Stari Ras

Ras, known in modern Serbian historiography as Stari Ras (Стари Рас, "Old Ras"), was a medieval fortress complex located in the vicinity of former marketplace of Staro Trgovište, some 10–11 kilometers (6.2–6.8 mi) west of modern-day city of Novi Pazar in southwestern Serbia. Old Ras was part of the Eastern Roman Empire and was then a frontier fortress that switched hands between the First Bulgarian Empire and the Byzantine Empire, in the end becoming one of the first and main capitals of the medieval Serbian state. Located in today's region of Raška, its favorable position on the crossroads and trading routes between neighbouring regions added to its importance as a city. Two fortifications (gradina) exist around the site, Gradina-Pazarište and Gradina-Postenje, while the urban place Staro Trgovište below Gradina-Pazarište developed since the late medieval period and influenced the foundation of Novi Pazar eastward during the Ottoman period. There are plans for future reconstruction of the site. In the close vicinity, there is an impressive group of medieval monuments, including churches and monasteries, such as Church of Saint Apostles Peter and Paul and the Sopoćani Monastery. The site of Stari Ras, in combination with nearby Sopoćani, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.