Description
Kruševac – the medieval capital of Prince Lazar, today a modern city of contemporary Serbia, has an extremely rich cultural and historical heritage and firmly relies on the foundations of its glorious past. Prince Lazar built it in 1371, choosing it as his capital.
The church of Lazarica, built from 1376 to 1380, testifies to the glorious past of Lazar’s city, in which the Serbian army received the Holy communion before leaving for the Battle of Kosovo. Prince Lazar built this church in honour of his firstborn son Stefan. Besides Lazarica church, the remains of the Prince’s court and the Donjon – the main defensive tower – testify to the splendour of Lazar’s city.
Lazar’s city is adorned with a monument to Prince Lazar and the building of the National Museum. Not far from Lazar’s city, on Despot Stefan Square, in 2018, a bronze monument to Princess Milica was erected by sculptor Zoran Ivanović.
Medieval history was also the inspiration for the mosaic complex ”In the Glory of Kruševac”, which adorns one of the most beautiful architectural buildings in the city from the beginning of the 20th century, the Prefecture, today the seat of the City Administration. Colouristic splendour, multiplicity of motifs and a dose of mysticism, are the characteristics of the mosaic consisting of wall and floor mosaics, stained glass and lunettes in the ceiling niches.
In the rich history of Kruševac, the memory of the period of conflict with the Turks is preserved at the Simić House, built before the liberation of the city from the Turks in 1833, where the Prince Mileta rebellion was agreed upon. The symbol of Kruševac, the Monument to Kosovo Heroes in the city centre, is one of the most successful sculptural works from the beginning of the 20th century, by Đorđe Jovanović, who was awarded the First Order Gold Medal at the World Fair in Paris in 1900.
Kruševac is also proud of the Memorial Complex ”Slobodište”, where the Nazis shot hundreds of patriots from Kruševac and the surrounding area during the Second World War.
The city is surrounded by exceptional nature – Jastrebac mountain, only 20 km from the city centre, Kopaonik mountain, as well as Ribarska Banja, which is one of the oldest Serbian spas, provide exceptional opportunities for rest and treatment, with landscapes attractive to all nature lovers, making Kruševac today an important regional cultural and tourist centre.
Expert collaboration: City of Kruševac
Artistic realization of the issue: Miroslav Nikolić
