Sv. Nikola Toplicki, demirhisarsko, Republika Makedonija

The Toplicki monastery and the church dedicated to St. Nikola, is located in the vicinity of the quarry on the foot of the mount called "Monastery scurf", on the slopes of Plakenska mountain.
	St. Nikola, Toplicki monastery, 14th, 15th century

St.Nikola’s church is a single nave church with larger dimensions compared to other churches of that type that were built in Republic of Macedonia. Its base has a form of an inscribed cross of a shrinked type, and it is covered by a semi-circular arch. Around the church, there are remains of the foregone two-story church quarters, that surrounded the church on its north, south and western side.

Since there is no exact data maintained, information that will inform about the exact time of the rise of the monastery, as well as of the construction of the monastery church, science founds its presumptions on the results from the research done on the conserved fragments from the first layer of fresco paintings. According to this research, it is presumed that the church was built towards the end of the 14th and the beginning of the 15th century. However, it is a fact that in 1537 the church was fresco-painted again, and the very same year, a narthex on the west side and chapels on the south and north side of the church have been built.

The church contains an encryption as a confirmation of the repeated fresco-painting, and certain Kir Dimitrie is mentioned as a donor of the church. The names of Dimitar of the village of Leunovo, Mavrovo, and his assistant Jovan, fresco-artists and authors of the paintings, are inscribed on several places around the church.

From all the works by fresco-artist Dimitrie, one has to point out the throne icons from the old wooden iconostas, at present kept at the National museum in Bitola. Special interest attract the icons which represent the compositions of "The descend of the holy Spirit" and "Dormition of Virgin Mary".

Only a few church artifacts have been preserved, such as several wooden "shandani" and the wooden bishop’s chair made in woodwork.

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