Kosova Kosova lies between 42° and 44° parallel of the northern Earth Hemisphere and between the 20° and 22° meridian. Kosova is located on the central part of the Balkan Peninsula-South-eastern Europe. It lies between the neighboring countries like: Albania, Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro. The land surface of Kosova is 10 908 km² and is inhabited with over 2 million inhabitants. More than 40% of its population is under 15 years of age. The capital of Kosova since The Second World War is Prishtina with over 500.000 inhabitants. It is the centre of political, administrative and university activity. The population is made up by: Albanians 90%, Serbs and other ethnicities like Turks, Muslims, Romans, Ashkali make up 10%. Kosova has inherited a cultural and spiritual wealth, which is documented by a vast number of archeological findings from different historic ages. Archeological findings from the Neolith age also prove that the Illyrians are the ancestors of the present Albanian population living in Kosova now. The extreme temperatures are between -25°C to +38°C. The temperature in September is usually between 13°C to 25°C. The beautiful country side is covered with vegetation and a rich flora and fauna, with some of the species being unique for the region. Historic, cultural and ethnographic inheritance which is very rich is still being discovered and evaluated. One of the examples of the natural beauty of Kosova is the Marble Cave near the capital Prishtina which is estimated to be 18 million years of age. The cave is characterized by stalactites and stalagmites which can not be seen elsewhere in the region. An underground lake of 500 m² surface is situated under the cave. Kosova is proud of its cuisine and the local foods are some of the best you can find. People of Kosova are known for their warm hospitality and for being very friendly.
Prizren
Prizren was established at a convenient locality as an important trading town, through which passed old roads towards the Adriatic coast and the interior of the Balkan peninsula. Graves and artifacts of Illyrian Dardans were found in Prizren's vincity, which shows that the area of Prizren has been inhabited since ancient times. It was for a while the center of the Serbian Empire. During the Byzantine rule, Prizren was known as Prizdrian. The Ottomans occupied Prizren on June 21, 1455, and that is when the oriental urban development of Prizren began. From all the cities of Kosova, Prizren has best preserved the architectural physiognomy of the past. |
Prizren is a town with around 110,000 inhabitants, and it is a true open air museum, one of the most beautiful towns of Kosova. It is situated on the slopes of the Sharr Mountains and on the banks of the river Bistrica. Thanks to its preserved architecture, this town with houses built under the Kalaja is a special curiosity. It is rich in dwelling quarters and houses with balconies facing gardens full of foliage. Numerous narrow, winding streets cut the whole town up, giving the town an oriental physiognomy. The craftsmen of Prizren are well known for their beautiful gold and silver articles, embroidery, the Prizren cloth, knives, and other folk handcrafts, trades which Prizrenians have preserved throughout the centuries. Since the end of World War II, Prizren has developed into a modern town with food processing, textile, pharmaceutical, and metal processing industry, at the same time efforts have been made to preserve its ancient architecture.