Kaljaja
Encyclopedia
Kaljaja or Prizren Fortress is the medieval
fortress in Prizren
, Kosovo
, in which once the capital of Serbian Empire
was located. It was built on a hill above Prizrenska Bistrica, around which the modern city developed. The first fort, erected on this location by the Byzantine
s, was further expanded by Tsar Stefan Uroš IV Dušan of Serbia
. The fort then came under the Ottomans
, who controlled it for four and a half centuries, giving it its modern shape.
Kaljaja was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance
in 1990.
or the Adriatic Sea
with the Metohija region
and the interior of the Balkan Peninsula.
Prizren was developed on the foundations of the ancient Theranda
, while its early medieval form received between vi and 9th century. Under the present name was first mentioned in 1019 at the time Basil II
(976-1025) in the form of Prizdrijana. It is 1072nd year for the emperor and the carrier Samuel
vog (976-1014) of declared Serbian
Prince Bodin (1081–1101), during large Slavic uprising against the Byzantine Empire
which broke out that year under the leadership of George Voiteh in Skopje
.
From the time Stefan Nemanjić (1196–1223) is located within the Serbia
and its importance increases particularly during the reign of King Milutin (1282–1321) and Serbian Emperors Dušan (1331–1355) and Uroš (1355–1371). Dusan expanded fortification and in its vicinity has built his foundation Holy Archangels
protecting it by raising Visegrad fortress. During the existence of Serbian Empire Prizren is one time was the imperial capital for which is often called theSerbian Constantinople.
During the dissolution of Serbian Empire, the city of 1362 until 1372nd year found in possession of the Mrnjavčević
(Vukasin
(1366–1371) and Marko (1371–1395)), after which you take Balšić to 1376. And probably found within the state of Vuk Brankovic (?-1398), but was then already begun to lose its commercial importance, but because the 1433rd year mentioned as a deserted square.
There is disagreement about when the Ottomans finally captured him, so he probably fell 21 June 1455, although there are those who on the basis of some sources of the nizam's fall placed in 1459. During several centuries of Turkish occupation of the fort suffered extensions in accordance with the development of Firearms, after the liberation of the First Balkan War
1912th year fort abandoned.
During the Ottoman occupation of the Serbian lands, the Serbs held social gatherings at several monumental places, such as Kaljaja, where they danced the Kolo
in the evening.
while as a separate entity aside part of the East, who probably comes from the Middle Ages.
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
fortress in Prizren
Prizren
Prizren is a historical city located in southern Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the eponymous municipality and district.The city has a population of around 131,247 , mostly Albanians...
, Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
, in which once the capital of Serbian Empire
Serbian Empire
The Serbian Empire was a short-lived medieval empire in the Balkans that emerged from the Serbian Kingdom. Stephen Uroš IV Dušan was crowned Emperor of Serbs and Greeks on 16 April, 1346, a title signifying a successorship to the Eastern Roman Empire...
was located. It was built on a hill above Prizrenska Bistrica, around which the modern city developed. The first fort, erected on this location by the Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
s, was further expanded by Tsar Stefan Uroš IV Dušan of Serbia
Stefan Uroš IV Dušan of Serbia
Stephen Uroš IV Dušan the Mighty , was the King of Serbia and Emperor of the Serbs and Greeks until his death on 20 December 1355. Dušan managed to conquer a large part of Southeast Europe, becoming one of the most powerful monarchs in his time...
. The fort then came under the Ottomans
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, who controlled it for four and a half centuries, giving it its modern shape.
Kaljaja was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance
Monuments of Culture of Exceptional Importance (Serbia)
Cultural Monuments of Exceptional Importance are the monuments in the Republic of Serbia that have the highest level of the State protection, and some of them are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites....
in 1990.
Fortress Past
The Prizren square and its stronghold developed the trade route which passed through the Drin valley and connected ScutariScutari
Scutari may refer to:*Üsküdar , in Anatolia, Turkey*Scutari Barracks in Üsküdar; former hospital where Florence Nightingale worked*Shkodër, in Albania; also known as Scutari in antiquity...
or the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
with the Metohija region
Metohija
Metohija , is a large basin and the name of the region covering the southwestern part of Kosovo.It encompasses three of the seven districts of Kosovo, namely the historical :* District of Peć * District of Đakovica * District of Prizren...
and the interior of the Balkan Peninsula.
Prizren was developed on the foundations of the ancient Theranda
Theranda
Theranda was an old Roman settlement in what is now Prizren.The town is mentioned by Ptolemy in the 2nd century AD in his Geography, whereas in the 5th century AD. it is mentioned with the name of Petrizên by Procopius of Caesarea in De aedificiis .Sometimes the town is mentioned even in relation...
, while its early medieval form received between vi and 9th century. Under the present name was first mentioned in 1019 at the time Basil II
Basil II
Basil II , known in his time as Basil the Porphyrogenitus and Basil the Young to distinguish him from his ancestor Basil I the Macedonian, was a Byzantine emperor from the Macedonian dynasty who reigned from 10 January 976 to 15 December 1025.The first part of his long reign was dominated...
(976-1025) in the form of Prizdrijana. It is 1072nd year for the emperor and the carrier Samuel
Samuel
Samuel is a leader of ancient Israel in the Books of Samuel in the Hebrew Bible. He is also known as a prophet and is mentioned in the Qur'an....
vog (976-1014) of declared Serbian
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
Prince Bodin (1081–1101), during large Slavic uprising against the Byzantine Empire
Uprising of Georgi Voiteh
The Uprising of Georgi Voiteh was a Bulgarian uprising against the Byzantine Empire in 1072. It was the second major attempt to restore the Bulgarian Empire after the Uprising of Peter Delyan in 1040-1041....
which broke out that year under the leadership of George Voiteh in Skopje
Skopje
Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
.
From the time Stefan Nemanjić (1196–1223) is located within the Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
and its importance increases particularly during the reign of King Milutin (1282–1321) and Serbian Emperors Dušan (1331–1355) and Uroš (1355–1371). Dusan expanded fortification and in its vicinity has built his foundation Holy Archangels
Saint Archangels Monastery
The Saint Archangels Monastery is a Serbian Orthodox monastery located in Prizren, in southern Kosovo. It was founded by the Serbian emperor Stefan Uroš IV Dušan of Serbia, and built between 1343 and 1352, on the site of the earlier church, part of the Višegrad fortress complex...
protecting it by raising Visegrad fortress. During the existence of Serbian Empire Prizren is one time was the imperial capital for which is often called theSerbian Constantinople.
During the dissolution of Serbian Empire, the city of 1362 until 1372nd year found in possession of the Mrnjavčević
House of Mrnjavcevic
The House of Mrnjavčević was a medieval Serbian noble house that existed during the Serbian Empire, its fall, and the subsequent years when it held a region of present-day Macedonia region. The house ruled a province from its base at Prilep from 1366 to 1395.Vukašin Mrnjavčević was a military...
(Vukasin
Vukašin Mrnjavcevic
Vukašin Mrnjavčević was a Serbian ruler in modern-day central and northwestern Macedonia, who ruled from 1365 to 1371. According to 17th-century Ragusan historian Mavro Orbin, his father was a minor noble named Mrnjava from Zachlumia, whose sons Vukašin and Uglješa were born in Livno in western...
(1366–1371) and Marko (1371–1395)), after which you take Balšić to 1376. And probably found within the state of Vuk Brankovic (?-1398), but was then already begun to lose its commercial importance, but because the 1433rd year mentioned as a deserted square.
There is disagreement about when the Ottomans finally captured him, so he probably fell 21 June 1455, although there are those who on the basis of some sources of the nizam's fall placed in 1459. During several centuries of Turkish occupation of the fort suffered extensions in accordance with the development of Firearms, after the liberation of the First Balkan War
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
1912th year fort abandoned.
During the Ottoman occupation of the Serbian lands, the Serbs held social gatherings at several monumental places, such as Kaljaja, where they danced the Kolo
Kolo
Koło is a town on the Warta River in central Poland with 23,101 inhabitants . It is situated in the Greater Poland Voivodship , having previously been in Konin Voivodship , and it is the capital of Koło County.-Early history:...
in the evening.
Fortress appearance
Prizren city is built on a hill South from Kaljaja. It have irregular shape that follows the plateau on which it is raised. City consists of:- Big city
- Senior city (southwestern part of the fortress)
while as a separate entity aside part of the East, who probably comes from the Middle Ages.
The fort today
The fort is now in ruins, but still can be see its monumentality, although it is difficult to discern the outlines of the original medieval town and the number of Towers due to later expansion.See also
- Monument of Culture of Exceptional ImportanceMonuments of Culture of Exceptional Importance (Serbia)Cultural Monuments of Exceptional Importance are the monuments in the Republic of Serbia that have the highest level of the State protection, and some of them are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites....
- Tourism in SerbiaTourism in SerbiaSerbia stretches across two geographic and cultural regions of Europe: Central Europe and Southeast Europe. This boundary splits Serbia roughly in a ratio of 1:2 alongside the Danube and Sava rivers. The northern parts of the country are Central-European lowlands while the southern and central...
- PrizrenPrizrenPrizren is a historical city located in southern Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the eponymous municipality and district.The city has a population of around 131,247 , mostly Albanians...