Petrič Fortress
| Петрич | |
| Alternate name | Petrč |
|---|---|
| History | |
| Builder | King Milutin |
| Material | large stones and lime mortar |
| Founded | end of the 13th century |
| Satellite of | Nerodimlje (court of the King of Serbia) |
| Official name | Велики и Мали Петрич, Неродимље, Урошевац |
| Type | Cultural |
| Designated | 31 December 1967 |
| Reference no. | СК 1418 |
Petrič (Serbian: Petrič, Петрич) or Petrč or Petrić was a strategic military complex consisting of two late medieval fortresses in Nerodimlje Župa of the Kingdom of Serbia. The role of the main fortress Veliki Petrič (or Velika Kaleja) and a smaller fortress Mali Petrič (or Mala Kaleja) was to protect the court of the King of Serbia in Nerodimlja.
Two fortresses were built on two adjacent hills of the southern slopes of Crnoljeva mountain, above the king's court Nerodimlje and also above the confluence of two streams (Mala Reka and Golema Reka) that form Nerodimka river, west of the modern day town Uroševac in Kosovo and Metohija. Mali Petrič was built around 3.5 km south of the bigger fortress Veliki Petrič.
The remnants of both Veliki and Mali Petrič are covered with forest. Based on the configuration of the land it can be assumed that Veliki Petrič had triangular shape. The thickness of the remnants of the southern wall is between 2 and 2.2 metres (7 ft 3 in). It was built of large stones and lime mortar. There was a gate in southern wall which was 3.3 metres (11 ft) wide.Konstantin Jireček described remnants of four towers of this fort.
Kingdom of Serbia had numerous temporary courts in its administrative districts known as župas. In Nerodimlje župa there were three courts of King Milutin: Nerodimlje (below Petrič), Svrčin (on the island of Svrčin lake) and Pauni. The fourth court within this complex was several kilometers north of Pauni, on the location of modern day Štimlje village.
Petrič was often mentioned in connection with the struggle between Stefan Dušan and his father Stefan Dečanski over the throne of Serbia. In 1331 Stefan Dušan came from Skadar to Nerodimlje to overthrow his father Stefan Dečanski who fled to Petrič with a small number of men. It is unknown whether it was Veliki or Mali Petrič. Dušan first captured the court in Nerodimlje with its treasury and besieged Petrič which he captured on 21 August 1331 and imprisoned his father in Zvečan Fortress, where he was strangled.
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