One of the most important cultural sights near Pejë and in the country as a whole is the Patriarchal Monastery, which is located directly at the entrance to the Rugova Gorge on the River Bistrica.

The origins of the impressive medieval monastery complex in the middle of the very well-kept gardens date back to the early 13th century. The patriarchal seat was the spiritual centre of the Serbian archbishops and also the burial place of many of them. With its art treasures and shrines, the convent is considered a treasure trove of Serbian history and one of the holiest places of the Serbian Orthodox Church. In 2006, the unique building made it onto the UNESCO World Heritage List, and in 1947 it was declared an exceptionally important cultural monument. At the same time, however, it is on the Red List of protected monuments due to the still difficult security situation. Today, the estate is run by Orthodox nuns under the protection of KFOR.

As the Žiča monastery on the River Ibar (near Kraljevo/Serbia), the first seat of the Serbian Orthodox archbishopric, was severely threatened by the Hungarian army, St Sava of Serbia entrusted his successor Arsenije with choosing a new location for the archbishopric. In the first third of the 13th century, the Church of the Holy Apostles was built on the ruins of a small church from the 11th century at this exposed location at the exit of the Rugova Gorge. The style was very simple, with a single nave, a dome and a semi-circular apse. The first frescoes were painted between 1250 and 1260, and the temporary Serbian Orthodox church was located here from 1253 to 1285 before it was moved here permanently from Žiča Monastery in 1291.

The small side chapel of the Church of the Apostles was replaced between 1321 and 1324 by the Byzantine-style Demetrius Church with a cruciform ground plan, and between 1330 and 1337, the church of the Mother of God Hodegetria (St Mary's Church) and the Chapel of St Nicholas were built to the south. In 1346, Stefan Uroš IV. Dušan granted Pejë the rank of patriarchate. And even after the Ottomans took control of the Serbian Empire, Pejë remained the seat of the Serbian Orthodox Church until the death of Arsenije II in 1463, when the patriarchate was abolished by Sultan Mehmed II, but underwent extensive restoration and expansion, and new frescoes were also created.

In the 16th century, the complex was remodelled into a closed unit and from then on united four churches with a common, open narthex for the three large ones. At the end of the 17th century, the Austro-Turkish War posed a threat to the patriarchate. The most valuable church treasures were taken to Graçanica, but were discovered there by the Turks and plundered. The same happened to the treasures remaining in Pejë when Arsenije III fled to Austria in 1689. A large part of the valuables were later bought back.

In the 18th century, Pejë came under pressure from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and finally came under Greek rule. In 1831, the patriarchate was plundered again, this time by Pasha Arslan of Bosnia. In the mid-19th century, a guest house was built, the watermill was restored and the frescoes were extended. After the end of the First World War, the patriarchate regained its full function, but was converted into a monastery after the Second World War. Extensive archaeological work was carried out and temple walls and a cemetery from the early Christian era were uncovered. The imposing stelae bear inscriptions in Latin.

In 1981, the old dormitory was set on fire by Albanian extremists and during the war the monastery was repeatedly subjected to brutal attacks. Today, the former patriarchate is still an important Serbian Orthodox centre in the region, with 26 nuns and an abbot living there under the protection of Italian KFOR soldiers.

Despite the different eras, the monastery complex presents itself as a harmonious unit and is considered unique in Serbian church architecture. The well-preserved frescoes vividly illustrate the development of Serbian church painting over four centuries. The Byzantine style dominates in the Church of the Apostles, with general depictions such as the Ascension in the dome, the Last Supper and the Raising of Lazarus. The depictions in the Church of St Demetrius describe the lives of the saints and church festivals. The frescoes in St Mary's Church are dedicated to Jesus and the prophets as well as the family tree of the Nemanjids. The extensive monastery treasury includes icons from the 14th to 19th centuries and manuscripts in Old Slavonic. The patriarchate is also the largest mausoleum of Serbian dignitaries. Archbishops were buried here from the 13th to the 15th century and in the 17th century, and the monastery contains relics of important Serbian church leaders. In 2006, the monastery was restored and two previously unknown frescoes were discovered on the outer façade of St Demetrius' Church. In March 2009, Bishop Artemije had his own construction company paint the walls a deep red colour in a cloak-and-dagger operation, painting over valuable ornamentation in the process. The Serbian Ministry of Culture condemned the action and sharply criticised the bishop, but the act has remained without consequences to this day.

A magnificent over 750-year-old mulberry tree, planted at the time by Archbishop Sava II, thrives in the inner courtyard

(daily from 9.30-17 h, ID check at the checkpoint).