Facts About Pristina |
|
|---|---|
| Country | Kosovo |
| State | District of Pristina |
| Founded | 1342(8th century BC discovered) |
| Area | 854 km2 |
| Population | 198214 |
| Lat Long Coordinates | 42°40′N21°10′E |
| Time Zone | UTC+2 |
| area Code | +381 38 |
| Language | Serbian And Albanian |
| Major Religion | Islam and Christanity |
| Point of interest | Pristina Ethnographic museum, The national museum, Nazim Gafurri Street, Jashar Pasha Mosque, University of Pristina, Skenderbeg monument, Gërmia Park |
About City :
Pristina is the capital of Kosovo and has a population of about 198,000. It serves as the center of administration as well as education of the country. The most prevalent language is Albanian although some people also speak English.
The city served as the capital of Serbia until the year 1342 when Turks invaded and occupied the area in the Battle of Kosovo. The Austrians captured the city in the 17th century during the Austrian-Turkish War and it remained under Austrian rule until the Serbs took over in 1912. During the Balkan War in 1915, Bulgaria invaded the whole country and subsequently, the French occupied the area in 1918 and established it as the First Yugoslavia. In 1920, the Serbs again occupied the area until in 1941, Yugoslavia surrendered itself to Albania. Germany also ruled Pristina for a brief amount of time in the 1940s until the city was declared as the capital of Kosovo in 1947. After suffering through several more wars and political conflicts, the country was finally declared an independent nation in 2008 with Pristina as the capital.
Geography :
Pristina is located at the north-eastern side of the country and lies very close to the mountains of Goljak. To its south lies the Sar Mountains and Lake Badovac. It is situated between the towns of Obilic and Kosovo Polje. It covers an area of about 850 sq km and is at an elevation of about 652 m.
How to Reach (Transport) :
Pristina is served by the Pristina International Airport which is located about 15 km to the south of the city. It is served by Australian Airlines, Belair, Croatia Airlines, Helvetic Airways and Turkish Airlines which operate flights to and from cities like London, Frankfurt, Zurich, Istanbul, Brussels, Geneva and Munich. Taxis to the city are easily available outside the airport. The city is accessible via buses from places like Duress, Podgorica, Skopje, Belgrade and Sarajevo. Trains also connect Pristina to Macedonia and Serbia.
Inside the city, taxis and city buses are the preferred means of transport. While the buses are very cheap but crowded, the taxis are readily available and slightly more expensive. Several car rental services are also available.
When to Visit :
Pristina features a typical oceanic climate with warm summers and cold winters. Snowfall is a frequent occurrence. Temperatures never surpass 30 degree Celsius and as a result, the city has a pleasant climate all year round. The best time to visit is from May to September when the weather is pleasantly warm.
Fairs and Festivals :
Pristina celebrates several festivals honoring the traditions as well as patriotism and also the religions of Islam and Christianity. The following are some of the important festivals in the city:
- Independence Day, celebrated on 17th February, is the most important holiday in the nation. Parades, street dances and flag hoisting are held across the city as the whole capital honors the long and tedious battle the country had to undergo for its freedom.
- Pristina Film Festival, held in September, is hosted at the Kino ABC cinema. It features an array of international movies.
- Pristina Jazz Festival, held in the month of October or November, is hosted at various venues all around the city. Local as well as international jazz artists perform at this annual music festival.
- SURF Urban Festival, or the Summer Urban Festival, is held from June to August and involves several events like exhibitions, workshops and concerts.
Other festivals include Christmas, New Year’s Day and Freedom Fest.
Points of Interest (Places to Visit) :
The following are the popular tourist destinations of this small city :
- The Kosovo Museum, founded in 1963, has several artifacts although a lot of the exhibits were looted in 1999 and are currently in Belgrade. The terracotta Neolithic Goddess on the Throne is the most famous exhibit here.
- Germia Park, located in the hills of the eastern area of the town, is famous for its greenery. It also has a large swimming pool, almost as big as a lake.
- The Gračanica Monastery, located just south of the city, is one of the country’s most prestigious religious monuments. It was built by the Serbian king in 1321 and has beautiful fresco paintings inside it.
- The Fatih Mosque was built under the Turkish King, Sultan Mehmad II Fatih in the year 1461. Floral decorations and Arabic engravings graced by a grand 15- meter dome make it one of the most spectacular buildings of the city.
Other places to visit are the Mother Teresa Boulevard, Skanderbeg Monument and the Stone Mosque.
Accommodation :
Pristina has an array of accommodation fit for people of all walks. The Buffalo Backpackers, Hajde Hostel, Pejton Hotel, Hostel Han and Velania Guesthouse are for the budget travelers offering modest accommodation, breakfast and sometimes even computer access. Hostel Pristina even has facilities for free pick up from the bus station and free wireless internet all over the building. For a longer stay, Dot Apartments is also a good option as it offers fully furnished apartments at a really low cost.
Hotel Ora, Hotel Afa, Hotel Princi I Arberit and Hotel Sara are popular mid range hotels equipped with free wireless internet, comfortable and friendly surroundings as well as a restaurant.
Swiss Diamond Hotel is perhaps the most popular hotel in the city as well as the most expensive. Other luxury hotels are Grand Hotel Pristina Unio Commerce, Hotel Sirius and Golden Hotel, all supremely decorated and have lot of facilities.