Architecture of Kosovo

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.[1][2]

The monasteries and churches from the 14th century represent the Serbian Orthodox legacy. Architectural heritage from the Ottoman period includes mosques and hamams from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. Other historical architectural structures of interest include kullas from the 18th and 19th centuries as well as a number of bridges, urban centers and fortresses. While some vernacular buildings are not considered important in their own right, taken together they are of considerable interest. During the 1999 conflict in Kosovo many buildings that represent this heritage were destroyed or damaged.[2][3] In the Dukagjini region, at least 500 kullas were attacked, and most of them destroyed or otherwise damaged.[1]

During the 1990s and thereafter, thousands of illegal buildings have been built in Kosovo. Rexhep Luci, the urban planner of Pristina who started an initiative to face this problem was killed in September 2000.[4]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b "Prioritized Intervention List". Regional Programme for Cultural and Natural Heritage in South-east Europe: 8. 23 January 2009. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  3. ^ "Cultural Heritage in South-East: Kosovo". United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization: 5. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  4. ^ Tawil, Edward. "Property rights in Kosovo: A haunting legacy of a society in transition". International Center for Transitional Justice. Retrieved 2 March 2014.