Lazarica Church has special meaning in our history: The Krusevac gem resists for centuries

Photo: Ivan Strahinic

Krusevac used to be the medieval Serbian capital, and today it is a city boasting a rich culture and history that attracts more and more tourists eager to get to know the very soul of Serbia.

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When they come to Krusevac, they can't help but visit the shrine that proudly stands in the center of the city, the Lazarica Church, which has a very interesting and turbulent past, but also a special significance in the history of the Serb nation.

The church was built by Prince Lazar as the court church of his new capital, in honor of his firstborn, Stefan. As he dedicated the shrine to Archdeacon Stefan, the patron of the Serbian medieval state's ruling Nemanjic dynasty, the full name of the church is, the Church of the Holy First Martyr Stefan.

But, among the people, this shrine is known as the Church of Lazarica or just Lazarica, in memory of its founder.

Although there is no official data on the year of the construction of this shrine, it is believed that it was built between 1376 and 1380. Together with Ravanica, it is a symbol of the emerging Moravian style of architecture in Serbia.

In addition to the fact that its benefactor was a glorious Serbian prince, Lazarica is especially important in our history for another reason - in front of it, the Serbian Army received blessings before setting off for the Kosovo Battle (in 1389).

This place of worship was painted with frescoes for the first time only in the mid 18th century, and has been restored several times. It hasalso been declared a cultural monument of exceptional importance.

Photo: Ivan Strahinic

(Telegraf.rs)