Things to see in Pristina
Attractions
Gračanica Monastery
One of the best existing examples of late Byzantine religious art is a short taxi ride from downtown Pristina to Gračanica. In this small Serb-Kosovar town, the interior of Gračanica's Orthodox monastery is richly adorned with heavenly frescoes and fearful visions of hell for sinners covering the ceilings and walls. The monastery was founded around 1321 during the court of powerful Serb King Milutin and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Address: , Gračanica Town, ,Telephone:
Opening times:
Daily 0600-1700.
Website: http://www.kosovo.net/egracanica.htmlAdmission Fees:
No
Disabled Access: YesUNESCO: Yes
Emin Gjiku Townhouse Museum
Afford a rare opportunity to see inside a traditional and beautiful 18th-century Ottoman-Turk townhouse now hosting an ethnological collection. Amid a splendid architectural complex of buildings, the museum holds interesting household exhibits particularly jewellery and folk-costumes. On-site guides offer tours in English.
Address: , Iliaz Agushi (close to Fatih Mosque), Pristina, ,Telephone:
Opening times:
Tues-Sat 1000-1800.
Website:Admission Fees:
Yes
Disabled Access: NoUNESCO: No
Fatih Mosque
The most eye-catching of the cluster of Ottoman-built mosques in Pristina city centre is the Fatih Mosque. Dating back to 1461 during the golden rule of Sultan Mehmet II, the huge ceiling domed cupola crowns a splendidly painted floral interior of Arabesque design. Nearby is Pristina's oldest building, the Çarshia Mosque completed in 1389.
Address: , Ilir Konushevci (near clock tower), Pristina, ,Telephone:
Opening times:
Daily 0800-1500 (open to public).
Website:Admission Fees:
No
Disabled Access: NoUNESCO: No
New Born Monument
This striking monument of nine yellow-painted steel letters spelling out the word ‘N.E.W.B.O.R.N' was hurriedly designed in time to be the focal point of February 2008's declaration of independence from Serbia. The 3m- (10ft-) high letters are covered in 150,000 signatures - the first of which were Kosovo's president and prime minister. Located outside of the Palace of Youth and Sports.
Address: , Luan Haradinaj, Pristina, ,Telephone:
Opening times: Website:
Admission Fees: Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Kosovo Museum
Pristina's Kosovo Museum is a lovely mustard-yellow Austro-Hungarian styled mansion in the heart of the ottoman quarter housing archaeological and historical treasures. The most famous exhibit is a diminutive terracotta statuette, the ancient Dardinian Goddess on the Throne, dating way back 6,000 years and excavated in Pristina's suburbs in the 1950s.
Address: , Adem Jashari Square off Nazim Gafurri, Pristina,Telephone: (38) 249 962/4.
Opening times:
Tues-Fri 0930-1730, Sat-Sun 1100-1500.
Website:Admission Fees:
No
Disabled Access: NoUNESCO: No
National Library
Resembling a colossal lunar module, the otherworldly design of Pristina's bizarre looking library is worth a visit in itself. This extravagant architectural relic from 1980s Yugoslav days has a roof bubbled with 99 separate cupolas and holds thousands of rare manuscripts. Well worth a peek inside.
Address: , Sheshi Hasan, Pristina,Telephone: (038) 212 426.
Opening times:
Mon-Fri 0700-2000, Sat 0700-1400.
Website: http://www.biblioteka-ks.orgAdmission Fees:
No
Disabled Access: NoUNESCO: No
Ibrahim Rugova Memorial & Martyr's Hill Cemetery
This huge sprawling cemetery and memorial park hosts striking tombstones of Kosovo Liberation Army (UÇK) wartime fighters. It is also the final resting place of the writer and controversial former president, Ibrahim Rugova, who died in 2006.
Address: , Rrustem Statovci, Pristina, ,Telephone:
Opening times: Website:
Admission Fees: Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Gërmia Park
This expansive semi-wild park can be reached by taking bus number 4 from the town centre. It offers a network of trails to hike and bike amid the hills and woodland. An extremely large open-air swimming pool close to the park's western entrance is a great way to stay cool during more clement weather.
Address: , Gërmia Park (follow Nazim Gafurri), Pristina, ,Telephone:
Opening times: Website:
Admission Fees: Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Tourist Offices
Pristina Tourist Information
Address: , , ,Telephone:
Opening times: Website:
There is no official tourist information outlet as yet for visitors to call by and visit. The Ministry of Trade and Industry Tourism Department offers only a couple of websites of limited use: www.visitkosova.org and www.prishtina-komuna.org.
