Travel Guide Monastere De Zica

South of Kraljevo, two paths to access the national area of Novi Pazar, turn left to Mataruška Banja and 4 km after village. Or from the centre of Kraljevo, take the bridge on Morava and right, then 5 km away. This monastery, recognizable by its vibrant red-ochre colours, is of particular importance in the history of the Serbian nation. Starting in 1219, Žića became the seat of the Serbian episcopate. It is here that St Sava, the first Serbian Archbishop, King roi his brother Stefan; later, the sons of Stefan, Radoslav and Vladislav were crowned in their turn. But at the end of the th century, the Patriarchate of Žića was transferred to Peć in Kosovo, and then the Ottomans burned the church several times today, one can see the entrance of the entrance. The church, which belongs to the architectural school of Raška, is recognizable in its rectangle and square tower. It is flanked by a chapel to the circular roof on each side, and the narthex ends with a three-part apse surmounted by a dome. In the main church, paintings of the th century were signed by painters of King Milutin workshops with, in the central part, references to the life of Jesus and great religious festivals. The most interesting composition illustrates the Christmas hymn of Saint Jean Damascene. The two groups of church dignitaries include Patriarch Sava III and King Milutin. In the south chapel, scenes of the life of the patron saint Stéphane were preserved.