Hello dear friends,
I would like to write about Pristina, which I visited at the beginning of June 2019.
Pristina is the capital of the Republic of Kosovo, which recently gained its independence. Kosovo has not yet been recognized as an independent country by many nations. However, our country recognizes Kosovo as independent.
I entered Kosovo by car via Macedonia. The highways in Kosovo are truly more beautiful than one would expect. As far as I’ve heard, these roads have been funded by the US. Additionally, you do not have to pay any tolls on these highways.
I visited the capital, Pristina, on a day of Ramadan Bayram. Since it was an official holiday, there was hardly anyone around. But since I was there, I thought I might as well explore the surroundings.
Below is the map of Pristina, which has a population of over 200,000 and shows places to visit.
As can be seen from this map, there aren’t many visible places in central Pristina. All the important locations are situated around Nene Teresa Boulevard (which is a pedestrian street). This boulevard is the heart of the city. Here you can find cafes, shops, bookstores, etc.
At the beginning of the boulevard, there is a monument of a significant historical figure important for all of Albania. The statue of Skanderbeg is located here. He is known as a national hero of the Albanians for organizing the resistance against the Ottomans in the 15th century.
Following the Skanderbeg statue, you will find the city’s old center and mosques. Here are the Yasar Pasha Mosque, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Mosque, and Ramazan Mosque. Below are images of the Yasar Pasha Mosque and Fatih Mosques.
At the lower end of Teresa Boulevard, there is the Newborn monument. This was built to express gratitude to the countries that recognized Kosovo.
On the other side of the boulevard, there is a church dedicated to Teresa.
That’s all I have to share about Pristina. This place, where Albanians, Serbs, and Turks live together, is of great historical significance due to the Kosovo wars during the Ottoman period.
I wish you all happy travels!
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