Short trip to Kosovo

During September 2014, our daughter Saskia started a new job in Pristina. We decided that it was time to go and visit her for 5 days.

February is not the best time to discover a country (cold, grey, rainy - but also with a bit of sunshine), but we went to see her and her new environment. Discovering Pristina and some other parts of Kosovo was a bonus!

She has a super nice, super big flat, 8 minutes walk from her job.

Below is a view of Pristina, from her big front balcony - she has another one in the back!

             NB - All pictures are "smartphone" quality...

A couple of pictures, inside the appartement

On Sunday, we started the day with a delicious brunch  - all you can eat...

Then went to vist the Gračanica monastery. It's in a Serbian enclave, not far from Pristina.

Wikipedia gives us a bit more info : Gračanica or Graçanica (Albanian: Graçanicë, Serbian: Грачаница, Gračanica, pronounced [ɡratʃǎnitsa]) is a town and municipality in central Kosovo. It is a Serb enclave centered on the Gračanica monastery, ten kilometers east of Pristina. The 1999 Kosovo War and its aftermath transformed Gračanica from a sleepy village into an administrative center serving the needs of the 75,000 Kosovo Serbs living south of the Ibar River. International banks, internet cafes, and outlets of Serbian governmental institutions are located amidst traditional farmhouses, giving Gračanica the feel of a semi-urban center dislocated into a rural community.

A reminder before entering the gate:

We then picked up Julien (who had been on duty) and headed North. We stopped at a monumnet celebrating the battle of Kosovo.

The Battle of Kosovo (Serbian: Kosovska bitka/Косовска битка, Turkish: Kosova Savaşı) took place on 15 June 1389 between the army led by the Serbian Prince Lazar Hrebeljanović, and the invading army of the Ottoman Empire under the command of Sultan Murad Hüdavendigâr. The army under Prince Lazar consisted of his own troops, a contingent led by Serbian nobleman Vuk Branković, and a contingent sent from Bosnia by King Tvrtko I, commanded by Vlatko Vuković. Prince Lazar was the ruler of Moravian Serbia, and the most powerful among the Serbian regional lords of the time, while Vuk Branković ruled District of Branković located in a part of Kosovo and other areas, recognizing Lazar as his overlord. The Battle of Kosovo took place in Kosovo Polje in Branković's Serbia, in the present-day Prishtina District of Kosovo. Its site is about 5 kilometers northwest of the modern city of Prishtina.

Reliable historical accounts of the battle are scarce. The bulk of both armies were wiped out in the battle; both Lazar and Murad lost their lives in it. Although Ottomans managed to annihilate the Serbian army, they also suffered high casualties which delayed their progress. Serbs were left with too few men to effectively defend their lands, while the Turks had many more troops in the east. Consequently, one after the other, the Serbian principalities that were not already Ottoman vassals became so in the following years.

climbed (inside the tower) to see the view and a bronze plaque illustrating the battle:

We continued to Mitrovica

Mitrovica (Albanian: Mitrovicë; Serbian: Косовска Митровицa) is a city and municipality in Northern Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the District of Mitrovica. According to the 2011 Census, the total population is 71,601. Albanians make the majority of the municipality (96.6%), followed by smaller ethnic groups like Bosniaks, Turks, Roma, Ashkali and Balkan Egyptians, and others.
The northern part of the city, known as North Mitrovica, became a separate municipality in 2013, following theNorth Kosovo crisis. The Serb-majority town is divided by the Ibar river.

We drove and walked to the "miners monument"

This is the most significant monument in the city. It was built in 1973 by the architect Bogdan Bogdanović. It is perched on the so-called miners hill in northern Mitrovica. Two columns holding a mining cart represent the mining tradition of the city. Mitrovica is well known for its Trepča Mines. The monument was dedicated to the miners of the city (Albanian and Serbian partisans), who lost their lives during World War II. It was designed to represent the overcoming of national divisions between Albanians and Serbs and to bear witness to the peaceful coexistence between the two communities in post-war Yugoslavia. Now the monument has lost its meaning and it can be seen as an object of indifference on both sides of the city.

and continued with a good, brisk walk up to the Zvečan Fortress

The Fortress of Zveçan, located in the north-west of the city of Mitrovica, in North Kosovo, is an enormous castle and one of the oldest fortresses in South Eastern Europe. It was built on the top of the extinct volcano vent, overlooking the Ibar river.

Zveçan Fortress was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1990, and it is protected by the Republic of Serbia, but de facto it belongs to Republic of Kosovo.      

Saskia was able to take Monday "off" and we drove west to Peja.

Peć or Pejë (Albanian: Peja or Pejë; Serbian: Пећ or Peć; Bosnian: Peć; Turkish: İpek) is a city in western Kosovo,[a] and the administrative centre of the homonymous district. The municipality covers an area of 602 km2 (232 sq mi), including the city of Peć and 95 villages; it is divided into 28 territorial communities. As of 2011, the whole municipality has a population of approximately 95,723, of which ca. 60,000 live in the city of Peć. 

Patriarchate of Peć - UNESCO World Heritage Site. If exiting Peja going to Rugova gorge, one can't be without noticing a KFOR checkpoint and high stone walls, barbwire and other stuff not usually associated with monasteries. Those high walls hide a gem safeguarded from local Albanian citizens - a beautiful Orthodox monastery area which is listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site. The monastery was founded in the XIII century, and the church complex is comprised of four churches, dedicated to the Synaxis of the Holy Apostles (central), Saint Demetrius (north), Holy Virgin Hogedetria (south) and a small chapel dedicated to Saint Nicholas attached to the outside of the church of the Holy Virgin. There is also a beautifully decorated chapel dedicated to the Synaxis of Serbian Saints in the monastery's living complex, which may be closed to visitors from outside. There are many tombs of Serbian Archbishops and Patriarchs inside the main churches, as well as the holy and wonder-working icon of the Virgin Hodegetria of Peć. In the church courtyard, there is an 800-year old mulberry tree. The nuns are especially accommodating, and are very proud of the spring water that flows from a fountain. Entrance is free, but you need to have your passport. 

Inside pictures from: Panoramio - Google Maps - Serbian Monastery Pećka Patrijaršija

 

During the next few days we visited Pristina. The city center is not big and one can walk to most places. If needed, taxis are VERY cheap and easy to find.

Restaurants are good and VERY cheap, Saskia treated us numerous times.

Thank you :-)

The Sultan Mehmet Fatih Mosque, also known as the Imperial Mosque (Albanian: Xhamia e Mbretit), 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 Austrian-Turkish wars. 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.

Even had a bit of sunshine - cafés on the streets were full of people !!

 

We had a "special" visit to make at the Swiss Embassy in Pristina...

Before our departure, near the airport we went to see Julien's base and helicopters.

Julian is a helicopter pilot and flies (Super Pumas) for a South African company that has a contract for medical evacutions for EULEX staff 

Medical doctors, pilots and mechanics are on stand-by 24/7.

EULEX supports Kosovo on its path to a greater European integration in the rule of law area. EULEX's skills and expertise are being used to supports the key EU aims in the visa liberalization process, the Feasibility Study and the Pristina-Belgrade Dialogue. EULEX also supports the Structured Dialogue on the rule of law, led by Brussels. EULEX continues to concentrate on the fight against corruption and works closely with local counterparts to achieve sustainability and EU best practices in Kosovo. EULEX prioritises the establishment of the rule of law in the north.

More info here http://www.eulex-kosovo.eu/en/front/

Denise is quite happy to let Julian do the flying !!!

... and too soon, it was time to go back home.

Great time with Saskia and Julien, great to discover how she lives and works.

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