Žiča

Žiča Monastery

Žiča Monastery
Location within Serbia
Monastery information
Full name	Манастир - Жича
Order	Serbian Orthodox
Established	1207-1217
Dedicated to
Diocese	Eparchy of Žiča
People
Founder(s)	Stefan Prvovenčani
Important associated figures	Stefan Milutin
Architecture
Heritage designation	Cultural Monument of Exceptional Importance (Cultural Heritage of Serbia)
Site
Location	Trg Jovana Sarića 1, Kraljevo, Serbia
Coordinates	43°41′46.68″N 20°38′44.66″E / 43.6963000°N 20.6457389°E / 43.6963000; 20.6457389Coordinates: 43°41′46.68″N 20°38′44.66″E / 43.6963000°N 20.6457389°E / 43.6963000; 20.6457389
Public access	Yes
Website	www.zica.org.rs/english

Žiča (Serbian Cyrillic: Жича, pronounced [ʒîtʃa] or [ʒîːtʃa]) is an early 13th-century Serb Orthodox monastery near Kraljevo, Serbia. The monastery, together with the Church of the Holy Dormition, was built by the first King of Serbia, Stefan the First-Crowned and the first Head of the Serbian Church, Saint Sava.

Žiča was the seat of the Archbishop (1219–1253), and by tradition the coronational church of the Serbian kings, although a king could be crowned in any Serbian church, he was never considered a true king until he was anointed in Žiča. Žiča was declared a Cultural Monument of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and it is protected by Serbia. In 2008, Žiča celebrated 800 years of existence.

The Serbs were initially under the jurisdiction of the Archbishopric of Ohrid, under the tutelage of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. Rastko Nemanjić, the son of Stefan Nemanja, ruled as Grand Prince of Hum 1190-1192, previously held by Grand Prince Miroslav. In the autumn of 1192 (or shortly thereafter)