Church of Saint Mina

The Church of Saint Mina (also popularly known as Mrkša’s Church) is located in the center of the village of Štava, 5.5 km from Lukovska Banja. According to local tradition, the ancestors of today’s inhabitants brought their patron saint, Saint Mina, when they settled here and built the church during the reign of King Milutin.

The Ottomans destroyed the church during the first attacks after the Battle of Kosovo. It was rebuilt 37 years after the battle, only to be demolished once again by the Ottomans. The interior of the church was once entirely covered with frescoes, but parts of the paintings were partially or completely destroyed in fires over time.

As a cultural monument of great importance, the church was placed under state protection in 1949.