The Žica Monastery was built between 1206 and 1220 by King Stefan the First Crowned on a spot that was said to have been chosen by St. Sava, Serbia's patron saint, after returning from Mt. Athos and being led to this plain near the entrance to the Ibar Gorge by a "golden thread" (Zica is Serbian for ‘thread'). Žica was the first seat of the autonomous Serbian Archbishops and was the location of the crowning of almost all Serbian kings.

The red exterior of the church is reminiscent of those found in Greece. Few of the original 13^th frescoes remain (mainly located in the choir recesses), though the rest of the wall paintings from the early 14^th century and dedicated to St. Stefan remain.

Žica is located just outside the city of Kraljevo, about 196 kilometers south of Belgrade.