Crkva Sv. Nikole u Toplici, kod Kuršumlije, Црква Св. Николе у Топлици, код Куршумлије
Properties
| ID | 123060 |
|---|---|
| System Class | Place |
| Place | Existing Church |
| Case Study | Beyond East and West: Sacred Landscapes Duklja and Raška |
| Dedication | Saint Nicholas |
| Denomination | Orthodox |
| Evidence | Existing Monument |
| Ground Plans | Single Nave Basilica with a Dome |
| Stylistic Classification | Byzantine |
| Administrative unit | Raški Okrug , Serbia |
Description
The Church of St. Nicholas is situated in Toplica, near Kuršumlija, in the upper valley of Toplica River. It is the oldest Church built by Stefan Nemanja in Byzantine manner, sometime between 1155 and 1165.
Its a single nave edifice, divided along its length into three parts. with a dome and an apse, also divided into three parts. The dome rises above the squarely designed central bay of the nave. There is a bell tower on the West side of the Church (built probably at the beginning of the 13th century since the building material is slightly different from the rest of the Church), resembling the Church of St. Tryphon in Kotor. The façade is decorated with shallow blind arches.
A tomb inside the Church was probably meant to be Nemanja's gravesite.