Historical monuments in Pristina are made up of 21 monuments out of a total of 426 protected monuments all over Kosovo. A large number of these monuments date back to the Byzantine and Ottoman periods. Since 1945, the Yugoslav authorities followed the idea of constructing a modern Pristina by relying in the urban development motto “destroy the old, build the new” and this resulted with major changes in the structure of the buildings, their function and their surrounding environment. However, numerous types of monuments have been preserved, including four mosques, a restored orthodox church, an Ottoman bath, a public fountain, a clock tower, several traditional houses as well as European-influenced architecture buildings such as the Museum of Kosovo. These symbolize the historical and cultural character of Pristina as it was developed throughout centuries in the spirit of conquering empires (Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian).
Overview of the history of Pristina
The city of Pristina has always been an area in flux with people coming and going. It has been inhabited for nearly 10.000 years. The early Neolithic findings dating from the 8th century BC were discovered in the areas surrounding Pristina such as: Matiqan, Gracanica and Ulpiana.
In the Roman period, Pristina was part of the province of Dardania and nearby Ulpiana which was considered one of the most important Roman cities in the whole Balkans, became a Roman municipium in the 2nd century AD.
The city was damaged by an earthquake in AD 518 and it was again rebuilt by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I who renamed it Iustiniana Secunda. By the arrival of Slavs in the 6th century, the city fell again in reconstruction.
During the 14th and the 15th century, Pristina was classified as an important mining and trading center on the Balkan market due to its position near the rich mining town of Novo Brdo. Pristina was famous for its trade fairs and items, such as goatskin and goat hair, as well as gunpowder produced by artisans from Pristina in 1485. The first mosque in Pristina was built in the late 14th century, while under the Serbian rule.
Pristina was considered to be an important town in Medieval Serbia by having been a royal estate of Stefan Milutin, Stefan Uroš III, Stefan Dušan, Stefan Uroš V and Vuk Branković. In the early Ottoman era, Islam was spread increasingly throughout the population. In those years Pristina was part of the Vushtrri sancak and its 2.000 families enjoyed the peace and the stability of this era. During the 17th century, citizens of Pristina led by the Albanian priest Pjeter Bogdani vowed loyalty to the Austrian army and its troops.
A communist decision to make Pristina the capital of Kosovo happened in 1947 during a period of a rapid development and structural despair. A famous slogan spread during this period was “destroy the old, build the new”.
List of monuments Religious Imperial Mosque
The Imperial Mosque (), is located in the old quarter of Pristina opposite the clock tower. It was built in 1460–1461 during the reign of the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II, also known as al-Fatih or the Conqueror and was named in his honor. Its interior features ornamental decorations and detailed floral designs, as well as a 15-meter dome, which was quite impressive for a 15th-century construction. It was recognized region-wide as the largest construction of this nature. In 1689, the mosque was temporarily converted into a Jesuit church dedicated to Francis Xavier by the Austrian occupants during the Austro-Turkish War. The Imperial Mosque was restored during the rule of Sultan Mehmet IV in 1682–1683, whereas the present-day minaret is a reconstruction of the original, which was damaged during the earthquake that struck Pristina in 1955. The mosque presently suffers from damage that has been caused over time; moisture is the biggest threat, harming the walls and stones of the construction.
Jashar Pasha Mosque The Jashar Pasha Mosque, located in the historic centre of the city of Pristina, is a remarkable and notable part of Ottoman cultural heritage in this part of the Balkans. It was named after Jashar Mehmet Pasha, a wealthy citizen of Pristina and mayor of Skopje in 1842. Inscriptions found inside the mosque led to the conclusion that it was built in 1834. Jashar Pasha Mosque is a typical architectural monument for old cities with Ottoman heritage. It symbolizes a sacral building of ‘Kosovar style’ with an acknowledgement of oriental influence. Its aim was to speed up the acceptance of Islam among the citizens of Pristina. It is composed of a hall for prayers, hayat and a minaret. The mosque is disguised by a cupola supported by four pendentives. The original portico was torn down to give way to an expansion of the neighboring street. Currently, the building is in danger of being damaged as a result of humidity coming from the cracks in its walls. The particular characteristics of this monument and the attributes of the historical area where it is situated constitute the main components for the development of cultural tourism.
Çarshi Mosque
The Çarshi Mosque, also known as the Bazaar Mosque and the Taş Mosque (literally, the Stone Mosque) (), is the oldest building in Pristina and it marks the beginning of the old town. The basement of this mosque was laid out in 1389 during the rule of the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I and its construction was continued during the reign of Sultan Murad II in the 15th century. The Carshi Mosque was built to celebrate the Ottoman victory of 1389 in the Battle of Kosovo. Over the years, the mosque has undergone through several restorations. However, its stone-topped minaret has survived for over six centuries (hence, it is often referred to as the Taş Mosque, or the Stone Mosque).
Pirinaz Mosque
Pirinaz Mosque was built in the second half of the 16th century and was founded by Piri Nazir who served as Vezir under two Ottoman Sultans. The Pirinaz Mosque is made of the same stone as Mbretit (Fatih) Mosque but its construction began 100 years later. This mosque represents an important cultural value, which is further increased by the belief that Prince Lazar's remains were buried on the location of today's Pirinaz Mosque with the permission of Sultan Bayezid, son and successor of Murat, who died in the battle of Kosovo in 1389. Later on, Lazar's remains were moved to Ravanici Monastery in Serbia. Furthermore, the local legend has it that “Stone of Lazar” located in the garden of Pirinaz Mosque was used to behead Prince Lazar. However, the real circumstances encompassing Lazar's death, remain unknown.
Saint Nicholas Church The Saint Nicholas Church is the only remaining operative Serbian Orthodox Church in Pristina. It is housed in a 19th-century building, which was damaged during the 2004 unrest in Kosovo and was restored thereafter with European Union funding. It used to showcase 18th century wooden icons, created by painters based in Debar, Macedonia, several 18th-century frescos and an iconostasis of 1840 from Belgrade, Serbia, which were all irreversibly damaged during the 2004 unrest. The Saint Nicholas Church once again began to hold liturgies in 2010 in a ceremony attended by a few hundred Serbian Orthodox believers. It now features a revamped exterior, restored roof, new marble tiles and new icons.
Baths and Fountains Great Hammam
The Great Hammam dates back to the 15th century. It used to be part of the complex of the Sultan Murat Fatih Mosque and according to the legend, the construction workers who were hired to build Fatih Mosque were ordered by Sultan Mehmet II to take daily baths in the hammam. It had two symmetrical baths, one for women and the other one for men. The hammam is composed of 15 domes with small holes which are used to let the light penetrate in. A fire that occurred in 1994, resulted with an illegal opening of three shops which blocked the old entrance. Unfortunately, a hammam that once used to be a prestigious social venue for men and women, for many years looked abandoned with only few remaining walls full of rubbish, overgrown trees and wastewaters flowing inside of the building. However, the complex underwent through a restoration process.
Shadërvan
Shadërvan is a marble fountain located between the Carshi Mosque and the Museum of Kosovo and is a typical component of Ottoman architecture. The fountain is the only one remaining in the city from over fifty that once existed. In addition to providing a source of drinkable water, Shadërvan has been traditionally used for ritual ablution.
Cultural houses Museum of Kosovo
The Kosovo Museum was once the seat of the vilayet of Kosovo, while now is housed in an Austro-Hungarian architecture yellow building. It was built by the Austrian occupants for the Turkish Army in 1898. From the 1950s and onwards, it underwent through different changes and served different purposes prior to becoming a museum. In this context, from 1945 to 1975 it served as the base of the Yugoslav National Army. In 1963, it was sold to the Museum of Kosovo and from 1995 to 2002, it was used as the main office for the European Agency for Reconstruction. The museum is full of rich collections of the prehistoric era. One of the most prominent piece is a small (no more than 30 cm tall) statue called “The Goddess on Throne”. The object is believed to be 6000 years old and was found in a site called “Tjerrtorja”near Pristina. in 1956 Just before the onset of the Kosovo War in 1998, the statue was unwillingly taken to Belgrade along with 1,247 other artefacts. In May 2002, by the intervention of the UN, the “Goddess on Throne” was returned to Pristina.
Ethnological Museum "Emin Gjiku"
Set in the old quarter of Pristina, the Ethnological Museum “Emin Gjiku” is a typical example of the Ottoman influence in the city and is included in the cultural heritage of the city. The complex features several buildings which now showcase exhibitions of various cultural artifacts. The complex once belonged to Emin Gjinolli (Turkish Emin Kücük); literally, ‘little Emin’ - who was a member of one of the most recognized families of Pristina in the 20th century. It has been protected by law since 1957, while it was only turned into an ethnological museum in 2006 after undergoing through a restoration process. The Ethnological Museum “Emin Gjiku” is composed of a traditional guest house, an arts studio, a family home and a permanent ethnological exhibition. The latter one showcases clothing items and artifacts related to birth, wedding and funeral ceremonies.
Kosovo Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Monuments Kosovo Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Monuments, also known as Kocadishi House, is an Ottoman merchant's home that features a veranda on the first floor and high walls for business and family purposes, which belonged to the Kocadishi family in 1954. The family migrated to Turkey as a result of a special treaty between Yugoslavia and Turkey in 1953. The house, which has survived and is close to the city's old clock tower, is now being used by the Kosovo Institute for the Protection of Monuments.
Hivzi Sylejmani library The exact year of the establishment of the "Hivzi Sylejmani" library is not confirmed; it is believed to have begun its work in February 1945. At the time of the inauguration, approximately 1,300 books were available in the Serbian and Albanian language.
The library has been in its present location only since 1947, whereas the building itself was built in 1930. The building is also notable because Miladin Popović, the former leader of Kosovo's Regional Committee who was murdered in 1945, was accommodated in this house. "Hivzi Sylejmani" library was officially and legally established in April 1963 by the Municipal Assembly of Pristina.