Hidden Gems of Prishtina

17/01/2025

From Prison to Solitary Confinement
In the basement of the rectorate, there was also a prison, traces of which can still be seen today. Entering the place used as a prison is possible only through a well-like hole from the first floor, which creates an image of a bunker. It leads you to a long corridor where three small rooms branch off. The rooms have no doors but only a few small holes from above where it is thought that the light came in, but also the food of the prisoners was given to them. In an article of a daily newspaper, a detail was revealed that after the 1999 war, when the NATO forces (so-called Kosovo forces – KFOR) entered the building, they found helmets and military masks from the period 1998/99 in the premises of the building.
The University of Pristina Rectorate also “hides” traces of the persecution and imprisonment of citizens who were against the official line of communism. This building was built during the Ottoman Empire and was used as a military barrack.

09/01/2025

From One Prison to Another

Modernisation period in Prishtina started at the end of the nineteenth century. The building of the first Albanian school opened during this period, and buildings that are still standing today, such the Kosovo Museum and the Kosovo Statistics Agency (ASK), were constructed.
The building of the Kosovo Statistics Agency (ASK) was used as a prison during the fascist occupation and as a detention facility by the communist government after the end of WWII. Besides, this building housed for a while the editorial office of the well-known daily newspaper “Rilindja”

06/01/2025

The building where today is the anti-tuberculosis clinic, was built during the period of Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (SCS) in 1828, by a French company. The building served as a school, a nursery, and in the 1950s, during state weapon collection action, for a while it was also a prison. This was the case with many other buildings during WWII. In the 1970s, the building was designated to a hospital for treating lung diseases. The state weapon collection action started in 1956 but in Kosovo was done through excessive violence and uncertainties for the Albanian population. This action started while there was already an ongoing massive deportation and expulsion of Albanians to Turkiye.

27/12/2024

Phase 3 of Hidden Gems of Prishtina delves into dark tourism, uncovering the tragic and painful chapters of the city’s history. This phase highlights buildings and locations that were once centers of violence, imprisonment, and oppression, not only during the communist era but also during the fascist period and the recent war. These often forgotten or overlooked sites carry immense historical significance, offering a deeper understanding of the suffering and struggles endured by many over these tumultuous periods.
In the coming days, we will unveil three significant locations in Prishtina, once used as prisons and sites of violence and torture during the communist era, fascism, and the recent war. These places represent some of the most somber moments in the city’s history.
The website will also feature the exact locations of these sites, allowing both locals and international visitors to easily explore them. By emphasizing these locations, we seek to deepen the understanding of Prishtina’s past and honor the memory of those who endured such hardships.

Hidden Gems of Prishtina "Hiden Gems of Prishtina" will lead visitors to the authentic Prishtina's unique cultural, historical and recreational locations. These places and spaces make the time travelable. HIDDEN GEMS ROUTE Piccadilly Burektore