PRIZRENVENUE OF CIVILIZATIONS MUNICIPALITY OF PRIZREN Publisher Municipality of Prizren Department for Tourism and Economic Development Editor Samir Karahoda Photos SK-Foto Captions NGO EC Ma Ndryshe Professional consultant Prof. Sokol Cena Design Lum Çeku ISBN 978-9951-636-02-5 © All rights reserved, 2012 October 2012 Content Introduction 6 About Prizren 10 Monuments 18 Religion 46 Art and culture 74 Clothing and folklore 92 Cuisine 102 Nature 112 Information 126 Introduction Foreword This catalogue is another evidence that Prizren possesses a perfect cultural and of cultural development in Prizren. shows the commitment of the local govern- natural heritage. Superimposed in this ment of Prizren for protection of cultural context are the rich cultural life and the well The catalogue is the evidence of the com- and historical values of Prizren and their preserved popular practices of the citizens of mitment of the local government of Prizren promotion in order to cultivate the cul- Prizren. for the comprehensive development of the tural tourism in Prizren. The catalogue was city through cultural tourism. At the same prepared by a group of professionals and The main flaw of all this treasure is the time, it represents the will and commitment it’s a product of an advanced cooperation structured offer to attract the attention of of the culture community in Prizren and between local government, civil society and the visitors. At a time when most touristic the other community groups to promote the professionals. Catalogue aims to increase movements become culturally motivated, cultural content of Prizren. the tourist attractiveness of Prizren through the catalogue you have in your hands comes structured presentation of cultural events. as a need of the time and the high dynamics 7 PRIZREN - VENUE OF CIVILIZATIONS Prizren, city of culture and tourism City of Prizren is known since antiquity as According to this view, culture comes after edly based on culture. Consequently, today a unique place in the Balkans, with different the improvement of the general welfare. culture is mentioned as the fourth pillar of cultural heritage values, civilizations and Culture, seen in this way, is an elitist concept the sustainable development. Not only as a religions. Thanks to its favorable geographic that restricts cultural (and artistic) activity dimension of development, but as an equal position, balanced splicing of these cultures to a small group of people. A challenging components of the process, along with the throughout history and an enviable number outlook to that elitist, is the understanding economy, society and environment. Natu- of monuments of all time, the city of Prizren of culture as a tool for solving development rally, some cities have more favorable pre- rightfully holds the title of “city museum”, problems and not due to socio-economic conditions for the development of culture. “museum under the open sky” or even the development. This outlook sees culture as an For example, in the Kosovo town of Prizren, “Dubrovnik in the Balkans”, to be listed as essential part of the development process, thanks to the rich cultural heritage, offers one of the most beautiful cities of Kosovo. and remits it to the community level. a suitable space for culture. Furthermore, Located at the verge of the Shar mountains The concept of focusing only on the econ- the cultural community in the city, now for (which are proclaimed as “National Park”), omy was insufficient to address adequately couple of years is giving clear development on both coasts of Lumbardh and at the inter- the development challenges at the end of signals through successful cultural initia- section of important trade routes between 20th century. As a result, in the 80’s was tives. This community has recently created east and west, the city of Prizren, during articulated the concept of sustainable devel- a common platform of action. The quest history was known as an important cultural, opment, with the promotion of the triangle is simple - Prizren should develop cultural economic and diplomatic centre. economy - society - environment. However, policies which will transform the city to a it took less than two decades to challenge famous tourist destination. To achieve this In countries in transition, usually culture even the triangle. The lesson that Europe has goal, local government is changing its ap- is far from the focus and priorities of the learned from the development process is the proach towards culture, seeing it as a main governance. Common reasoning is that the most appropriate level is the development of resource for the development of the city. country faces many more important chal- the city. lenges related to development, unemploy- Practically, this means that the development ment, extreme poverty, corruption, inef- Meanwhile the most successful examples planning of the city every day more and fective judiciary, poor public services, etc. of local development (cities) are undoubt- more is being built over and through the 8 INTRODUCTION culture. A concrete action, after the publica- tion of this catalog will be the development of Cultural Tourism Strategy of Prizren. 9 About Prizren 10 History rizren is undoubtedly one of the most in Table V of Ptolemy (II century), where administration of Despot of Epire. important settlements in Kosovo. It has it is named as Tërmidava, then in the map In the year 1282 Nemanjics again rule the Pa whacking past that has attracted the curios- Tabula Peutingeriana (III century), at the Prizren, and this time they reinforce their ity of different travelers, historians, geogra- scholar E. Spencer is encountered as Proco- positions. Ottoman rule in Prizren began in phers and scientists, which published many pera (359-336 BC). We encounter Prizren 1455 (some historians point the year 1459). works for this known administrative, cul- with this name also at Procopius (565), and In the pan-Albanian congress held in Priz- tural, historical and political center. Prizren according to American Eric Hamp, Prizren ren, on June 10, 1878, the Albanian League area was inhabited since ancient times and designation comes from Theranda (Ther- of Prizren was founded in head with Iljaz retains evidence and archaeological monu- andë), Pri-zdrijana, Peneropolis, Pra-eserem, Pasha Dibra. The central administration and ments from Neolithic, eneolithic, bronze, Pri-zna, Pri-zrenum, Pre-sarin, Pri-sareno, the temporary government, leaded by Ymer iron, antiquity and onwards.. This is evi- Pri-zirendi, Pre-zren, Pre-zdin, Pri-zdren, Prizreni was placed in Prizren. denced by the numerous artifacts discovered Pru-zrenin,Torzerm, Perserin e Pri-zrend, during the archeological excavations, carried Pri-zerand, Pri-serand, Pri-zer-endi, Pri- After the conquest of Serbia until 1941 Priz- out in a number of localities. Archeological zereni and Prizreni. During the 9th century ren was within Serbia, respectively Versailles findings show that Prizren is one of the old- it was an important urban center, and in Yugoslavia. During the second world war est cities of Eastern Europe and beyond. the year 1019, Prizren was the Episcopal 1941-44, Prizren was part of Albania, which residency of the Byzantine Empire. With the was occupied by Italian forces. During the Archeological findings prove that this area division of the Roman Empire (395) in the World War II (1941-1944), Prizren was a was inhabited since antique, when it was West and East, Prizren fell under Byzantine part of Albania, in the framework of Italian known as Theranda in 2nd century BC, rule (until c. XIII). In the years 1189-90 occupation. After 1944 until 1999, the city and the area was populated by Dardans. Prizren for the first time falls under the rule was part of Yugoslavia of AVNOJ. On June In the 5th century BC the name Petrzên is of Nemanjic (Nemanja). During the siege of 12, 1999 Prizren is liberated by the KLA mentioned by Procopius of Caesarea in De Constantinople, during the Fourth Crusade (Kosovo Liberty Army) and NATO forces. aedificiis (Book IV, Chapter 4). The name in 1204, the Bulgarian emperor Kalloyan of Prizren (in different variants) is encoun- takes the advantage and conquers Prizren. tered in various documents and maps, as By the year 1230 Prizren is again under the 11 PRIZREN - VENUE OF CIVILIZATIONS Geography The municipality of Prizren with an area of 640 km2 (5.94% of the Territory of Kosovo), lies in the southwest of Kosovo, with 74 villages and approximately 175 000 inhabitants. It borders with the Municipali- ties of Gjakova, Rahovec, Suhareka, Shtër- pce and Dragash, as well as with Albania and Macedonia. Prizren’s plane is in a sea level of around 400 meters and some of the peaks are over 2000 meters high over the sea level. The city has a miscellaneous weather. Fa- mous geographer from Alexandria, Claudius Ptolemy (87-150) in his book “Geogra- phy” among others identifies the road that connected the Adriatic basin with Illyria. ren begins with ancient Theranda. Through Pontiac regions in one way, and of Aegean- Anonymous author from Ravenna, Italy, Prizren area passes the road that connects Adriatic in another way. who lived in the end of 7th or beginning the middle parts of Balkans with Adriatic of 8th century in his book “Cosmograpfia” Sea. The geographical positioning of Prizren (The world description) among 5,300 world is best described with the analyzing of its geographical names of that time highlighted relation to Kosovo, the Dukagjin plane, and Theranda as well. the Lumebardh plane. Kosovo is composed of Plane of Kosovo and Dukagjin. The plains Maps identify with these names: of Kosovo and Dukagjin are positioned in Thermidava,Theranda, Petrizen, Zeranda, the middle part of the Balkans peninsula. Prisdiana, Pirenopojë , Perserin, Prisrend, Kosovo and the region of Prizren have a Prizren etc. It is believed that the life of Priz- transit character between the Pannonia and 12 ABOUT PRIZREN Cultural heritage he most valuable wealth of Prizren are Ottoman period and then to post World the values inherited from past centuries.