Kosovo: Holidays and National Customs
Public holidays
There are a number of public holidays that do not have a fixed date, but are based on the time of Easter. Easter falls on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the beginning of spring. Lent, which lasts 46 days, begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday. Pentecost is 50 days after Easter. The Corpus Christi festival is celebrated on the 2nd Thursday after Pentecost. All Saints’ Day is celebrated for Orthodox Christians on the 1st Sunday after Pentecost, but for Catholic Christians the date is fixed on November 1st. On October 31, Protestants celebrate Reformation Day. The Halloween festival also takes place on this day.
| Date | Holiday |
| January 1 | New Year |
| 1st of May | Labor Day |
| March April | Easter |
| November 28 | National holiday |
| 25 December | Christmas |
| changeable | Bajram (end of the fasting month of Ramadan) |
| Kurban bajram (sacrificial slaughter of lambs two months after the end of Ramadan) |
Source: Countryaah – Kosovo Holidays
National customs
Before entering mosques, doors, tekken and apartments, shoes are taken off.
Visitors are not allowed to step on the doorstep or touch the stove when entering a house, as this is said to bring bad luck.
Kosovo: climate
Travel times
The ideas of what is meant by a particularly favorable travel climate depend on a number of factors. Pure cultural travelers certainly see the climate differently than people who want to spend a pure beach holiday, for example. The state of health or age can also play an important role.
For winter sports
enthusiasts In the mountains of the country, plenty of snow can be expected every winter – the best conditions for passionate skiers and tobogganists. However, heavy snowfalls can make traveling to and from the airport more difficult.
Climate table
The following table shows a range of climate data for Kosovo. It should be noted, however, that the climatic conditions in different regions of the country can differ considerably from each other and thus from the values shown – for example, temperatures above 40 °C were measured in 2007 and 2008.
| Month | Average number of rainy days | Mean maximum temperatures in (°C) | Mean minimum temperatures in (°C) |
| January | 13-14 | 03-04 | -02 to -03 |
| February | 12-13 | 02-03 | -03 to -04 |
| March | 11-12 | 10-11 | 02-03 |
| April | 12-13 | 17-18 | 06-07 |
| May | 13-14 | 22-23 | 11-12 |
| June | 10-11 | 25-26 | 14-15 |
| July | 08-09 | 26-27 | 16-17 |
| August | 06-07 | 26-27 | 16-17 |
| September | 07-08 | 23-24 | 12-13 |
| October | 10-11 | 16-17 | 07-08 |
| November | 12-13 | 10-11 | 03-04 |
| December | 12-13 | 04-05 | at 0 |
Kosovo: Sightseeing
- Abbreviationfinder.org: Presents the way that KS stands for the nation of Kosovo as a two-letter acronym.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Medieval monuments in Kosovo
The medieval monuments in Kosovo consist of four Byzantine-Romanesque churches and monasteries, including the Dečani monastery, which was built in the 14th century for the king, he is also buried there. The treasury contains icons from the 14th to 17th centuries and other precious treasures. The frescoes in the Gračanica Church and in the Bogorodica Ljeviška Church were painted in the years 1259–1453 in the Renaissance style. The renaissance in the Balkans artfully combines Western-Romanesque and Orthodox-Byzantine influences. The Peć monastery, which consists of four domed roof churches, also dates from the 13th century. The medieval monuments in Kosovo were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2004 and expanded in 2006
Attention
Since Kosovo is not a UNESCO member, the country’s world heritage sites are included in the “List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites” under Serbia.
Cities
Pristina
Pristina is the administrative, cultural and economic center of Kosovo. The city experienced its heyday especially during the Ottoman rule in the 14th and 15th centuries.
The Turks built mosques, caravanserais, wells and irrigation systems and set up their administrative center in Prishtina.
In the 19th century Prishtina was badly damaged by fires and the Austro-Turkish war. Unfortunately, little has been preserved of the former buildings in the oriental style. The many blocks of flats and high-rise buildings also make it impossible to imagine the flair of that time.
Prizren
The city of Prizren became known in the 19th century as the founding place of the “League of Prizren”, which campaigned for an Albanian nation state and independence from the Serbs.
Special buildings and structures
Vila Germia
The Vila Germia in the Germia valley near Prishtina houses a large restaurant, a conference hall, terraces, a beer garden and accommodation options.
Stone bridge at Bishtazhin
The stone bridge at Bishtazhin was built by the Turks at the end of the 15th century and reconstructed by the tailors’ guild in the 17th century, which is why it is called the Schneider Bridge.
Old Bridge
The Old Bridge in Vusrtrri, the parts of which probably date back to Roman times, but was built in its current form in the 14th century, is reminiscent of the former Roman settlement of Vicianum.
Museums
Kosovo Museum
The Kosovo Museum in Rr. Ramiz Sadiku in Prishtina houses a large collection of everyday objects, furniture and carpets as well as material about the events in 1998 and 1999.
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum in Prishtina is housed in a typical oriental building from the Turkish period and shows an exhibition on the fauna and flora of Kosovo.
Museum of the League of Prizren
The Museum of the League of Prizren was completely destroyed by the Serbs in 1999 and rebuilt after the war. The exhibition mostly shows copies of the destroyed originals.
Regional Museum
The Regional Museum in Prizren shows the life of the residents of the region and the art and culture of Kosovo.
Museum of the Peja Region
The Museum of the Peja Region in the town of the same name clearly shows the way of life of the Albanians in this area.
Historic site
I llyrische necropolis
in Mitrovica was discovered Illyrian necropolis, a large burial ground and necropolis from the Bronze Age.
Castle ruins
The castle ruins on the 797 m high volcanic dome near Mitrovica date from the Middle Ages. It was already a Roman and early Byzantine fortification, but was expanded in the Middle Ages and served as a state prison. The Turks turned the castle into a fortress in the 14th century.
Ancient mining town MUNICIPIUM
The ruins in Socanice bear witness to the ancient mining town MUNICIPIUM from the 2nd and 4th centuries.
Ruins of the ancient city of Ulpiana
The ruins of the ancient city of Ulpiana near Gracanica bear witness to the once beautiful city that was founded by the Roman emperor Trajan in the 2nd century. It was destroyed during the Great Migration, but rebuilt in the 6th century. With the invasion of the Slavs and Vandals in the area, the city finally fell.
Ruins of the town of Novo Brdo
The ruins of the town of Novo Brdo are located on a mountain at an altitude of 1,124 m. In the Middle Ages, the city was known beyond the borders of the Balkans due to its silver deposits. German craftsmen and Saxon miners also once worked in the town that bore the German name “Nyeuberghe”. In the 17th century the mining stopped and the city deteriorated increasingly.
Monuments, memorial
Blackbird Field
The historical blackbird field north of Prishtina was the scene of the devastating battle of the Turks against the Serbs and their allies in 1389. The 25 m high monument of the Serbs and the Türbe, the grave monument in which the Turkish commander, the standard bearer and the shield bearer are buried, commemorate this battle. His entrails were buried in the Türbe of Sultan Murad I, who was murdered in his tent. His bones were transferred to Turkey. In 1448 the Turks won another victory on the Amselfeld, this time over the Hungarians, and in the 17th century the Austro-Turkish War took place there.
KLA Heroes Cemetery The KLA
Heroes Cemetery is located near Prizren. In addition to Muslim graves, wooden crosses of the KLA fighters can now also be seen there.
Skenderbeu Monument
The Skenderbeu Monument in Prishtina was erected in 2001 in honor of the Albanian national hero Gjergj Kastrioti. Kastrioti defeated the Turks in the 15th century and regained the lost Albanian territory.
Mosques, churches and monasteries
Fatih Mosque,
The Fatih Mosque, also known as the Imperial Mosque, in Prishtina was built by Sultan Mehmed II in 1461. It has a square foundation. The main dome is painted in the shape of a mandala. The three vestibules have a rich ornamentation.
Bajrakli Mosque
The Bajrakli Mosque in Peja dates from the 15th century and is one of the most important examples of Islamic architecture due to its richly painted walls, filigree carving and the ornate marble pulpit.
Mosque in Kacanik
The remarkable mosque in Kacanik was built in 1594.
Sinan Pasha Mosque
The Sinan Pasha Mosque in Prizren dates from 1615 and dominates the cityscape. A dome with a diameter of 14.5 m spans the square structure. The extremely slim minaret sways visibly back and forth in strong winds.
Mehmed Pasha Mosque
The Mehmed Pasha Mosque in Prizren was built in the 16th century, making it the city’s oldest surviving Islamic monument.
Hadum Mosque
The Hadum Mosque in Gjakove was built in 1593 and is particularly worth seeing because of its rich ornamentation.
Former Banjska Monastery
The former Banjska monastery north of Mitrovica was built between 1313 and 1317 as a foundation of the then king. The richly decorated complex of that time was badly damaged by the Turks. They converted the church into a mosque.
Gracanica Monastery The Gracanica
Monastery in the town of the same name is one of the most important Orthodox monasteries. It was built in 1321 in the shape of a cross made of ashlar and brick. The main dome is surrounded by four lower corner domes. The monastery was sacked by the Turks, but the church and the frescoes inside the building are well preserved.
Archangel Monastery
The Orthodox Archangel Monastery in Prizren dates back to the 14th century and was built by Tsar Dusan as his church of the Holy Sepulcher. It was destroyed by the Turks around 1455. The stones of the monastery were used by the Turks for the construction of the Sinan Pasha Mosque in Prizren. However, the monastery was rebuilt. Few monks still live there today.
Church of Our Lady
The Church of Our Lady in Prizren was built in 1307 and converted into a mosque by the Turks in 1596. It has been used as a church again since 1918. During restoration work in the 1950s, valuable frescoes were discovered.
Hermitage of St. Petar
The hermitage of St. Petar in the vicinity of Prizren was inhabited by the saint in the 13th century. The remains of the wall paintings in the cave serving as a chapel also date from this time.
Visoki Decani Monastery The Visoki Decani
Monastery near Decan is world famous in terms of art history. It was built from 1327 to 1335 in Romanesque and Gothic styles. The frescoes were completed in 1350. The beautiful facade is clad in light pink, light gray and white marble. The portals, walls and pillars are adorned with masterful sculptures. The church also houses precious icons and chandeliers. The monastery also has a valuable library with manuscripts from the 13th and 14th centuries.
Former Patriarchate of Pec
The former Patriarchate of Pec in the Rugova Gorge unites several churches in its monastery complex.
The oldest is the Apostle Church from 1253.
In 1324 the Demetrius Church was built and in 1330 the Church of Our Lady. They share an open vestibule.
The last to be built was St. Nicholas’ Chapel. Some of the frescoes in the church ensemble are among the masterpieces of Serbian art of the 13th century.
The 13 churches of the village of Velika Hoca
In the village of Velika Hoca there are 13 churches from the 14th, 16th and 19th centuries. The oldest is the church is the St. Johann Church.
Universities
ILIRIA University
The ILIRIA University in Pristina was founded in and has about students
Rruga Gamend Zajmi nr. 75
Prishtinë
Kosovë
10000
Tel.: +381 – 38 – 233 951
University of Prishtina
The University of was founded in the year Students study here
Rr Nëna Terezë
Prishtinë 10000
Tel: +381 – 38 – 244183
Tel: +381 – 38 – 244186
Email: [email protected]
Universum University
Universum University was founded in. Students study here
Veterniku pn
(përball Grand Store)
Prishtinë, Kosovë
Tel. +381 – 38 – 544 210
Email: [email protected]
natural beauties
Batllava Reservoir The Batllava
Reservoir near Prihstina is ideal for swimming, fishing and hiking.
Cave in the marble quarries
The cave in the marble quarries near Gadime contains a natural phenomenon. Stalactites and stalagmites were formed there from marble crystals. You can visit the cave over a length of 1,400 m.
Radoniqit reservoir The Radoniqit
reservoir near Gjakove is ideal for fishing and swimming.
Rugova Gorge
The Rugova Gorge near Peja offers a wild, romantic natural backdrop.
Source of the Drin
The source of the Drin shoots from a rock into the valley from a height of 25 km in the vicinity of Peja.
Mirusha
waterfalls The Mirusha waterfalls near Peja offer the viewer an impressive spectacle. The Mirusha River falls in eleven steps through a narrow gorge.
