White Church, Karan

The White Church is a Serbian Orthodox building with three bays crowned by a cupola and a semi-circular apse featuring a stone iconostasis on the eastern wall. The interior is defined by colored wall paintings that show religious and historical scenes.

Župan Petar Brajan built the structure between 1340 and 1342 on a site where a former Roman place of worship once stood, discovered through excavations. This construction period falls during an era when such churches became important religious centers in medieval Serbia.

The interior walls show frescoes from the 14th century depicting Emperor Stefan Dušan with his family alongside saints from the Nemanjić dynasty. These images tell biblical stories and reveal the religious world of medieval Serbian nobility.

The building is a revered place where regular services take place under the jurisdiction of the Eparchy of Žiča. Visitors can explore the interior and view the medieval Serbian Orthodox architecture along with the artistic decoration.

The frescoes on the western wall show rare medieval family portraits of Župan Brajan, his wife Struja, their son, and three daughters in traditional period dress. These depictions are remarkable because they preserved private noble families in religious art.

Location: Karan

GPS coordinates: 43.91500,19.91170

Latest update: December 14, 2025 13:06