Raska District Raški okrug

The Raska District expands in the south-western part of the Republic of Serbia. It encompasses the municipalities of:

• Kraljevo
• Vrnjacka Banja
• Raska
• Novi Pazar
• Tutin

It has a population of 300,274. Its seat is in the city of Kraljevo.

At the outskirts of Kraljevo stands the Zica monastery. This spiritual center of the Serbian medieval state was built around 1220, to become also the center of newly founded Serbian Arch-episcopacy.

The Studenica monastery was built in the late twelfth century, as the endowment of the Serb ruler Stephen Nemanja, who endowed it richly with the icons and books. After he had become a monk and left for Serbian Hilandar on the Mt. Athos, his older son Stephen, later named the "First-Crowned", took his place in taking care over the monastery. In the vicinity of Novi Pazar stands the Sopocani monastery, built around 1260 as the endowment of King Stephen Uros I, the son of King Stephen the First-Crowned. The primary and major value of the Sopocani monastery are its frescoes, by which it ranks among the best examples of the European medieval painting.

Economy of the Raski District is domineered by the "Magnohrom" non-metal industry, Kraljevo Railroad Car Factory, "Jasen" wood-processing industry, and the "Electro Serbia".

Note: All official material made by Government of Serbia is public by law. Information was taken from official website (http://www.serbia.sr.gov.yu/).