Pristina

Murad I (1362-1389) was the 3rd Ottoman sultan. He was killed in the Battle of Kosovo on 15 June 1389. The monument was built in the 14th century by Murad I's son Bayezid I, becoming the first example of Ottoman architecture in the Kosovo territory. His internal organs were buried in the tomb in Mazgit village near Pristina and his body was sent back to Bursa, the capital city of the Ottoman state at that time. The tomb was restored a couple of times, starting from 15th century, continuing in the 17th and 19th centuries. Inside of the complex you can find the house of Turbedars or tomb caretakers which originally are from Bukhara. Near the tomb you can find also a mulberry tree which is believed to be 400-500 years. Also part of this complex is the selamlik building from 1896.

The Cathedral of Saint Mother Teresa in Pristina is a Roman Catholic cathedral is one of Pristina's tallest buildings inaugurated in 2010. The cathedral is dedicated to the Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun and missionary, Saint Teresa of Calcutta. There are audio guides available too.

Construction has not been completed after having started in the early 1990s. It has been disputed by ethnic Albanian population after having been constructed in University grounds during Milosevic regime.

This is the only remaining operative Serbian Orthodox Church in Pristina. It is housed in a 19th-century building. It used to showcase 18th-century wooden icons, created by painters based in Debar, North Macedonia, several 18th-century frescoes and an iconostasis of 1840 from Belgrade, Serbia, which were all irreversibly damaged during the 2004 unrest. The Saint Nicholas Church once again began to hold liturgies in 2010 in a ceremony attended by a few hundred Serbian Orthodox believers. It now features a revamped exterior, restored roof, new marble tiles and new icons.

Founded in 15th century. It used to be part of the complex of the Sultan Murat Fatih Mosque and according to the legend, the construction workers who were hired to build Fatih Mosque were ordered by Sultan Mehmet II to take daily baths in the hammam. It had two symmetrical baths, one for women and the other one for men. The hammam is composed of 15 domes with small holes which are used to let the light penetrate in. A fire that occurred in 1994, resulted with an illegal opening of three shops which blocked the old entrance. Unfortunately, a hammam that once used to be a prestigious social venue for men and women, for many years looked abandoned with only few remaining walls full of rubbish, overgrown trees and wastewaters flowing inside of the building.

This is a marble fountain between the Carshi Mosque and the Museum of Kosovo and is a typical component of Ottoman architecture. The fountain is the only one remaining in the city from over fifty that once existed. In addition to providing a source of drinkable water, Shadërvan has been traditionally used for ritual ablution.

It was built in the 19th century by Jashar Pasha. It served as a means of informing the town during the Ottoman Empire rule, in order to let people know when to pray as well as the traders closing their shops. The 26-meter-high hexagonal clock tower was made of sandstone and bricks. The original tower was burned in fire and its bricks were used for reconstruction. The authentic bell was brought from Moldova and had the inscription “This bell was produced in 1764 for Jon Moldova Rumenin”

The exterior of one of Pristina's historic Ottoman homes can be seen near the Clock Tower. The Domaniku family, who migrated to Turkey in the early part of the 20th century, had build this palace in the 19th century. For many years, this building housed the Office of the Academy of Arts and Sciences of Kosovo, and it is now used by the Association of Political Prisoners.

The building of the former “Hotel Union” was built in 1927 under the supervision of the Austrian architect, Andrija Kremer. It combined elements of neo-Renaissance, neo-baroque and Art Nouveau and was one of the few buildings in Pristina with European-architecture influence. During the first few decades of its existence, it was named “Hotel Skënderbeu” after the 15th-century Albanian resistance leader, Skanderbeg and this was witnessed by his ingrained icons on the building. As of May 2025, Hotel Union is transformed in a shopping center.

Heroinat Memorial is a typographic sculpture and tourist attraction. The memorial is placed in a park downtown, in front of the Newborn monument. This memorial honors the sacrifice and contribution of all ethnic Albanian women during the 1998-1999 Kosovo War. The tragic number of victims were transformed into 20,000 medals which are held up by different lengths creating a relief of the heroine’s portrait.

It was designed by the Serbian sculptor Miodrag Zirkovic in 1957 and built in 1959. The Brotherhood and Unity monument was constructed during a time of major changes in the capital of Kosovo. The Yugoslav authorities brought a new spirit of socialist realism, which was also manifested through architecture.

The Palace of Youth and Sports is a remarkable structure – a symbol for the city of Prishtina – where many activities are held throughout the year. The complex is a popular meeting spot, a stage, a place for cultivating talents and a site that shapes the city’s identity.
The decision to build the Palace of Youth and Sports was made by a public referendum. A portion of the budget was provided by Prishtina residents, a percentage of whose wages funded the construction effort. Construction on the sprawling complex was started in 1977 with the completed premises opening to the public four years later, under the name “Boro-Ramiz” Youth and Sports Centre. Živorad Janković was responsible for the building’s singular design.
The Palace of Youth and Sports is still used as sporting grounds, where many teams practice and generations of Kosovar athletes have trained. The palace’s Red Hall and Atelier Hall are spaces where the cultural community gathers to celebrate classical music and other forms of creative expression. Damaged in a fire in February 2000, the former ice rink is now a parking lot for the municipal offices within the complex.

Here are outposts of green, the biggest and best of which is Gërmia Park. During the summer, the lake-sized swimming pool here is a hot spot for families and young people, but year-round the park offers grassy spaces to relax or kick the ball around, and a network of mine-cleared trails through the dense woods perfect for dog-walking or drunken hide-and-seek tournaments. A couple of restaurants at the top of the park have good food and nice views. Also interesting to check out the cluster-bombed police bunker, just up the road from the best restaurant.

City park is one of the few parks that city has. It is 500 m from the city centre, about a 7-minute walk. Park has 7.5 hectares, rich flora and fauna, fresh air, hiking trails arranged in the beautiful nature, surrounded but pines and other trees. Hidden from center and heavy traffic and pollution, it is perfect place for escaping and spending quality time with family, friends. During late spring and summer, in relaxing atmosphere young people and various NGOs organize movie nights, poetry session, and live music.

This is a cemetery. Also there is the National Martyr’s Monument (Varrezat e Dëshmorëve).

Founded in 19th century, it is a burial site in the outskirts of Pristina consisting of 57 tombstones. The city was once home to a Jewish community numbering over 1,500 people, who settled in the Balkans during the late 15th century from Spain after escaping the Reconquista.

Tjerrtorja was a neolithic settlement which was identified accidentally in the 1950s. The neolithic site was named after the discovery place, where a factory was started to be built known as the cotton and textile production plant Tjerrtorja. The area was believed to have had an abundant collection of terracotta figurines, human shaped statues and baked clay anthropomorphic artifacts.

For many years in Kosovo, all privately kept brown bears lived in small cages at restaurants, to attract customers. In 2010, when it became illegal to keep bears privately, there was a need for a national park as a new home for the restaurant bears rescued from captivity. This centre aims to improve the public attention to animal welfare and environmental problems in Kosovo. The sanctuary can be reached by an 8-km hike from Gërmia Park.

Climb or take an elevator up the cathedral for a magnificient view of the city. If you are bold, head up 5-10 min before the full hour, to enjoy the bells at first sight.

Notable sights found here include a 19th-century Ottoman clock tower, Sahat Kulla, which faces Fatih Mosque, Pristina's largest and most outstanding mosque, which dates back to the 15th century. Nearby you can find two museums definitely worth visiting, the striking yellow Museum of Kosovo, and the Ethnological Museum which is housed in a gorgeous complex of Ottoman-era town homes called Emin Gjiku. Around the neighborhood, you can see street market stalls, kids hawking cigarettes and phone cards, qebabtores and cafes, and the vibrant community life of Kosovo's biggest city. Heading towards the centre you will encounter the main pedestrian boulevard, Rr Nëne Terezë, which runs from the new government building and impressive Skenderberg monument all the way down to Grand Hotel and Zahir Pajaziti Square. For the more modern sights, you don't have to wander too far. The post-independence 'Newborn' monument, altered each Independence Day to represent a different social or political theme, sits directly in front of the curiously designed Boro Ramiz (the Palace of Youth and Sports) and not too far from the renowned statue of Bill Clinton. Arguably the most recognizable structure in Pristina is the avantgarde Yugoslav-era mass of cubes and the domes that is the National Library, often described as one of the ugliest buildings in the world. Directly opposite is the unfinished Serbian Orthodox church which had its construction halted in 1999, and remains subject of much controversy with an uncertain future. If you have more time, it's also worthwhile wandering up into Dragodan/Arberia or Velania (especially City Park, also referred to as "the Italian park," and the park dedicated to now-deceased President Ibrahim Rugova). A walking tour is offered twice a week from one of three hostels in the city; Buffalo Backpackers, Han Hostel and The White Tree Hostel.

In the evenings, when it's warm, a large proportion of the population heads out into the streets and promenades, between cafes or in with no particular destination. The objective is to see and be seen, chat with friends, and take in as much fresh air as possible before the horrific winter descends. 53% of Kosovo's population is under the age of 25, so most of the people on the street around dusk are teenagers and people in their early twenties. Being in one of the poorest countries in Europe, some Kosovars struggle to afford nights out and meals in restaurants. Instead, they get dressed up in their best clothes and walk up and down Rr Nëne Terezë. Join them, or if you prefer, grab a beer or coffee in an outdoor cafe and watch them go by.

It used to be called "The Regional Populist Theatre" then the "Provincial Populist Theatre". The repertoire of this theater was built on many national, international and former Yugoslavian dramatic scripts. This theatre performances, which were presented in different festivals with national and international character in the former Yugoslavia, were praised highly by critics of the time and were honoured with various artistic awards. As of May 2025, the National Theatre of Kosovo is undergoing renovation. In the meantime, performances are being held at the amphitheater of the Palace of Youth and Sports.

first known as the Theater of Youth, Kids, and Doll - "Dodona"

Theatre venue with a variety of cultural and artistic events, including theatre performances, concerts, exhibitions and an International Jazz Festival in November.

It is the highest institution of its kind in Kosovo. With a fund of thousands of books it is one of the biggest libraries in the region. Every year more than 40,000 exemplars are added to the library archive. The building was designed by the Croatian architect Andrija Mutnjakovic. Its space consists of 16,500 m². It is made with zenith windows, with 99 domes of different sizes and is entirely covered in a metal fishing net, which have their own particular architectural symbolism. It houses two reading rooms with 300 and 100 seats respectively, a reading room for periodicals, rooms for special collections, cataloguing and research, a 150-seat amphitheatre and a 75-seat meeting hall. The lobby of the library is used for various cultural events. The floor of the hall is a unique work of diverse mosaic marble stone. The largest dome of the library is the main ornament of the hall's high ceiling, thus providing ample natural lighting. According to the architect of the National Library of Kosovo the building is meant to represent a style blending Byzantine and Islamic architectural forms.

An international music festival organized by Dua Lipa's Sunny Hill Foundation. The festival has been nominated three times among Europe’s Top 10 Best Mid-Sized Festivals. The 3-day festival occurs in early August and hosts big names in the modern music industry, such as: Miley Cyrus, Calvin Harris, Martin Garrix, Dua Lipa, etc.

The festival is used as a platform for starting and presenting ideas and creations that bring forward feminist concepts and their development in Kosovo, by being committed to equal rights for women as well as building a bridge for peace in the region.

MOS aims to create a forum for the international art community to communicate, assemble and exchange ideas, works and skills, but also to support intercultural exchange. The “Meeting Of Styles” as its name says, is a meeting of styles, created in order to support the collaboration of the international art-community.

Remusica festival is the promotion of the contemporary music and innovative expression in the art of music, through channels of different stylistic tendencies of the 20th century.

Takes place in May. Polip is an international literature festival bringing together in Pristina young writers from the region as well as from Europe together in Pristina.