| Koznik Козник | |
|---|---|
Brus  Serbia | |
 Remains of Koznik | |
| Type | Fortification |
| Site information | |
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Site history | |
| Built | 14th century |
| Materials | Stone |
Koznik Castle is a medieval castle in central Serbia, 10 km northwest from the town of Aleksandrovac, on a hillside of Kopaonik, on the right bank in the upper flow of the Rasina river. The castle was built on top of a steep hill dominating the surrounding terrain at 920 m altitude. [1]
The castle was mentioned for the first time in a decree of Prince Lazar. [1] In the early 15th century, Koznik belonged to Grand Čelnik Radič, one of the most important knights at that time. Lazar's widow, Princess Milica spent some time there, in 1402, while their son, despot Stefan Lazarević, made two decrees in Koznik in 1405, granting Radič Postupović all surrounding villages and the church on the river Grabovničica. [1]
After a brief Ottoman conquest of Koznik, the castle returned to despot Đurađ Branković in 1444. [1] The Ottomans again seized the castle at the same time they conquered Kruševac in 1454–1455. During the 16th and 17th centuries, an Ottoman squad was located there until 1689, when Koznik was taken hold of by Serbian rebels, which indicates that, at the time, Koznik was still an active fortification. [1]
Koznik is an example of a small highland fortified castle. It has an irregular polygonal base that follows the configuration of the terrain. South from the fort were other constructions, with some remnants still recognizable today. [1]
Koznik Fortress was declared a Monument of Culture of Great Importance in 1979, and it is currently protected by the Government of Serbia. [2]
Kruševac is a city and the administrative center of the Rasina District in central Serbia. It is located in the valley of West Morava, on Rasina river. According to the 2022 census, the city administrative area has a population of 113,582 while the urban area has 68,119 inhabitants.
The Serbian Despotate was a medieval Serbian state in the first half of the 15th century. Although the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 is mistakenly considered the end of medieval Serbia, the Despotate, a successor of the Serbian Empire and Moravian Serbia, lasted for another sixty years, experiencing a cultural, economic, and political renaissance, especially during the reign of Despot Stefan Lazarević. After the death of Despot Đurađ Branković in 1456, the Despotate continued to exist for another three years before it finally fell under Ottoman rule in 1459.
Kopaonik is a mountain range located in Kosovo and Central Serbia. The highest point of this mountain range is the Pančić's Peak with an altitude of 2,017 m (6,617 ft). The central part of the Kopaonik plateau was declared a national park in 1981 which today covers an area of 121.06 km2 (46.74 sq mi).
The Manasija Monastery also known as Resava, is a Serbian Orthodox monastery near Despotovac, Serbia founded by Despot Stefan Lazarević between 1406 and 1418. The church is dedicated to the Holy Trinity. It is one of the most significant monuments of medieval Serbian culture and it belongs to the "Morava school". The monastery is surrounded by massive walls and towers. Following its foundation, the monastery became the cultural centre of the Serbian Despotate. Its School of Resava was well known for its manuscripts and translations throughout the 15th and 16th centuries. Manasija complex was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia, and the monastery entered the UNESCO Tentative List Process in 2010.
Trstenik is a town and municipality located in the Rasina District of central Serbia. As of 2022 census, the town has 13,476, while the municipality has 35,875 inhabitants. It lies on the West Morava river.
Rudnik is a mountain in central Serbia, near the town of Gornji Milanovac. Its highest peak Cvijićev vrh, named after geologist and biologist Jovan Cvijić, has an elevation of 1,132 meters above sea level. It has several other peaks over 1000 m: Srednji Šturac, Mali Šturac, Molitve, Paljevine and Marijanac. Rudnik literally means 'mine' in Serbian, apparently referring to the mountain's rich mineral resources. The name is probably a testament to the mining activity associated with the mountain throughout several millennia.
Vršac Castle formerly known as Vršac Tower, is a medieval fortress near Vršac, Vojvodina, Serbia. Only Donjon tower remained from the entire complex, but in 2009 reconstruction started, to recreate the entire Vršac Castle.
The Golubac Fortress was a medieval fortified town on the south side of the Danube River, 4 km (2.5 mi) downstream from the modern-day town of Golubac, Serbia. According to recent discoveries, the fortress, which was built during the 14th century by Medieval Serbian state, is split into three compounds which were built in stages. It has ten towers, most of which started square, and several of which received many-sided reinforcements with the advent of firearms. Towers were not connected for easier defense. Serbian Medieval frescos were recently found inside the fortress.
The Smederevo Fortress is a medieval fortified city in Smederevo, Serbia, which was the temporary capital of Serbia in the Middle Ages. It was built between 1427 and 1430 on the order of Despot Đurađ Branković, the ruler of the Serbian Despotate. It was further fortified by the Ottoman Empire, which had taken the city in 1459.
Veliki Kupci is a village in the city of Kruševac, Rasinski county, Serbia, located at 15 km from Kruševac on route to Kopaonik mountain. Veliki Kupci and Mali Kupci are two parts of the same settlement separated by the river Rasina.
The Fortress of Zvečan, also known as Zvečan/Zveçan medieval fortress and Fortress of Mitrovica, located in the northwest of the city of North Mitrovica, in Kosovo, is an enormous castle and one of the oldest fortresses in Southeastern Europe. It was built on the top of the extinct volcano vent, overlooking the Ibar river.
The Gradac Monastery is an endowment of queen Helen which was built from 1277 to 1282 during the reign of her son king Stefan Dragutin. It lies on the elevated plateau above the river Gradačka, at the edge of the forested slopes Golija. Gradac Monastery was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and it is protected by Serbia.
The Vushtrri Castle or Old Tower are city fortifications in Vushtrri, Kosovo. It was the seat of despot Đurađ Branković (1427–1456). Later chroniclers are noted that the fort itself is derived from the times of Dušan, and that it is an old fortress with a tower in the middle of the town.
Kruševac Fortress or City of Prince Lazar was a medieval fortified town in Kruševac, Serbia, former capital of Prince Lazar. The city housed the court church, Lazarica. Today, all that remains of the town are ruins.
Church of the Holy First Martyr Stephen, better known as the Lazarica Church, is a Serbian Orthodox church in Kruševac, Serbia. It was built in 1375-1378 as an endowment of prince Lazar of Serbia. Lazarica, as an outstanding achievement of the Serbian medieval architecture, was declared a Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and it is protected by the Republic of Serbia. Lazarica was built as a prototype of the Morava school of architecture, as a palace church associated with the Kruševac Fortress, the capital of Prince Lazar. Today, only Lazarica and parts of the keep remain from the vast fortress complex.
Novo Brdo Fortress is a medieval Serbian fortress in Kosovo. Its ruins are located near the town of Novo Brdo, about 40 kilometres (25 mi) east of Pristina. The fortress was built in the late 13th century by king Stephen Uroš II Milutin of Serbia to protect gold, silver, iron and lead mines which were abundant throughout the area. Novo Brdo was famous for its silver. Together with the castles of Prizren, 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) to the southwest, and Prilepac, 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) to the southeast, which guard access roads to the fortress, Novo Brdo helped form a defensive complex overlooking the lucrative mining operations. Novo Brdo was at its height during the Serbian Despotate (1402–1459), when it was the most important mining area and second most important town in Serbia. A significant number of Saxon miners, Albanian Catholics and a large Ragusan merchant colony lived within the town, which was ruled by a vojvoda, but also a governor (kefalija), because it was the seat of an administrative unit of the Despotate.
Kurvingrad or Koprijan (Копријан), is a ruined fortress which sits above the town of Doljevac on the South Morava river, 11 km south of the town of Niš. The ruins are all that remain of the medieval town of Koprijan from the time of Classical antiquity; the fortress is over a thousand years old. Today, fortifications remain, but have not been substantially studied.
Borač, also known as Borač na Kršu is a medieval town and fortress. The remains of the Borač fortress lie on top of a rocky hill 10km northwest of Knić and are protected as a cultural monument of great importance.
Stalać Fortress is a historic fortress in the town of Stalać. It is located 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) north of present-day Kruševac, on a hill overlooking the confluence of West and South Morava.
The Milentija Monastery is a medieval monastery whose ruins are located near the village of the same name in the municipality of Brus, Serbia, not far from the Koznik fortress.
43°27′18″N20°56′26″E / 43.45500°N 20.94056°E
Castles, fortresses and palaces in Serbia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Castles, fortresses & palaces |
|  |
See also: Forts and Castles in Serbia, Palaces and Manor Houses in Serbia, Immovable Cultural Heritage of Serbia * is used for castles located in the disputed territory of Kosovo | ||