In this video created and produced by KTV, you can learn more about the history of the impressive Prizren Castle and the restoration project supported by U.S. Embassy Pristina and other local partners.
Documentary produced by: Durim Abdullahu, Cameramen: Besart Ujkani, Arben Llapashtica, Enes Sahiti
Complete Transcript:
KTV
The space and buildings that carry Prizren’s culture and history are so interlinked in this city’s life that people in Prizren simply live among cultural heritage. Above this city with all this cultural wealth stands the Prizren Castle, a complex fortification where a number of monuments coexists that reveal the life that once upon a time was going on within these walls.
Standing at an altitude of 525m above the sea level, in about 1.5 hectares, the Prizren Castle was inhabited at least since the Late Bronze Age. Archaeological results and historical data show a continuous placement of cultural layers from the ancient times to early byzantine era to late medieval period throughout the ottoman period to the period of the Balkan wars, when the Castle was deserted.
Shafi Gashi,
Archeological Institute of Kosovo
Since the Late Bronze Age and until 1913, the Castle went through an enormous transformation. The main outer wall dates from early byzantine era, respectively from the era of Emperor Justinian, who was of Illyrian descent. During the medieval period, there were some interventions, whereas during the ottoman period, there were at least five construction phases. Many of the structures that are seen now also date from the ottoman period.
Architecturally, the Castle is actually divided in four parts and mainly these structures that we see –which we call casemates – were used as food storages or stables for horses. The top floor was damaged during the Balkan wars and it was mainly soldiers’ area used for defense. The mosque, the warehouse, water reservoir, gunpowder storage, and many towers that are within the Castle and along the surrounding walls were damaged, but their traces are still there and of course we have preserved them and nowadays they have become more or less very attractive points for tourists, who can enjoy the entire surroundings.
KTV
Recent transformation of the Prizren Castle is a result of the work of the Archaeological Institute of Kosovo and Cultural Heritage without Borders with funding from the Ministry of Culture and the U.S. Embassy in Kosovo.
The U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo, Greg Delawie, visited the Prizren Castle now that its restauration is in the final phase. He thanked all the partners that enabled the U.S. Embassy’s investment to produce positive results for the Castle’s new look.
Ambassador Delawie
U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo
The restoration of the castle has really come a long way in just the last year. In fact, I was here just a couple of months ago and it has come a long way even since then. The United States Government, through the Cultural Heritage Preservation Fund and United States Embassy in Kosovo, has invested nearly $700,000 in the castle. Prizren Castle is an incredible example of Kosovo’s rich and diverse cultural heritage and history. This site is important not only to the people of Prizren, but to all Kosovo citizens.
KTV
Around €400.000 from the Ministry of Culture and about $700.000 of the U.S. Embassy in Kosovo enabled the Archaeological Institute of Kosovo to restore and preserve the Castle, and to CHwB to adapt it so that it is accessible to visitors.
Senat Haliti
Cultural Heritage Without Borders
The process lasted more than a year and a half. There was a series of workshops; initially there were talks about ideas, then scenarios for those ideas were proposed to finally come to the last scenario: all the stakeholders thought it would be reasonable to have a multifunctional site. Thus, the upper part of the town is to be transformed into a site where various cultural events could be organized, and the terrain configuration was used to build a flexible amphitheater, where various performances such as concerts, movie screenings and similar could be organized. There were works done in infrastructure; visitors’ restrooms were built. Also, another important element the project addresses is accessibility for all, including for people with special needs. As you can see, a platform has been designed that facilitates movement of visitors and it serves as a thematic pathway for information of visitors about the site.
KTV
Sites that just few years ago were ruins covered by layers of dirt and grass, now, after being restored and preserved, can be visited as historical monuments with cultural values.
Shafi Gashi
Archeological Institute of Kosovo
Of course, we worked in many directions. The focus of project was archaeological excavations, in particular cleaning so that we could then use the Embassy’s fund for preservation of those structures. In parallel, there were works done on preservation of all parts of the Castle. There’s still just a little bit of work, and I hope that in that 10% of remaining works will be completed the next two years. Then, with the students from the archaeological department, we worked on the entire archaeological material found at the Castle, in statistical data, preparation for publication, restoring of artefacts – as you could see inside in the exhibition hall. It is an extraordinary rich collection of archaeological objects – its number exceeds 100 artefacts and this is a very good material for the archaeological exhibition.
KTV
Restauration of the Prizren Castle not only has protected its riches from destruction, it also turned it into an attractive site for tourists.
Ambassador Delawie
U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo
By investing in the restoration of the castle, we are investing in the future of this region as an important center for domestic and international tourism. The ongoing renovations make the site more accessible to the public, including ramps, lighting, and safety rails. The new sign boards and photography exhibit allow Kosovo citizens and international visitors alike to learn more about the area’s rich archaeological and political history.
KTV
The entire cultural blend that Prizren Castle contains within its walls will be accessible for all in very contemporary ways.
Senat Haliti
Cultural Heritage Without Borders
Informative panels of the city have been placed along the way explaining the relation between the castle and the city. Concurrently, within the site itself there are informative panels that reveal to some extent the periodic transformations of the castle. We have worked with different categories and we have tried to bring something to each ‘target audience’ – we have prepared coloring or illustration books for children, which will be available very soon. The enthusiasts will have opportunities to be informed about the sites though the website, which will be active very soon. More adventurous visitors who visit the Castle will have the possibility to travel through time using glasses and they could experience one or more hypothesis of how the Prizren Castle had looked in historical periods. The same material will be available on the Castle’s webpage, thus those who cannot visit the Castle could be informed through the webpage.https://youtu.be/lRdGp3fTO84
KTV
With the Castle’s structures, the objects found by the archaeologists will be exhibited in the Castle, in what was once the Castle’s inn.
Shafi Gashi
Archeological Institute of Kosovo
We have all types of artefacts: kitchen plates, utensils, objects of cult. We have different tools – I would say – from the pre-metallic and Neolithic periods: axes, chisels, cleavers and others. We then have some weapons from later periods; there is also an extremely enormous collection of cannonballs from later medieval times and even from more modern era that we have found during archaeological excavations. In ammunition only we have over 400-500 objects, then we have a collection of pipes, mainly smoking pipes that were mostly imported either from Thessaloniki or Istanbul. There is also a nice collection of coins, beginning from the Justinian’s era, 6th century until 11th century, and then we have coins from the ottoman period, seals and other various artefacts used by inhabitants, soldiers or whoever lived in the Castle.
KTV
Once all the work is completed, the Prizren Castle will have a permanent managing team that will take care of the Castle and will oversee the touristic visits to the Castle.
Senat Haliti
Cultural Heritage Without Borders
Management plan is in its final phase. Documentation [of data] is almost complete. The only thing remaining is for the archaeological site to have a management unit, a body that will take care of day-to-day implementation of plan. Various scenarios are being discussed, and this unit will be established soon. Its mandate will be very short. Parallel to this, the management plan for the Historical Centre of Prizren is being drafted. The Castle of Prizren will be part of that plan, so once that plan is finalized, which will mean that the Historical Centre of Prizren will have its own management unit, therefore the tasks regarding management of the Prizren Castle would be transferred to the Historical Centre of Prizren management unit.
KTV
Those who engaged so that the cultural riches of the Prizren Castle are public and accessible to all believe that this historical site will get an economic weight and will inspire many generations in the future.
Ambassador Delawie,
U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo
By improving Prizren’s draw as a tourist destination, we look forward to also seeing the region’s continued economic development. I want to see a Kosovo that is prosperous and developed for all of its people, and we will do our best to assist Kosovo institutions – government and non-government alike – to make progress that benefits all. Once the entire restoration project is completed, likely by the end of this year, the people of Prizren and of Kosovo will have another site to be proud of. The Prizren Castle is a fantastic site. I hope everybody will come here and see the fantastic transformation that has occurred over the last couple of years and I hope all of Kosovo’s citizens will be able to enjoy the Castle for many years to come.
KTV
While the restoration is bringing back the beauty of this fortress, making its cultural charms more visible with the new and completed image, the Castle of Prizren is transforming into a silver crown of the precious cultural heritage of Prizren.
