Bogorodica Gradačka

The church is situated in the very center of the town of Čačak.
It was founded by Princ Stracimir, brother of great parish priest Stefan Nemanja.

The church was built in the period 1180 – 1190. It has a rectangular ground plan, 29,75 m long.
It is a very spacious church with a tripartite altar space on same side, with bell – towers and a very high central cupola having a span of 12 m.

The Turks used to partly pull it down to turn it into the Islamic place of worship, but the Serbs, in spite of dificulties, persistedin restoring it. The first renowation was in 1834, the second more extensive was in 1856. Radical changes were done to the external appearance of the church. Barouque style in architecture was considered inappropriate for the church to its former Medieval appearance. The examples were looked for in old churches belonging to Raška – style in architecture. Old bells were found buried in the ground. On one of them there is an inscription carved in Old Slavic, saying tha the bell a gift from Metropolitan Nikifor of Gradačka Church, while the incription carved on the other bell says that the bell was a gift to Most Holy Bogorodica Gradačka in 1454. The bell is one of the oldest in Serbia.

A number of old manuscripts are kept in the treasury of the Čačak churh. The most important is Četvorojevandjelje( A four – gospel book ), known among the scientists as ” Čačak Četvorojevandjelje “.