Travel Guide Graçanicë (Gračanica)

Gračanica/Грачаница in Serbian (pronounced "grachanitsa"), or Graçanica/Graçanicë in Albanian, has a population of about 2,700 (78% Serbian, 16% Roma). It is the capital of the municipality of the same name (10,500 inhabitants). Gračanica is located 10 km southeast of Pristina Located in the fertile Gračanka Valley, between the hills of Veletina (874 m above sea level) and Steževac (794 m), Gračanica is the only Serbian enclave in the center of the country, a 15-minute drive from Pristina. Spared by the war in Kosovo, this village has become a small town. It is now the administrative, political and cultural center for the 75,000 Serbian inhabitants of the region. Gračanica has not only a pleasant environment with its valley and lake, but also some of the most important monuments in the country. Its monastery alone is worth a visit: a jewel of Serbian-Byzantine art, it is a Unesco World Heritage Site. Next door, the ancient city of Ulpiana is the largest archaeological site in Kosovo. There is a small tourist office on site, located in the town hall square, about 400 m north of the monastery. Gračanica also has several hotels and restaurants. Lodging here can be interesting, especially since the prices are lower than in the nearby capital.