Tourism in Pristina

Last updated

From top (left to right): the Newborn monument, the Kosovo Government Building and the Skanderbeg monument, modern Pristina, The Germia National Park, Mother Teresa Square, and a panoramic view of the city. Pristina photo montage 2013.png
From top (left to right): the Newborn monument, the Kosovo Government Building and the Skanderbeg monument, modern Pristina, The Gërmia National Park, Mother Teresa Square, and a panoramic view of the city.

Tourism in Pristina attracted 36,186 foreign visitors in 2012, [1] which represents 74.2% [2] of all visitors that visited Kosovo during that year. Foreign visitors mostly come from countries like Albania, Turkey, Germany, United States, Slovenia and North Macedonia, [3] but also from other countries. Some of the most visited places in Pristina are Lake Batllava and Gadime Marble Cave, which are also among the most visited places in Kosovo. [4]

Contents

Pristina is the first touristic destination in Kosovo [5] and the main air gateway to Kosovo. [6] The number of foreign visitors that have visited Prishtina during 2012 grew by more than 10 thousand visitors since 2008, when there were 25,434 visitors. [7] During the first quarter of 2013 the number of hotels in Prishtina was 24 from 102 hotels that were in total in Kosovo and during the third quarter of the year 2013, 18.85% of hotel capacity were used and during the same period of that year, in Prishtina 423 rooms were with one bed, 268 rooms with two beds, 13 rooms with three beds, 49 apartments and 6 residents. [8]

Since 2009, Kosovo Tourism Association organizes an annual Tourism Fair in Pristina, [9] which is intended to attract foreign visitors to Kosovo. In the International Tourism Fair held in Tokyo, Japan, in 2013, 4 day packages have been presented that a tourist from Asia can enjoy in Kosovo, starting from Pristina, then continuing in Peja, Gjakova and concluding in Prizren. [10]

Pristina is a place that is known as a university center of students [11] from regional countries like Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia [12] and it represents a plateau of the combination of native, Ottoman and Yugoslav culture. [13] Its people are people that are known for hospitality [14] [15] [16] and religious tolerance, [17] [18] [19] where people in the city are mostly Muslims, but there are also Catholics, Orthodoxes, Atheists and people of other religions. [20] :52 Around 23% of the people belong the group age of 16–27, [20] :18 who are also very optimistic. [21]

Pristina has played a very important role during the World War II, [22] being a shelter for Jews, whose cemeteries now can be visited. [23] [24]

Coffee bars are a representative icon of Prishtina [13] and they can be found almost everywhere and are also centers of different festivals and events. In the region of Prishtina there is Gracanica monastery, which is in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. [25]

Statistics

The table below shows the number of national and international visitors and the number of nights spent in Prishtina from 2008 until 2012. As it can be seen from the table, one of the most successful year for tourism in Prishtina was the year 2012. [26]

Year# of visitors# of nights spent
200822,16044,171
200940,16867,715
201035,67167,703
201132,24563,716
201251,73684,952

Issues affecting tourism

Tourism is showing some positive indications [27] that it is improving in Kosovo and also in Pristina.

Museums

Goddess on the Throne Hyjnesha ne fron 2.jpg
Goddess on the Throne

Ottoman Prishtina

A very large part of the city of Prishtina has a lot of oriental elements, including causeway roads, [31] many mosques, bazars and The Memorial Monument of Gazimestan. Some of the mosques are King Mosque, built during the years 1460–1461 from Sulltan Mehmet II al Fatih, Jashar Pasha Mosque and Çarshia Mosque.

In Prishtina there is the Big Bazar which today is a very active zone in the city of Prishtina, although a large part of it has been destroyed in years 1950s, which still has the same style of a lot of other bazars that can be found in Balkan. [32]

Yugoslav Prishtina

Prishtina was impacted from Yugoslavia because it was part of Yugoslav Federation for a few decades, taking elements of The Yugoslav Style, where such buildings can be seen even today.

Art Gallery of Kosovo Pristina - The Kosova Art Gallery.JPG
Art Gallery of Kosovo

Parks

Prishtina has a number of parks like The City Park, Taukbahqe Park, Arberia Park, and the most known, Germia National Park. [34] {rp|p=135-139}} Germia is a rich place of flora and fauna, with more than 75 percent of its territory covered with forests and its highest point is 1,050 meters above the sea level. [34] :135 It has some sport fields, walking and biking paths, some restaurants and a lake-sized swimming pool. [42]

Other sites

Gadime Marble Cave From inside the Marble Cave in Gadime,municipality of Lipjan 25.JPG
Gadime Marble Cave

Events and Festivals

Prishtina is a place where a lot and different events and festivals take place, that attract a lot of both national, and international visitors.

Traditional food

The best known of all and most distinctive one, flija, is prepared year-round but is a summer favourite. Flija made with saç is a specialty from the traditional Albanian cuisine, that is mostly prepared in mountainous areas. It is most certainly one of the typical Kosovar dishes that everyone local will recommend. Baklava is one of the traditional pastries of the Kosovar cuisine, although of Turkish origin. Bakllasarem is also a traditional food of Kosovo it is a salty pie with yoghurt and garlic covering. [66]

Nightlife

Prishtina has a small area, but with a lot of coffee bars, [67] [ circular reference ] that are near each other. Nightlife amazes the foreign visitors [68] and it is mainly concentrated in the Mother Teresa boulevard, Fehmi Agani road and Pejton neighborhood. Past Korza where the youth walked in the Mother Teresa boulevard has already been replaced with night clubs, discos and different coffee bars, [34] :107 where Hamam Bar, that offers life jazz music, has entered among the top five bar restaurants with the best enteriour design in the world. [69]

Cultural Heritage

Prishtina has been inhabited for nearly 10,000d years, [70] and for this reason, it has a rich cultural heritage.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kosovo Polje</span> Town and municipality in District of Prishtina, Kosovo

Kosovo Polje or Fushë Kosova, is a town and municipality located in the District of Pristina in Kosovo. According to the 2011 census, the town of Kosovo Polje has 12,919 inhabitants, while the municipality has 33,977 inhabitants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kosovo District</span> District of Serbia on the territory of Kosovo

Kosovo District was a district of Kosovo and Metohija between 1990 and the end of the Kosovo War in 1999. From the Serbian point of view, the district continues to be part of the Republic of Serbia. It had a population of 672,292 and its capital was Pristina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Podujevo</span> City and municipality in Kosovo

Podujevo or Besianë is a city and municipality in the Pristina District in Kosovo. According to the 2011 census, the city of Podujevo has 23,453 inhabitants, while the municipality has 71,018 inhabitants in 2024 census. Podujevo is the largest municipality of Kosovo since it covers 632.59 km2 (244 sq mi) and is located along a regional motorway and also has railroad passing through it, which links the area to surrounding regions. Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, is located some 23 km (14 mi) to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lipjan</span> Town and municipality in District of Pristina, Kosovo

Lipjan or Lipljan is a town and municipality located in the Pristina District of Kosovo. According to the 2011 census, the town of Lipjan has 6,870 inhabitants, while the municipality has 57,605 inhabitants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">District of Pristina</span> District in Kosovo

The District of Prishtina is a district in Kosovo. Its seat is the capital city of Pristina. It consists of eight municipalities and 298 villages. According to the 2011 census, the total population of the district is 477,312.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ulpiana</span> Cultural heritage monument of Kosovo

Ulpiana was an ancient Roman city located in what is today Kosovo. It was also named Justiniana Secunda. Ulpiana is located in the municipality of Graçanicë, 12 km southeast of Prishtinë. The Minicipium Ulpiana or Iustiniana Secunda was proclaimed an archaeological park under the permanent protection of Kosovo by the Kosova Council for Cultural Heritage in 2016. The archaeological park has an area of 161.10 hectares and a surrounding protection zone of 96.23 hectares. Ulpiana was among the largest settlements in the Balkans in late antiquity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pristina</span> Capital and largest city of Kosovo

Pristina, Prishtina or Priština is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the eponymous municipality and district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christianity in Kosovo</span>

Christianity in Kosovo has a long-standing tradition dating to the Roman Empire. The entire Balkan region had been Christianized by the Roman, Byzantine, First Bulgarian Empire, Serbian Kingdom, Second Bulgarian Empire, and Serbian Empire till 13th century. After the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 until 1912, Kosovo was part of the Muslim Ottoman Empire, and a high level of Islamization occurred. During the time period after World War II, Kosovo was ruled by secular socialist authorities in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY). During that period, Kosovars became increasingly secularized. Today, 87% of Kosovo's population are from Muslim family backgrounds, most of whom are ethnic Albanians, but also including Slavic speakers and Turks.

Tourism in Kosovo is characterized by archaeological heritage from Illyrian, Dardanian, Roman, Byzantine, Serbian and Ottoman times, traditional Albanian and Serbian cuisine, architecture, religious heritage, traditions, and natural landscapes. Kosovo is situated in south-eastern Europe. With its central position in the Balkans, it serves as a link in the connection between central and south Europe, the Adriatic Sea, and Black Sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Archaeology of Kosovo</span>

Archaeology of Kosovo as a field of study and research was started in the second half of the 20th century. Kosovo's field of archaeology has developed in tandem with the historical study, studies of ancient authors' sources, classic philological studies, theological data research, topographic studies and ground survey, analysis of toponyms, deciphering of epigraphic and historiographic data. First data about antique monuments in Kosovo, were documented from the end of the 19th until the beginning of the Second World War, a time period when Kosovo was visited by researchers, guides, and archaeologists such as: Evans, Boue, Hahn, Kanitz, Tomaschek, Domaschevski, Arpad, Vulic, Jirecek, Patsch, Domenico Mustilli, etc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cultural heritage of Kosovo</span> Overview of the cultural heritage

Kosovo is a partially recognized state and disputed territory located in the Balkan Peninsula in Southeastern Europe. The majority of Kosovars are ethnically Albanian. Kosovo has an expansive cultural heritage, including monuments, clothing items, museums, and traditional food.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman heritage in Kosovo</span> Historical Roman influence in Kosovo

The Roman heritage sites in Kosovo represent a multitude of monuments of material and spiritual culture, which reflect the Roman period in this region. Among them, a special place is occupied by those that represent the development of art, such as the plastic monuments that are more frequent, and at the same time occupy an important place, because with the presentation of figures in relief and with numerous inscriptions they speak to us enough for this period.

Monuments of Kosovo comprise all the monuments that are located in Kosovo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bazaar of Pristina</span>

The Bazaar of Prishtina, Kosovo, was the core merchandising center of the Old Prishtina since the 15th century, when it was built. It played a significant role in the physical, economic, and social development of Pristina. The Old Bazaar was destroyed during the 1950s and 1960s, following the modernization slogan of "Destroy the old, build the new". In its place, buildings of Kosovo Assembly, Municipality of Prishtina, PTT, and Brotherhood and Unity socialist square were built. Nowadays, instead of PTT building resides the Government of Kosovo building. Only few historical buildings, such as the Bazaar Mosque and ruins of the Bazaar Hammam have remained from the Bazaar complex. Since then, Prishtina has lost part of its identity, and its cultural heritage has been scattered.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culture in Pristina</span>

As the capital city of Kosovo, Pristina is the heart of the cultural and artistic development of all Albanians that live in Kosovo. The department of cultural affairs is just one of the segments that arranges the cultural events, which make Pristina one of the cities with the most emphasized cultural and artistic traditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Gallery of Kosovo</span> National Gallery in Prishtina, Kosovo

The National Gallery of Kosovo, formerly known as the Kosova National Art Gallery, is an art gallery situated at The University of Pristina Campus that focuses on 20th-century art.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Historical monuments in Pristina</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Education in Pristina</span>

Education in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, consists of primary, secondary and higher education. Pristina houses a number of public and private institutions, such as the University "Hasan Prishtina", the National Library of Kosovo, and the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Kosovo. Throughout the last century Pristina has attracted a considerable number of students from Kosovo. Today, the city of Pristina hosts a large number of intellectuals, professors, academics, students, and professionals in various spheres.

The architecture of Kosovo dates back to the Neolithic period and includes the Copper, Bronze and Iron Ages, Antiquity and the Medieval period. It has been influenced by the presence of different civilizations and religions as evidenced by the structures which have survived to this day. Local builders have combined building techniques of conquering empires with the materials at hand and the existing conditions to develop their own varieties of dwellings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gazi Ali Beg Mosque</span> Old mosque in Vushtrri, Kosovo

Gazi Ali Beg Mosque is a mosque located in the old core of the city of Vushtrri,100 m away from the Old Hammam, as part of the Gazi Ali Beg Complex. Built in the 15th century, it is one of the oldest cultural heritage monuments in Kosovo.

References

  1. "Hotel Statistics in Q3 2013 (Alb. Statistikat e hotelierisë TM3 2013)" (PDF). Kosovo Agency of Statistics. 2013. p. 9.
  2. "Kosovo Agency of Statistics, 'Hotel Statistics in Q3 2013'" (PDF). Kosovo Agency of Statistics. 2013. p. 9.
  3. "Kosovo Agency of Statistics, 'Statistikat e hotelierisë TM3 2013'" (PDF). Kosovo Agency of Statistics. 2013. p. 13.
  4. "12 thousand foreign tourists visited Kosovo (alb. 12 mijë turistë të huaj e vizituan Kosovën)". 2013.
  5. Spasevski, +Jugoslav (August 10, 2012). "Kosovo".
  6. "Travellers' guide to Kosovo". Travellerspoint.
  7. "Kosovo Agency of Statistics, 'Statistikat e hotelierisë TM3 2012'" (PDF). Kosovo Agency of Statistics. 2013. p. 13.
  8. "Kosovo Agency of Statistics, 'Statistikat e hotelierisë TM3 2012'" (PDF). KAS. 2013. p. 5.
  9. Nesër hapet panairi i parë i turizmit në Kosovë (i plotësuar)
  10. "Kosovo attends, for the first time, the International Tourism Fair in Tokyo, Japan". Archived from the original on 2013-09-26.
  11. "Study in Kosovska Mitrovica". en.pr.ac.rs. University of Priština.
  12. "'University of Prishtina' 1970-2005". University of Prishtina. 2005. p. 33.
  13. 1 2 "Kosovo Travel Guide".
  14. "Pristina in your pocket" (PDF). 2013. p. 9.
  15. Rowley, Tom (February 4, 2016). "Kosovo: what to see in Europe's newest country". The Telegraph via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  16. "7 Surprising Reasons to Visit Kosovo". October 28, 2013.
  17. "Princ Charles i Walesit interesohet për tolerancën fetare në Kosovë" [Wales Prince Charles interested about the religious tolerance in Kosovo] (in Albanian). Archived from the original on 2014-03-02.
  18. "Toleranca fetare gjithnjë ka ekzistuar dhe ekziston në Kosovë" [Religious tolerance has always existed and exists in Kosovo] (in Albanian). Archived from the original on 2014-03-02.
  19. "Dialog mbi tolerancën fetare në Kosovë" [Dialog about the religious tolerance in Kosovo] (in Albanian).
  20. 1 2 "Të dhënat demografike sipas komunave" [Demographic data about municipalities](PDF) (in Albanian). 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-03-02.
  21. "Kosovarët dhe shqiptarët, popujt më të lumtur në rajon" [Kosovars and Albanians, the happiest people in the region] (in Albanian). Archived from the original on 2015-09-23.
  22. "Kosovo Virtual Jewish History Tour". www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org.
  23. "PHOTOS: U.S. And Kosovo Students Unite To Restore Jewish Cemetery". HuffPost. June 24, 2011.
  24. "Kultura materiale dhe historia e qytetit të Prishtinës" [Material Culture and the history of the city of Prishtina] (in Albanian). Archived from the original on 2014-11-05.
  25. Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Medieval Monuments in Kosovo". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
  26. "Kosovo Agency of Statistics, 'Hotel Statistics' in Q3 2013'" (PDF). KAS. 2013. p. 10.
  27. "Përmirësohet imazhi i Kosovës për turizëm" [The image of tourism of Kosovo improves] (in Albanian).
  28. "The Goddess on the Throne".
  29. 'Kosovo Museum.' InYourPocket. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2013 < "Kosovo Museum - Sightseeing in Pristina". Archived from the original on 2013-06-14. Retrieved 2013-02-24.>.
  30. Ethnological Museum Archived 2014-03-02 at the Wayback Machine
  31. "Rita Ora shndrit Prishtinën me "Shine Ya Light"" [Rita Ora lights Prishtina with "Shine Ya Light"] (in Albanian). Archived from the original on 2014-03-02.
  32. 1 2 3 "Ottoman Prishtina". Archived from the original on March 2, 2014.
  33. 1 2 3 4 "Një e ardhme për të kaluarën e Prishtinës" [A future of the past of Prishtina](PDF) (in Albanian). 2006. p. 12.
  34. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Prishtina, udhërrëfyes[Prishtina Guide] (in Albanian), The Office of Public Engagement of the Municipality of Prishtina, 2005
  35. "Pasqyra e planeve mësimore dhe e personelit akademik" [Representation of educational plans and academic stuff] (in Albanian). p. 10. Archived from the original on 2011-04-11.
  36. "A brief history of the University (Alb. Historiku i Universitetit)".
  37. "Profili - Ministria e Kulturës, Rinisë dhe Sportit". www.mkrs-ks.org.
  38. "ComeOn Gutscheincode Juni 2023: WEAREBETTORS - Bis zu 500€ bonus". southeast-europe.eu.
  39. "Monument of Brotherhood and Unity".
  40. "Pristina in your pocket" (PDF). 2013. p. 32.
  41. "Sigal Prishtina basketball, News, Roster, Rumors, Stats, Awards, Transactions, Details-eurobasket". Eurobasket LLC.
  42. "Things to see in Pristina".
  43. "NEWBORN, the symbol of Kosovo Independence". New Kosova Report. July 4, 2008. Archived from the original on February 6, 2013. Retrieved March 29, 2013.
  44. Védeilhé, Antoine and Thomas Lecomte (March 5, 2013). "Live from Kosovo, the country which turned five". Cafebabel.com: The European Magazine. Retrieved March 29, 2013.
  45. "Outdoor ads as monuments, sculptures, stunts, installations, statues — Government Of The Republic Of Kosovo: NEWBORN MONUMENT". Coloribus Creative Advertising Archive. Archived from the original on November 16, 2012. Retrieved March 29, 2013.
  46. "NEWBORN, the symbol of Kosovo Independence". Archived from the original on December 7, 2014.
  47. "Eurobest 2008". Eurobest. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
  48. "Golden Drum Report" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 31, 2010. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
  49. "Ogilvy Karrota: Awards". Ogilvy Karrota. Archived from the original on December 3, 2012. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
  50. "Clio Awards Shortlist Catalog" . Retrieved May 18, 2013.
  51. Gomez-Palacio, Bryony; Vit, Armin (December 2011). Graphic design referenced : a visual guide to the language, applications, and history of graphic design . Gloucester, Mass.: Rockport. ISBN   978-1592537426.
  52. Stone, Terry Lee (2010). Managing the design process--concept development : an essential manual for the working designer (1. publ. ed.). Beverly, Mass.: Rockport Publishers. ISBN   978-1592536177.
  53. "Kosovo Catholics plan cathedral to honour Mother Teresa".
  54. "New Cathedral Symbolises Catholic Rebirth in Kosovo". Archived from the original on December 11, 2011.
  55. "Marble Cave / Shpella e Gadimes - What can I expect from Marble Cave / Shpella e Gadimes?". viewkosova.com.
  56. "Skanderbeg statue". Archived from the original on August 20, 2013.
  57. "KosICT 2013 #2 and 5 years with STIKK".
  58. "Në Kosovë zhvillohet konferenca rajonale për IT-në" [Regional IT Conference takes place in Kosovo] (in Albanian).
  59. "Organizohet Software Freedom Kosova 2013" [Software Freedom Kosova 2013 is being organized] (in Albanian). Archived from the original on 2013-08-26.
  60. "54 hours of Startup Weekend back in Pristina".
  61. "Coming Soon". www.jazzprishtina.com.
  62. "Home". PriFilmFest. Prishtina International Film Festival. Archived from the original on 2012-05-18. Retrieved 2012-09-25.
  63. Prishtina DAM Festival, PrishtinaDAM Fest
  64. "www.kosovoguide.com". www.kosovoguide.com.
  65. "Events in Pristina".
  66. "Kosovar Cuisine". Archived from the original on 2012-09-29.
  67. Pristina
  68. "Prishtina tërheq turistët e huaj" [Prishtina attracts foreign tourists] (in Albanian). Archived from the original on 2014-03-02.
  69. ""Hamam Jazz Bar" në Prishtinë në mesin e 5 më të mirëve në botë (Foto)".
  70. Warrander, Gail (2007). Kosovo: The Bradt Travel Guide . Bradt Travel Guides Ltd, 23 high street, chalfont st peter, bucks SL9 9QE, England: The Globe Pequot Press Inc. pp.  85–88. ISBN   978-1-84162-199-9 . Retrieved 2013-05-18.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  71. Goldsworthy, Adrian Keith; Haynes, Ian; Adams, Colin E. P. (1997). The Roman army as a community. Journal of Roman Archaeology. p. 100. ISBN   1887829342.
  72. Perseus edu,"Iustiniāna,1.Prima, a town in Illyria, near Tauresium, was the birthplace of Justinian, and was built by that emperor. It became the residence of the archbishop of Illyria, and, in the Middle Ages, of the Servian kings.2.Secunda, also a town in Illyria, previously called Ulpiana, was enlarged and embellished by Justinian. "
  73. 1 2 Maja Parović-Pešikan. "Starinar". 1881.
  74. Monuments of Culture in Serbia: "Улпијана" ( SANU ) (in Serbian and English)
  75. Ulpiana (Ancient Settlement), The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports - Kosovo/UNMIK , 31 July 2006
  76. Monuments of Culture in Serbia: "МАНАСТИР ГРАЧАНИЦА" ( SANU ) (in Serbian and English)
  77. UNESCO (2006). "List of World Heritage in Danger" . Retrieved 24 February 2013.