GRABOVAC

The Unknown Giant

The Grabovac Fortress, also known as Jerina’s Town, is situated atop a hill overlooking the left bank of the West Morava River, near the village of the same name, approximately three and a half kilometres northwest of Trstenik. It is believed to have been established during the Early Byzantine period, specifically during Emperor Justinian’s restoration, and continued to be utilised throughout the Middle Ages. Grabovac was one of the largest fortresses in the Western Pomoravlje region, playing a strategic role in controlling the road that followed the river valley toward the capital, Kruševac. Its significance to the Serbian people likely peaked immediately after the Battle of Kosovo, when a military garrison stationed there protected the nearby Ljubostinja Monastery, from which Princess Milica governed the state.

ABOVE: Map of the site

ABOVE: The ramparts of the Upper Town

As with many other ancient fortresses and towns in Serbia, the origins of Jerina’s Town in Grabovac remain shrouded in mystery, with no clear indication of who built it or when. While sporadic archaeological discoveries in the area date back to prehistoric times, it is evident that the majority of the preserved walls originate from the medieval period. Nonetheless, distinct layers of construction suggest that the settlement was inhabited during various eras. Early travel writers, such as Felix Kanitz and architect Vladislav Titelbah, attributed the fortress to the Roman period. However, contemporary scholars largely agree that the earliest fortification at the site was constructed in the 6^th century during the reign of Emperor Justinian I, as part of the defence against the invasion of the Slavs along the so-called Moravian line. It is believed that Serbian medieval rulers later restored and expanded the fortress, although the precise periods of its activity remain uncertain. Based on archaeological findings, it can be confidently asserted that the town was vibrant and reached its peak during the era of Moravian Serbia under Prince Lazar.

ABOVE LEFT: The long wall once stretched for 1,000 meters

ABOVE RIGHT: Remains of the long wall that descended to the West Morava riverbed

The Grabovac Fortress spans a steep, forested ridge approximately 300 meters high and covers an area of about one hectare. Today, the site reveals remnants of two towers, which were once connected by a long wall to a third tower that stood directly above the Morava River. Access to the fortress was possible only from the southwest, along the route of the long wall. The total length of the preserved ramparts is approximately 350 meters, with the largest sections measuring two meters wide and eight meters high. However, it is known that the fortress was once significantly larger. In the oldest preserved layout plan of Grabovac, found in Jovan Cvijić’s anthology “Settlements of Serbian Lands,” the walls are noted to have been up to 1,000 meters long.

ABOVE: A wooden bridge leads over the dry moat into the Upper Town

The fortress can be divided into three distinct units: the Upper Town, the Lower Town, and the long wall that connects them. The Upper Town is situated on a hilltop plateau, resembling the shape of an irregular triangle or a ship. It measures 120 meters in length and approximately 40 meters in width. Within the Upper Town, the remains of several buildings have been identified, with a circular structure measuring 25 meters in diameter being the most prominent feature. Evidence of three separate construction phases can be observed in this section of the fortress. The Lower Town extends in the shape of a trapezoid from the Upper Town, and nearby, one can find remnants of a defensive moat. The long wall descended toward the river, safeguarding access to a location still referred to as Brod (meaning “ship”) where a crossroads and a river crossing once existed. Today, this wall is preserved to a length of up to 200 meters.

ABOVE LEFT: The plateau of the Upper Town

ABOVE RIGHT: Remains of structures in the Upper Town

Historical records highlight several notable features of the town, including a dry moat, a staircase, and a suburbium. Recent archaeological excavations have uncovered valuable artefacts such as weapons, horseshoes, silver coins dating back to the time of Vuk Branković, and various ceramic objects. The site is accessible via a 500-meter-long footpath along the Grabovac-Lozna road. The site was declared a monument of culture in the 1970s.

List of References

The West Morava River flows below Jerina's Town in Grabovac

ABOVE LEFT: The West Morava River with the hill in the background where the remains of Jerina’s Town are located

ABOVE RIGHT: The fortress controlled the road running along the river valley

The Legend of the Tatar Attack on the Town

The town on Suteska, above the village of Grabovac, is of unknown origin. However, it is not difficult to discern why it was built. The slopes of Kopaonik press down here on the right side of the Morava River, while the ridge of Tatrna, which climbs up all the way from Rudnik, descends on the left, creating a gorge between the Morava Basin, which stretches from Ovčar and Kablar to this point, and the basin that begins below this gorge and ends beneath Mount Mojsinje, near Stalać. This fortress defended that passage. Popular belief attributes its construction to Jerina, the wife of Đurađ Branković, but this story challenges that notion.

The mountain around the town is called Tatrna (or Tatarna). It is said that the Tatars once attacked the region of Levač, and the people took refuge in the surrounding mountains near this fortress. However, the Tatars found them there and launched an assault. A mother’s daughter had fallen asleep, and the mother cried out to her, “Rise, Ruža, cursed be the hour you fell asleep, the Tatars are here!” At that moment, a Tatar on horseback appeared, shouting: “The Tatar tires his horse, to wake the maiden, to kiss her eyes.” The Tatar trampled the mother and seized the girl, carrying her away.

If this tale recounts the well-known Tatar invasion of Serbia, then the fortress must have existed long before the era of the infamous Despotess of Smederevo.

(From the book “The Principality of Serbia” by Milan Đ. Milićević, published in 1876)