To solve the equation \( z^2 = 121 \), we start by taking the square root of both sides.
The square root of 121 is 11, and we must consider both the positive and negative roots. Thus, we have:
\[ z = 11 \quad \text{or} \quad z = -11 \]
Therefore, the solutions are: \[ z = 11 \quad \text{and} \quad z = -11 \]