Ljipljan

in Ljipljan

LJIPLJAN - located in the central area of Kosovo and Metohija, this city is also the center of the municipality of the same name. Lipljan is located about sixteen kilometers from Priština to the south and is located at the confluence of the rivers Sitnica and Janjevska. This town is located on the main stretch that connects the province with Prizren and Skopje. This small town emerged in the ancient period around Ulpijana, then an important location located on the Roman road that led from Skopje to Niš. Justinian I, the Byzantine emperor, rebuilt this city and gave it the name "Iustiana Secunda". Numerous features of the city testify to its origins, including its church of the Virgin Mary, which was built on the remains and foundations of an older church from Justinian's reign. During the 12th century, Ljipljan played an important role in the overall development of Raška. At that time, this place had the function of the leading and most important fortress of the Byzantine Empire opposite the Serbian Zvečani, and the episcopate center was also located here. However, from the 14th century until today, the city gradually lost its importance as other larger settlements and cities like Janjev, Priština, Novi Brdo, etc. developed around it, and in the end it completely lost most of its influence and importance during the Ottoman devastation. Nevertheless, the development of the city continued when the Kraljevo-Skoplje railway was built and then the other highways that crossed here. Today, traces of ancient fortifications can no longer be found, but the city and municipality still preserve numerous monuments of great cultural and historical importance. In addition to the city church itself, there are also the remains of Ulpijana, which stretch through several villages on that stretch, including Laplje Selo, Livadje, Sušica, Gračanica, and with the last one the monastery of the same name, which is located 2.5 km from the city.