Kruševac

Kruševac is a relatively large city in Serbia, with 80,000 inhabitants. It was founded by Prince Lazar in 1371 as the capital of his Principality of Moravia, the largest and most significant of the principalities that emerged from the disintegrated Serbian Empire.

The city’s church, constructed in 1377, is named Lazarica in honor of Prince Lazar. It represents the first and foremost example of Moravian-style architecture, distinguished by alternating bands of red and white stone and rosette windows. Decorative elements in ceramics and plaster, along with a cylindrical dome that rises dramatically, create a new spatial perception.

Opposite the church in Kruševac stands the city museum, and nearby are the remains of a fortress tower dating back to Lazar’s time. Kruševac is situated on a hill at the confluence of two rivers and features a collection of ancient houses, monuments, and galleries.

It served as the capital from 1371 until 1403, after which Lazar’s son, Prince Stefan Lazarević, relocated the capital to Belgrade. About 30 km from Kruševac lies the Naupara Monastery, another early example of the Moravian style.