Built by Stefan Nemanja after his ascent to power, the church is mentioned in his son St. Sava's history of his father. Over time, other monarchs contributed icons and buildings to the church complex, including King Radoslav's chapel from 1234. Studenica also contains rich decorative carvings in the Romanesque style.
The painters of Studenica were brought from Constantinople in 1209 by the royal monk, Sava Nemanjic. Large in scale, with individualized features and fluid, plastic forms, they reflect the late form of Byzantine painting under the Comnenii dynasty that was to pave the way for the future and final flowering of Byzantine art are under the Palaelogos. Though there is much religious imagery, the theme of the frescoes is the glorification of the Nemanjic dynasty.
