The Church of the Mother of God in Studenica was built with cubically cut pieces of top-quality white and grey marble, which was very expensive, excavated in the quarry on the Radočelo Mountain, 3 km away from the Monastery, which still exists, just like the remains of the mediaeval settlement of the laborers who worked there. Even nowadays, in the Studenica area, this precious stone is dug and cut, and this work requires extraordinary skill. The outer surface of the marble blocks used in the building of the Church of the Holy Virgin in Studenica was carved in such a way that it appears polished, and at some places, it is even sculpted. Such kind of delicate work can be done only by very skilled and experienced master artisans. On the eastern side of the church, there is one beautiful marble window with three openings, adorned with ornaments. All entrance doors, high and majestic, are also cut from the finest marble, decorated with marvelous wall sculpture in relief. Just under the ceiling, there is a series of chiseled figures, which is a specific, extremely rare form of ornamentation, and hence very valuable. Another interesting detail can be seen in five lovely drawings, which are engraved on the façades, with the purpose of facilitating the construction of complex entrances and the base for the dome. These drawings are actually unique sketches that are among the oldest preserved architectonic drawings, of great importance for our understanding of the process of building and construction in the Mediaeval Period. The impressive outer side of the main temple in the Studenica Monastery is additionally stressed by a broad red-colored dome. The interior of the Church of the Holy Virgin is spacious and with a high ceiling. There is also very old and valuable original furniture made in stone. Sepulchers of Stefan Nemanja, i.e. Saint Simeon, and his sons Grand Prince Vukan and King Stefan the First-Crowned, i.e. monk Simon, are located in the western section of the temple. Sepulcher of Venerable Anastasia, who used to call Ana as Nemanja’s wedded wife before taking monastic vows, is located in the narthex, together with the sepulcher of Vukan’s son Rastko, i.e. monk Teodosije, who was Stefan Nemanja’s grandson. After the fashion on the Church of Mother of God the Benefactress in the Studenica Monastery, many similar temples were erected during the time of Stefan Nemanja and Saint Sava, and later on, until the early 14th century, which were subsequently classified under the common designation of Raška architectural school, also known as the Raška style, named after the town of Ras, which used to be the capital of the Mediaeval Serbian state, located in the proximity of the town of Novi Pazar. However, the Church of the Mother of God has special significance and it is reasonably held to be the paradigm of architectonical beauty beyond compare, worthy of the high rank of its founder Stefan Nemanja, i.e. Saint Simeon. Nemanja’s son, Serbian King Stefan the First-Crowned, who wished to point out the great spiritual joy that his father felt when he eventually saw his memorial church, wrote in the Hagiography of Saint Simeon that his mind was uplifted like an eagle soaring to the sky. Indeed, when you find yourself in Studenica, particularly in the morning, when it is clear and quiet, your spirit will easily lift up like a soaring eagle flying high, way above the frenzied notions and ideas, worldly confusion and turmoil, which seem so distant when you are there. It is a place where time stands still, while the cycle of recurring religious services and rites sets the pace and rhythm like the heart beating inside the stone chest of an ancient creature, whose soul keeps growing stronger with each century, a place where begins the story about the creation of architectonic and artistic harmony of unparalleled beauty.

The following, 13th century, saw a new building uplifted within the Studenica Monastery. Around 1230, just in front of the western façade of the Church of the Mother of God, Serbian King Radoslav, son of Stefan the First-Crowned, and Stefan Nemanja’s grandson, constructed a big outer narthex with lateral chapels, which was dedicated to Saint Nicholas and Saint Simeon. It is a long, very spacious and high construction with a rectangular foundation. Its façades are built with bricks, which is in contrast to the marble outer surface of the main church, thus creating a special effect. All the windows, as well as the main entrance, are built from light-colored marble. The construction of Radoslav’s narthex provided protection of lavishly decorated, valuable western entrance to the Church of the Holy Virgin; inside it, there is a large stone vessel that served as a holy water stoup.

Approximately at the same time when the outer narthex was constructed, an unknown ktetor, probably someone from the Nemanjić dynasty, erected the small church dedicated to Saint Nicholas. Thanks to the copperplate engraving from 1733, we know what this temple looked like then.