protection. There is a special edition with of 299 copies in the major world libraries, and a digital edition is available too.