Church of St. Panteleimon, Nerezi

On a hillside above Skopje, this small Byzantine church holds a cycle of twelfth-century frescoes admired as masterpieces of medieval art. Painted with unusual emotional depth, scenes such as the Lamentation over the dead Christ anticipate developments in later European painting by generations. The compact stone church, crowned by five domes, was founded by a member of the Byzantine imperial family. Set among trees with views over the valley, it draws art historians and pilgrims to one of the region's most celebrated monuments.