Where is Gjakova?

Gjakova () or Đakovica (; sometimes transliterated as Djakovica) is a city and municipality located in the Gjakova District of western Kosovo. According to the 2011 census, the city of Gjakova has 40,827 inhabitants, while the municipality has,94,556 inhabitants.

Gjakova

Geographically, it is located in the south-western part of Kosovo, about halfway between the cities of Peć and Prizren. It is approximately inland from the Adriatic Sea.
The city is situated some 208 kilometres north-east of Tirana, 145 kilometres north-west of Skopje, 80 kilometres west of the capital Pristina, 435 kilometres south of Belgrade and 263 kilometres east of Podgorica.

The city of Gjakova has been populated since the prehistoric era. During the Ottoman period, Gjakova served as a trading center on the route between Shkodër and Istanbul. It was also one of the most developed trade centers at that time in the Balkans. Gjakova has always been considered as a city where tolerance and coexistence in terms of religion and culture has been part of the society in the last centuries.

The Albanian name for the town is "Gjakova", while the Serbian name is "Đakovica" with the common "-ica" diminutive placename suffix. There are several theories on the origin of the village name, such as from the personal name "Jakov"; the Serbian word "đak" (pupil); or from the Albanian word for "blood" ("gjak").

The "Jakov theory" derives its name from "Jakov", a little known nobility in the service of lord Vuk Branković who founded and ruled the town, and whose coins have been found, signed "Jakov". According to local Albanians, the name was derived from the name "Jak" (Jakov), with the village name meaning "Jakov's field". According to Vujinović, it was also wrongfully claimed by the Albanians that the name was derived from a Jak Vula, a local landlord who allegedly gave property where the Hadum Mosque was built in the 1590s.

In Albanian, the name was pronounced "Jakova", and not "Đakova" or "Đakovica" (1928). The "pupil theory" has it that the Serbian kings had schools there, the word "đak" is from earlier "d(i)jak";

In the Ottoman "defter" (tax registry) of 1485, the "village of Đakovica" had 67 households, among which there was the house of "Vukašin's son, the priest".
Based on the study of the names, only two household heads were of possible Albanian origin. In the 17th century, Katip Çelebi and Evliya Çelebi mention this place as "Jakovičse", with 2000 houses and 300 shops.

The town had developed into an Ottoman trade center on the Shkodra–Istanbul route, with the marketplace being by the Hadum Mosque, built in 1594 by Mimar Sinan, financed by Hadum Aga.
Evliya Çelebi mentioned it as a town in 1662, and described it as a flourishing and attractive town with 2,000 houses built of stone with roofs and gardens.
The public buildings were situated on a broad plain and included two richly adorned congregational mosques, several prayer-houses, some inns with leaden roofs, a delightful bath-house (hamam), and about 300 shops like nightingale-nests.

Gjakova suffered greatly from the Serbian and Montenegrin armies during the First Balkan War. The New York Times reported in 1912, citing Austro-Hungarian sources, that people on the gallows hung on both sides of the road, and that the way to Gjakova became a "gallows alley." In the region of Gjakova, the Montenegrin military police formed the Royal Gendarmerie Corps ("Kraljevski žandarmerijski kor"), known as "krilaši", which committed much abuse and violence against the non-Orthodox Christian population.

The town was badly affected by the Kosovo war, suffering great physical destruction and large-scale human losses and human rights abuses. Yugoslav units were stationed in and near the town in two barracks due to the risk of an attack by the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) from across the border in Albania. In one incident, NATO aircraft misidentified a convoy of Albanian refugees and attacked it.

Actions on the ground had a devastating effect on the town. According to the ICTY, OSCE, and international human rights organisations, about 75% of the population was expelled by Serbian police and paramilitaries as well as Yugoslav forces, while many civilians were killed in the process. Large areas of the town were destroyed, chiefly through arson and looting but also in the course of localised fighting between government security forces and members of the KLA. The actions of the government forces in Gjakova formed a major part of the United Nations war crimes indictment of the then-President Slobodan Milošević.  In 2011, several dozen corpses were identified and returned to their families, though the number is relatively small compared to the figures of those who are still missing.

Most of the Albanian population returned following the end of the war. In 2001 free elections were held, with a majority won by LDK. Thousands of new stores were rebuilt. Old town is a good example where hundreds of stores were destroyed during the war; in 2001 as many were rebuilt as they had been before the war. New television and radio media were launched such as Radio Gjakova, Radio Pandora, Radio Amadeus, and TV Syri. Local businesses set up manufacturing enterprises such as the IMN brick factory was one of these.

Gjakova is located in the south-western part of Kosovo. To the north-east of the city, the west Kosovan plain of Dukagjin/Metohija opens, while in the south-west the peak of Dinaric alps rises. The city is also situated at the entrance to the Erenik Valley, where the river Krena flows from the north to the Erenik mountain stream. After a few kilometers, it flows into the White Drin, the longest river in Kosovo. The municipality covers an area of 521 km, including the town of Gjakova and 84 villages.

According to the 2011 census, the resident population was 94,556, of which urban inhabitants numbered 40,827 and rural 53,729; there were 47,226 males and 47,330 females. The ethnic groups include Albanians (87,672), Balkan Egyptians (5,117), Roma (738), Ashkali (613), and smaller numbers of Bosniaks (73), Serbs (17), Turks (16), Gorani (13) and others. Based on those that answered, the religious make-up was 77,299 Muslims, 16,296 Roman Catholics, 22 Orthodox Christians, 142 others, and 129 irreligious.

According to OSCE estimations, before the Kosovo War of 1999 the municipality had a population of about 145,000, of which 93% were Kosovo Albanians and 7% non-majority communities, including some 3,000 Serbs, who mostly lived in the main town.

Gjakova has a long tradition of education since the beginning of civil life. According to the Gjakova tradition the Hadim Aga library was so rich in books so it was said "Who wants to see the Kaaba, let them visit the library of Hadim Aga". The library had a reading room on the ground floor and the shelf with books upstairs.

According to some data, schools in Albanian language in the territory of Gjakova, were opened before 1840. The Albanian intellectuals from the city, that were educated in the most important educational centers of the Ottoman Empire, had a special role in opening of schools in the Albanian language during the Albanian National Movement.
A particular role in enriching the educational tradition in the region of Gjakova and beyond was the opening of religious schools, initially schools, later the madrasas.

The city has become an important university town. Today in the municipality of Gjakova, there is also a large number of primary and secondary schools, in the public sector, as well as in the private sector. The education system is organized in many schools and in the separate physical activity classes. During 2004, there was development respectively. There has been an increase in the number of private institutions, especially at the preschool level, but also in primary and secondary education.

The University of Gjakova "Fehmi Agani", is one of the newest public universities in Kosovo. The University began operating on October 1, 2013. In 2014, the "Gjakova Summer School for Entrepreneurship" were opened in the city.

Kosovo does not have an official religion. As the rest of the country, the majority of Gjakova's population consider themselves Muslim. The minority of Gjakovas's religious population that is not Muslim practices Christianity in the form of Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. According to the census of 2011, the prominent religion is Islam, including 81,75% of the population, while 17,23% is Roman Catholic Christian, 0.02% Orthodox Christian and 1% other.
Religious communities have educational institutions for their needs organized in accordance with applicable law.

All inhabitants of Gjakova have the right to freedom of belief, conscience and religion, which are guaranteed to all persons in Gjakova and Kosovo. Christianity has been around in Gjakova for a long time, going back all the way to the time of the Dardanian Kingdom and Roman Empire. Islam in Gjakova began to be spread very early, during the Ottoman Rule. Before the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 the whole Balkan was Christianized by the Western and Eastern Roman Empire. From that time until 1912 Kosovo was governed by the Ottoman Empire resulting in high level of Islamization.

Most Catholics live in the "Rruga e Katolikëve" street, where the two main churches are, and others in villages. The Muslims, living in other parts of the city and in most villages, have been encouraging the building of mosques, which could have counted about 10-15 buildings during the centuries.

Gjakova built an economy based on farming and agriculture, lower trade and some types of manufacturing workshops which mainly produce for the needs of city-based products as imported cases. After World War II, Gjakova has built an economy based on industry and agriculture but also in the service sector. Nowadays, these subsequent shifts in transitional societies are escorted with shifts in the economic structure of the city. Therefore, Gjakova has an economic structure that is based on two pillars: in the private business sector and social business sector which is currently being privatized. Private business sector is in expansion and the main indicators qualify it as the main component of Gjakova's economy.

According to official sources identified in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, by the end of 2005 there were about 3,200 registered businesses that exercise activity in different areas of Gjakova, such as enterprise manufacturing, construction, service, trade, catering, craft, transportation, information technology, etc. Social economy in 1989 has counted 45 companies that have employed 18,640 workers. In non-economic activities (education, health, culture, government institutions, banks, etc.) there were employed 4000 workers. Furthermore, they also developed the private economy – where in 2010 approximately 920 employees were registered in the business entities. The economy of the municipality of Gjakova suffered mostly during the economic sanctions and the mass violence done by Serbian forces during the war. The situation further during NATO’s intervention as a result of the destructive actions of multiple military and police forces, which have stood and operated in the economic enterprise facilities. This meant that during their withdrawal, these Serbian forces robbed, looted and destroyed most of the assets, inventories, transportation machines, etc. The losses that were done in the social economy as a result of the war were approximately 190 million DEM, whereas in the private economy around 100 million DEM.

According to official data, in 2006, there were 581 registered small and medium enterprises, in 2008 there were 3,120 such registered businesses, while in 2012 their number had reached 4,120. Gjakova currently has 12,000 people employed, in both the public and private sector, mostly in the latter. Although unemployment is high, there is a gradual increase of employment over the years according to data from the Kosovo Ministry of Work and Social Wellbeing. According to government statistics, in 2010, 40,000 people were registered as unemployed, while in 2011 this number decreased to 30,000 and in 2012 to 15,000. 30,000 people in Gjakova receive social assistance. This category includes poor families, people with disabilities, families of war veterans/victims and the retired.

Potential industry sectors in the municipality of Gjakova are:

The municipal budget of Gjakova was subsided by donations from USAID, CDF, Austrian Office in Kosovo, the European Commission and others, which over the past four years have done capital investments to the amount of 25 Million euro: 5,4 million € in 2010; 6,3m € in 2011; 6,7m € in 2012; 6,6m € in 2013.
The capital investments in the municipality of Gjakova are mainly focused on the regulation of roads including the rehabilitation, pavement and partially their lighting. However, investments for the expansion of the sewage system and the regulation of the canalization remain insufficient. The total amount of funds that are available to the municipality of Gjakova during a year for capital investments lies somewhere over 6 million euros.

Dominated by small family businesses, retail stores, cafeterias and providers of basic services, the private sector of Gjakova remains weak. It makes up only 5.5 percent of all businesses registered in Kosovo. According to the Tax Administration Office in Gjakova, 88 to 93 percent of active businesses are businesses with a single owner, five to ten percent are businesses with limited liability and the remaining two percent are large businesses. As in any other place in Kosovo, more than 90 percent of the sector consists of small family businesses which cannot create growth with added value. Only 2 out of 53 studied businesses in the centre of Gjakova declared not having employed any relative.

Gjakova's private sector, as in other places of Kosovo, is dominated by small businesses which hire 1-5 employees in activities with small added value, such as wholesale and retail, or other service activities such as restaurants and hotels. Wholesale and retail represent 50.5 percent of registered businesses. Other sectors include hotels and restaurants (10.2 percent), production (9.7 percent), transport and communication (7.8 percent), construction (4.2 percent) and agriculture (1.7 percent) among others.

Outside of the city's centre, Gjakova's private sector is characterized by ex-social ventures. Only one of the 15 privatized social ventures and one of the two ventures with common shares are completely functional. Both ventures have to do with construction. One of them is "Dukagjini" with 109 employees, which is one of the biggest private employers in Gjakova today. The other venture is "NIKI-S" which at present has 279 employees and is considered the biggest company in Gjakova's municipality.

There are lots of infrastructure facilities of railways and platforms which currently are out of function.
Pristina International Airport is some 70 kilometres east of Gjakova. It is the only port of entry for air travelers to Kosovo. In northern of the city, there is the Gjakova Airport situated. The airport is expected to become public in the following years, to be used by low-cost commercial airlines and cargo flights.

Historical monuments in Gjakova are divided into three main categories based on their cultural, religious and social context. The core part of the town was created between the Krena River to the east and Cabrati hill to the west. Around the cornerstone of the town, the Old Bazaar - the center of trade and craftsmanship - was created. By 1900, the bazaar housed around 1000 enterprises. Numerous bridges were built to enable the journey of trade caravans across the neighboring rivers. With the fast development of trade in the city, several inns were built to host the many visitors. Because of its ancient origins and fast economic development, Gjakova has become of great historical importance.

The Old or Grand Bazaar "(Çarshia e Madhe)" in Gjakova is the oldest bazaar in Kosovo, and it served as an Ottoman trading centre and heart of the town economy. It suffered damage during the Kosovo War but has since been renovated. The Hadum Mosque, built in the 16th century, lies by the bazaar, and includes a highly decorated graveyard, where the town notables were buried. Within the mosque complex were the "hamam" which was destroyed in 2008, the "Old library" from 1671, damaged in the Kosovo War, and also a "meytepi" from 1777. The Bazaar is linked to the city centre, just five minutes away via the Islam-Beg Bridge. The bazaar covers an area of about and the length of its main road is 1 km, with about 500 shops situated along it. It is, however, still home to an active mosque, several türbes, and a clocktower.

The Hadum Mosque, located in the Old Bazaar, built in 1594 by Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan and financed by Hadum Aga. The mosque has played a significant role in the urban character of the town from the 17th to 20th centuries. Its construction was followed by the appearance of the craftsmanship around it, which increased the importance of the town. The mosque holds historical value and is viewed of as a sacred monument. The Sheikh Emin's Tekke, built in 1730 by architect Sheikh Emin. It belongs to the Sufi order. The complex includes "turbe" (small mausoleums), "samahanes" (ritual prayer-halls), houses and fountains. It is characterized with detailed sacral architecture, with wood-carved elements.

Gjakova is also characterized with two main Catholic Churches, which are part of the cultural heritage. The Saint Paul and Saint Peter Church (Albanian: Kisha e Shën Palit dhe Shën Pjetrit) is one of the tallest monuments in Gjakova, which can be seen from different points of the town. The arrival of the Albanian Catholics form Malesia resulted in rejuvenation of Saint Peter's Church in Gjakova in 1703, while in 1851 Gjakova's parish is rejuvenated. In 1999, after the War it was totally destroyed. In the same site the new cathedral has been built.

The Saint Ndou Church, was once called also the church of Padre Mila, who had built it in 1882, but it was later destroyed. In 1931, Padre Lorenc Mazrreku built in the same place the church that exists today, which was renovated few times, adding to it the guestrooms, offices and restrooms, but complying with the original architectural concept.

The Clock Tower, built just after the Hadum Mosque at a place known as "Field of the Clock", characterizes the rapid economic development of Gjakova at that time. It was destroyed during the Balkan Wars, while the belfry was removed and transported to Montenegro. With sides 4.10m long and a height of about 30 meters, a new clock tower was built later near the foundations of the previous one. Constructed mainly of stone with the wooden observation area and the roof covered in lead, the clock tower is unique of its kind.

Events and festivals in Gjakova are not as much in numbers, as they are highly valued. The historic city of Gjakova, Kosovo, especially the Old Town, is the hub of many outdoor and indoor festivals, cultural events and street parades. Many of them are seasonal and take place only one time, while others are organised annually for many years by various festival societies. All of them draw interest from the locals and visitors alike. Some of the events are organised by the city, some by private companies as well.

Apart from being a culture and educative center of the Kosovo, Gjakova is also known as a sport center. The best example of this is the fact of having 38 clubs, which compete in all leagues over Kosovo.
Gjakova's most successful team is KF Vëllaznimi which has won 9 titles of Kosovar Superliga and 4 Kosovo Cups.
"Shani Nushi" is the city's sports hall, which has a capacity of 3500 seats, while the Gjakova City Stadium has a capacity of 6000 seats.

Gjakova is twinned with:

Gjakova is located in the south-western part of Kosovo. To the north-east of the city, the west Kosovan plain of Dukagjin/Metohija opens, while in the south-west the peak of Dinaric alps rises. The city is also situated at the entrance to the Erenik Valley, where the river Krena flows from the north to the Erenik mountain stream. After a few kilometers, it flows into the White Drin, the longest river in Kosovo. The municipality covers an area of 521 km, including the town of Gjakova and 84 villages.

Gjakova

Gjakova () or Đakovica (; sometimes transliterated as Djakovica) is a city and municipality located in the Gjakova District of western Kosovo. According to the 2011 census, the city of Gjakova has 40,827 inhabitants, while the municipality has,94,556 inhabitants.

Geographically, it is located in the south-western part of Kosovo, about halfway between the cities of Peć and Prizren. It is approximately inland from the Adriatic Sea.
The city is situated some 208 kilometres north-east of Tirana, 145 kilometres north-west of Skopje, 80 kilometres west of the capital Pristina, 435 kilometres south of Belgrade and 263 kilometres east of Podgorica.

The city of Gjakova has been populated since the prehistoric era. During the Ottoman period, Gjakova served as a trading center on the route between Shkodër and Istanbul. It was also one of the most developed trade centers at that time in the Balkans. Gjakova has always been considered as a city where tolerance and coexistence in terms of religion and culture has been part of the society in the last centuries.

The Albanian name for the town is "Gjakova", while the Serbian name is "Đakovica" with the common "-ica" diminutive placename suffix. There are several theories on the origin of the village name, such as from the personal name "Jakov"; the Serbian word "đak" (pupil); or from the Albanian word for "blood" ("gjak").

The "Jakov theory" derives its name from "Jakov", a little known nobility in the service of lord Vuk Branković who founded and ruled the town, and whose coins have been found, signed "Jakov". According to local Albanians, the name was derived from the name "Jak" (Jakov), with the village name meaning "Jakov's field". According to Vujinović, it was also wrongfully claimed by the Albanians that the name was derived from a Jak Vula, a local landlord who allegedly gave property where the Hadum Mosque was built in the 1590s.

In Albanian, the name was pronounced "Jakova", and not "Đakova" or "Đakovica" (1928). The "pupil theory" has it that the Serbian kings had schools there, the word "đak" is from earlier "d(i)jak";

In the Ottoman "defter" (tax registry) of 1485, the "village of Đakovica" had 67 households, among which there was the house of "Vukašin's son, the priest".
Based on the study of the names, only two household heads were of possible Albanian origin. In the 17th century, Katip Çelebi and Evliya Çelebi mention this place as "Jakovičse", with 2000 houses and 300 shops.

Gjakova suffered greatly from the Serbian and Montenegrin armies during the First Balkan War. The New York Times reported in 1912, citing Austro-Hungarian sources, that people on the gallows hung on both sides of the road, and that the way to Gjakova became a "gallows alley." In the region of Gjakova, the Montenegrin military police formed the Royal Gendarmerie Corps ("Kraljevski žandarmerijski kor"), known as "krilaši", which committed much abuse and violence against the non-Orthodox Christian population.

The town was badly affected by the Kosovo war, suffering great physical destruction and large-scale human losses and human rights abuses. Yugoslav units were stationed in and near the town in two barracks due to the risk of an attack by the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) from across the border in Albania. In one incident, NATO aircraft misidentified a convoy of Albanian refugees and attacked it.

Most of the Albanian population returned following the end of the war. In 2001 free elections were held, with a majority won by LDK. Thousands of new stores were rebuilt. Old town is a good example where hundreds of stores were destroyed during the war; in 2001 as many were rebuilt as they had been before the war. New television and radio media were launched such as Radio Gjakova, Radio Pandora, Radio Amadeus, and TV Syri. Local businesses set up manufacturing enterprises such as the IMN brick factory was one of these.

According to the 2011 census, the resident population was 94,556, of which urban inhabitants numbered 40,827 and rural 53,729; there were 47,226 males and 47,330 females. The ethnic groups include Albanians (87,672), Balkan Egyptians (5,117), Roma (738), Ashkali (613), and smaller numbers of Bosniaks (73), Serbs (17), Turks (16), Gorani (13) and others. Based on those that answered, the religious make-up was 77,299 Muslims, 16,296 Roman Catholics, 22 Orthodox Christians, 142 others, and 129 irreligious.

According to OSCE estimations, before the Kosovo War of 1999 the municipality had a population of about 145,000, of which 93% were Kosovo Albanians and 7% non-majority communities, including some 3,000 Serbs, who mostly lived in the main town.

Gjakova has a long tradition of education since the beginning of civil life. According to the Gjakova tradition the Hadim Aga library was so rich in books so it was said "Who wants to see the Kaaba, let them visit the library of Hadim Aga". The library had a reading room on the ground floor and the shelf with books upstairs.

According to some data, schools in Albanian language in the territory of Gjakova, were opened before 1840. The Albanian intellectuals from the city, that were educated in the most important educational centers of the Ottoman Empire, had a special role in opening of schools in the Albanian language during the Albanian National Movement.
A particular role in enriching the educational tradition in the region of Gjakova and beyond was the opening of religious schools, initially schools, later the madrasas.

The city has become an important university town. Today in the municipality of Gjakova, there is also a large number of primary and secondary schools, in the public sector, as well as in the private sector. The education system is organized in many schools and in the separate physical activity classes. During 2004, there was development respectively. There has been an increase in the number of private institutions, especially at the preschool level, but also in primary and secondary education.

The University of Gjakova "Fehmi Agani", is one of the newest public universities in Kosovo. The University began operating on October 1, 2013. In 2014, the "Gjakova Summer School for Entrepreneurship" were opened in the city.

Most Catholics live in the "Rruga e Katolikëve" street, where the two main churches are, and others in villages. The Muslims, living in other parts of the city and in most villages, have been encouraging the building of mosques, which could have counted about 10-15 buildings during the centuries.

Potential industry sectors in the municipality of Gjakova are:

Gjakova's private sector, as in other places of Kosovo, is dominated by small businesses which hire 1-5 employees in activities with small added value, such as wholesale and retail, or other service activities such as restaurants and hotels. Wholesale and retail represent 50.5 percent of registered businesses. Other sectors include hotels and restaurants (10.2 percent), production (9.7 percent), transport and communication (7.8 percent), construction (4.2 percent) and agriculture (1.7 percent) among others.

Outside of the city's centre, Gjakova's private sector is characterized by ex-social ventures. Only one of the 15 privatized social ventures and one of the two ventures with common shares are completely functional. Both ventures have to do with construction. One of them is "Dukagjini" with 109 employees, which is one of the biggest private employers in Gjakova today. The other venture is "NIKI-S" which at present has 279 employees and is considered the biggest company in Gjakova's municipality.

There are lots of infrastructure facilities of railways and platforms which currently are out of function.
Pristina International Airport is some 70 kilometres east of Gjakova. It is the only port of entry for air travelers to Kosovo. In northern of the city, there is the Gjakova Airport situated. The airport is expected to become public in the following years, to be used by low-cost commercial airlines and cargo flights.

The Saint Ndou Church, was once called also the church of Padre Mila, who had built it in 1882, but it was later destroyed. In 1931, Padre Lorenc Mazrreku built in the same place the church that exists today, which was renovated few times, adding to it the guestrooms, offices and restrooms, but complying with the original architectural concept.

The Clock Tower, built just after the Hadum Mosque at a place known as "Field of the Clock", characterizes the rapid economic development of Gjakova at that time. It was destroyed during the Balkan Wars, while the belfry was removed and transported to Montenegro. With sides 4.10m long and a height of about 30 meters, a new clock tower was built later near the foundations of the previous one. Constructed mainly of stone with the wooden observation area and the roof covered in lead, the clock tower is unique of its kind.

Events and festivals in Gjakova are not as much in numbers, as they are highly valued. The historic city of Gjakova, Kosovo, especially the Old Town, is the hub of many outdoor and indoor festivals, cultural events and street parades. Many of them are seasonal and take place only one time, while others are organised annually for many years by various festival societies. All of them draw interest from the locals and visitors alike. Some of the events are organised by the city, some by private companies as well.

Apart from being a culture and educative center of the Kosovo, Gjakova is also known as a sport center. The best example of this is the fact of having 38 clubs, which compete in all leagues over Kosovo.
Gjakova's most successful team is KF Vëllaznimi which has won 9 titles of Kosovar Superliga and 4 Kosovo Cups.
"Shani Nushi" is the city's sports hall, which has a capacity of 3500 seats, while the Gjakova City Stadium has a capacity of 6000 seats.

Gjakova is twinned with:

Gjakova

Gjakova () or Đakovica (; sometimes transliterated as Djakovica) is a city and municipality located in the Gjakova District of western Kosovo. According to the 2011 census, the city of Gjakova has 40,827 inhabitants, while the municipality has,94,556 inhabitants.

Geographically, it is located in the south-western part of Kosovo, about halfway between the cities of Peć and Prizren. It is approximately inland from the Adriatic Sea.
The city is situated some 208 kilometres north-east of Tirana, 145 kilometres north-west of Skopje, 80 kilometres west of the capital Pristina, 435 kilometres south of Belgrade and 263 kilometres east of Podgorica.

The city of Gjakova has been populated since the prehistoric era. During the Ottoman period, Gjakova served as a trading center on the route between Shkodër and Istanbul. It was also one of the most developed trade centers at that time in the Balkans. Gjakova has always been considered as a city where tolerance and coexistence in terms of religion and culture has been part of the society in the last centuries.

The Albanian name for the town is "Gjakova", while the Serbian name is "Đakovica" with the common "-ica" diminutive placename suffix. There are several theories on the origin of the village name, such as from the personal name "Jakov"; the Serbian word "đak" (pupil); or from the Albanian word for "blood" ("gjak").

The "Jakov theory" derives its name from "Jakov", a little known nobility in the service of lord Vuk Branković who founded and ruled the town, and whose coins have been found, signed "Jakov". According to local Albanians, the name was derived from the name "Jak" (Jakov), with the village name meaning "Jakov's field". According to Vujinović, it was also wrongfully claimed by the Albanians that the name was derived from a Jak Vula, a local landlord who allegedly gave property where the Hadum Mosque was built in the 1590s.

In Albanian, the name was pronounced "Jakova", and not "Đakova" or "Đakovica" (1928). The "pupil theory" has it that the Serbian kings had schools there, the word "đak" is from earlier "d(i)jak";

In the Ottoman "defter" (tax registry) of 1485, the "village of Đakovica" had 67 households, among which there was the house of "Vukašin's son, the priest".
Based on the study of the names, only two household heads were of possible Albanian origin. In the 17th century, Katip Çelebi and Evliya Çelebi mention this place as "Jakovičse", with 2000 houses and 300 shops.

Gjakova suffered greatly from the Serbian and Montenegrin armies during the First Balkan War. The New York Times reported in 1912, citing Austro-Hungarian sources, that people on the gallows hung on both sides of the road, and that the way to Gjakova became a "gallows alley." In the region of Gjakova, the Montenegrin military police formed the Royal Gendarmerie Corps ("Kraljevski žandarmerijski kor"), known as "krilaši", which committed much abuse and violence against the non-Orthodox Christian population.

The town was badly affected by the Kosovo war, suffering great physical destruction and large-scale human losses and human rights abuses. Yugoslav units were stationed in and near the town in two barracks due to the risk of an attack by the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) from across the border in Albania. In one incident, NATO aircraft misidentified a convoy of Albanian refugees and attacked it.

Most of the Albanian population returned following the end of the war. In 2001 free elections were held, with a majority won by LDK. Thousands of new stores were rebuilt. Old town is a good example where hundreds of stores were destroyed during the war; in 2001 as many were rebuilt as they had been before the war. New television and radio media were launched such as Radio Gjakova, Radio Pandora, Radio Amadeus, and TV Syri. Local businesses set up manufacturing enterprises such as the IMN brick factory was one of these.

Gjakova is located in the south-western part of Kosovo. To the north-east of the city, the west Kosovan plain of Dukagjin/Metohija opens, while in the south-west the peak of Dinaric alps rises. The city is also situated at the entrance to the Erenik Valley, where the river Krena flows from the north to the Erenik mountain stream. After a few kilometers, it flows into the White Drin, the longest river in Kosovo. The municipality covers an area of 521 km, including the town of Gjakova and 84 villages.

According to the 2011 census, the resident population was 94,556, of which urban inhabitants numbered 40,827 and rural 53,729; there were 47,226 males and 47,330 females. The ethnic groups include Albanians (87,672), Balkan Egyptians (5,117), Roma (738), Ashkali (613), and smaller numbers of Bosniaks (73), Serbs (17), Turks (16), Gorani (13) and others. Based on those that answered, the religious make-up was 77,299 Muslims, 16,296 Roman Catholics, 22 Orthodox Christians, 142 others, and 129 irreligious.

According to OSCE estimations, before the Kosovo War of 1999 the municipality had a population of about 145,000, of which 93% were Kosovo Albanians and 7% non-majority communities, including some 3,000 Serbs, who mostly lived in the main town.

Gjakova has a long tradition of education since the beginning of civil life. According to the Gjakova tradition the Hadim Aga library was so rich in books so it was said "Who wants to see the Kaaba, let them visit the library of Hadim Aga". The library had a reading room on the ground floor and the shelf with books upstairs.

According to some data, schools in Albanian language in the territory of Gjakova, were opened before 1840. The Albanian intellectuals from the city, that were educated in the most important educational centers of the Ottoman Empire, had a special role in opening of schools in the Albanian language during the Albanian National Movement.
A particular role in enriching the educational tradition in the region of Gjakova and beyond was the opening of religious schools, initially schools, later the madrasas.

The city has become an important university town. Today in the municipality of Gjakova, there is also a large number of primary and secondary schools, in the public sector, as well as in the private sector. The education system is organized in many schools and in the separate physical activity classes. During 2004, there was development respectively. There has been an increase in the number of private institutions, especially at the preschool level, but also in primary and secondary education.

The University of Gjakova "Fehmi Agani", is one of the newest public universities in Kosovo. The University began operating on October 1, 2013. In 2014, the "Gjakova Summer School for Entrepreneurship" were opened in the city.

Most Catholics live in the "Rruga e Katolikëve" street, where the two main churches are, and others in villages. The Muslims, living in other parts of the city and in most villages, have been encouraging the building of mosques, which could have counted about 10-15 buildings during the centuries.

Potential industry sectors in the municipality of Gjakova are:

Gjakova's private sector, as in other places of Kosovo, is dominated by small businesses which hire 1-5 employees in activities with small added value, such as wholesale and retail, or other service activities such as restaurants and hotels. Wholesale and retail represent 50.5 percent of registered businesses. Other sectors include hotels and restaurants (10.2 percent), production (9.7 percent), transport and communication (7.8 percent), construction (4.2 percent) and agriculture (1.7 percent) among others.

Outside of the city's centre, Gjakova's private sector is characterized by ex-social ventures. Only one of the 15 privatized social ventures and one of the two ventures with common shares are completely functional. Both ventures have to do with construction. One of them is "Dukagjini" with 109 employees, which is one of the biggest private employers in Gjakova today. The other venture is "NIKI-S" which at present has 279 employees and is considered the biggest company in Gjakova's municipality.

There are lots of infrastructure facilities of railways and platforms which currently are out of function.
Pristina International Airport is some 70 kilometres east of Gjakova. It is the only port of entry for air travelers to Kosovo. In northern of the city, there is the Gjakova Airport situated. The airport is expected to become public in the following years, to be used by low-cost commercial airlines and cargo flights.

The Saint Ndou Church, was once called also the church of Padre Mila, who had built it in 1882, but it was later destroyed. In 1931, Padre Lorenc Mazrreku built in the same place the church that exists today, which was renovated few times, adding to it the guestrooms, offices and restrooms, but complying with the original architectural concept.

The Clock Tower, built just after the Hadum Mosque at a place known as "Field of the Clock", characterizes the rapid economic development of Gjakova at that time. It was destroyed during the Balkan Wars, while the belfry was removed and transported to Montenegro. With sides 4.10m long and a height of about 30 meters, a new clock tower was built later near the foundations of the previous one. Constructed mainly of stone with the wooden observation area and the roof covered in lead, the clock tower is unique of its kind.

Events and festivals in Gjakova are not as much in numbers, as they are highly valued. The historic city of Gjakova, Kosovo, especially the Old Town, is the hub of many outdoor and indoor festivals, cultural events and street parades. Many of them are seasonal and take place only one time, while others are organised annually for many years by various festival societies. All of them draw interest from the locals and visitors alike. Some of the events are organised by the city, some by private companies as well.

Apart from being a culture and educative center of the Kosovo, Gjakova is also known as a sport center. The best example of this is the fact of having 38 clubs, which compete in all leagues over Kosovo.
Gjakova's most successful team is KF Vëllaznimi which has won 9 titles of Kosovar Superliga and 4 Kosovo Cups.
"Shani Nushi" is the city's sports hall, which has a capacity of 3500 seats, while the Gjakova City Stadium has a capacity of 6000 seats.

Gjakova is twinned with:

Gjakova Airport AMIKO (, "Aerodrom Đakovica") is an airport in village Lugbunar, near Gjakova in western Kosovo. The airport is expected to become public in the following years, to be used by low-cost commercial airlines and cargo flights.

Gjakova Airport

The airport was built by the Kosovo Force (KFOR) following the 1999 Kosovo War, next to an existing airfield used for agricultural purposes, and was used mainly for military and humanitarian flights. On 18 December 2013, the airport was handed over to the Government of Kosovo from the Italian Air Force. Under Italian Air Force operations, Gjakova Airfield handled more than 27,000 aircraft, 220,000 passengers and the carriage of more than 40,000 tons of cargo.

The local and national government plans to offer Gjakova Airport for operation under a public-private partnership with the aim of turning it into a civilian and commercial airport.

As of December 2015, the airport is reported as closed by the Kosovo authorities.

The City Stadium (,, "Gradski stadion") is a multi-use stadium in Gjakova, in western Kosovo. It is used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of KF Vëllaznimi of the Kosovar Superliga. The stadium has a capacity of 6,000 people.

Gjakova City Stadium

The historical monuments in Gjakova, western Kosovo, are divided into three main categories based on their cultural, religious, and social context. In 1574, the Hadum Mosque was built on Jak Vula's property, laying the foundation of the city. The core part of the town was created between the Krena River to the east and Cabrati hill to the west. Around the cornerstone of the town, the Old Bazaar, the center of trade and craftsmanship, was created. By 1900, the bazaar housed around 1,000 businesses. Numerous bridges were built to enable trade caravans to cross the neighboring rivers. With the fast development of trade in the city, several inns were built to host visitors. Because of its ancient origins, and rapid economic development, Gjakova is of historical importance.

Culture of Gjakova

Gjakova has been populated since the prehistoric era. During the medieval period, in 1485, Gjakova is mentioned as a village, concretely as a market place.
Gjakova served as a trading center on the route between Shkodër and Istanbul.

The old town of Gjakova was one of the most developed trade centers during the rule of the Ottoman Empire in Balkans. A testimony to this period is the Grand Shopping area (çarshia e madhe) located in the center of the old town, containing many preserved and restored shops and residential buildings. Shopping was developed around the Hadum Mosque, built in 1594-95 as a donation by Hadum Sylejman Efendia (known as Hadum Aga), who simultaneously donated funds for other public facilities in the town, including some of the first shops in the old marketplace.

Gjakova is mentioned as a city for the first time in 1662, by the Ottoman Turkish traveler Evliya Çelebi, who described it as a flourishing and attractive town consisting of 2,000 houses, all built of stone with roofs and gardens.
Public buildings were suited on a broad plain and included two richly adorned Congregational mosques, several prayer-houses, some khans with leaden roofs, a delightful bathhouse, and about 300 shops like nightingale-nests.

The forms of denominating the city had changed during the centuries. The oldest form "Jakova" originates from the base "Jak" anthroponym dispersed among vendor Albanians and the Ottoman suffix "ovasi" that means a field. Therefore, "Jak ovasi" means Jak’s field, because Jak Vula, according to the tradition, allowed Hadum Aga to build the mosque and the above-mentioned objects with the condition that the city to be built would carry his name.

In the 16th century there were only 13 Islamic families, out of 68 families that lived in Gjakova.
According to the demographic statistics of 2011, the prominent religion is Islam, including 81,75% of the population, while 17,23% is Christian, 0.02% Orthodox and 1% other.

This is a result of the process of Islamization that occurred during the Ottoman Rule.
Most Catholics live in the "Rruga e Katolikëve" street, where the two main churches are, and others in villages. The Muslims, living in other parts of the city and in most villages, have been encouraging the building of mosques, which could have counted about 10-15 buildings during the centuries. The religious monuments enrich the cultural heritage of Gjakova.

Gjakova is very rich regarding to the monuments of cultural heritage. Most of them are religious monuments, but Gjakova is also known for some other interesting monuments, such as: stone houses (kulla), strong stone bridges and Old Bazaar, as an urban, architectural and traditional handicrafts entirety.

Gjakova, as a town with Islamic main religious orientation, is characterized with a large number of mosques and Tekkes. One of the most important mosque is The Hadum Mosque while there are also some others, such as: The Kusar Mosque and The Mahmut Pasha Mosque.

Gjakova is also characterized with two main catholic churches, which are part of the cultural heritage. These are:

The Church of St. Anton of Padova ("Ndou"), was built in 1931, located in the Catholic neighborhood, next to the Saint Pal Church and Saint Pjeter Church in Gjakova. It was previously called the "Patter Mila" church (Emilio a Cless), built in 1882, but later this church was totally destroyed. In 1931, Pater Lorenc Mazreku built the new church in the same location as the old church. It was renovated several times with the addition of dormitories, offices, and toilets, but it carefully preserved the concept, and architectural importance, of catholic churches. The Saint Ndou Church, being one of the oldest sacred buildings in Gjakovë, is an important architectural site in the city. During the Kosovo War in 1999 the church was subject to major damage done by Yugoslav Serb soldiers.

Most of the Tekkes belong to the Islamic Sufi "Tarikat"/orders like "Rifai", "Saadi", etc. There are many tekkes, while some are very interesting and unique in architectural concepts and their roles during history. The Big Autochepalous Balcanic Tekke is the oldest tekke of Saadi Tarikat in the whole Rumelia, dating from the origin of Gjakova town. Other important tekkes are:Sheikh Emin's Tekke (Khanqah) was built in 1730 by Sheikh Emin, a famous architect who created many important architectural complexes in Gjakove. It belongs to the Sufi Muslim order (Sufism), specifically, Sad Tariqa. It is one of many religious monuments that represent the folk architecture in Gjakova. The whole complex with its “tyrbes” (small mausoleums), the ritual prayer halls called “samahanes”, houses, and fountains make this Tekke a monumental religious building. It is characterized by a detailed sacral architecture, with its wood carved elements that show the centuries of cultural values hidden behind this Tekke. As such it has been protected by law since 1956. This monument is often referred to as a model when analyzing other architectural monuments with this form.

The Bektashi Tekke was built in 1790 at the heart of the Big Bazaar complex in Gjakove. Being the first of its kind, this Tekke represented the Tarikat Bektashi. According to legend, the Tarikat Bekatshi was created by Haxhi Bektash Veliu in Anadolu during the thirteenth century. As the Ottoman Empire started to expand, a mission of this Muslim sect arrived from Anadolu in Balkans, Crete, and Greece. In Gjakova, the Bektashi Tekke was destroyed by the Serbian military forces during the Kosovo War in 1999. Thousands of books, including fifty-eight manuscripts, were burned, as the whole structure was destroyed. The Bektashi Tekke was reconstructed between 2004 and 2006 so that believers would be able to perform their spiritual rituals. It is characterized by the ringing bell, by the courtyard door, which announces another crowd of visitors who share the same Muslim belief has arrived. The graves of seven out of nine Bektashi fathers who served here from the seventeenth century are located in the right temple of the Tekke, while two others were buried in Turkey. These seven graves are considered to be sacred, meaning that they give direction to people to find the path towards God and they help people challenge their difficulties in life. The Bektashi carry their own specific Islamic ideas, indicating the diversity of beliefs in Kosovo and the prevalence of the religious tolerance.

The Grand Tekke, is located close to the Big Bazaar, next to the Clock Tower (Albanian: Sahat Kulla). It was built in the seventeenth century and remains the oldest tekke of the Saad Tarikat (a local tribe of the Muslim sect) in the entire Rumelia (the old Ballkan). It was established by Sheikh Sulejman Axhiza Baba in 1582, with the origin from the Bushati family in Shkodër, Albania (Bushatlinjet). Sheikh Sulejman lived in Gjakova together with his three sons for a few years. One of his sons, Danjoll Efendiu, followed in his footsteps by becoming the first imam in the Hadumi Mosque in Gjakova. After a while, Sheikh Sulejman, along with his third son, moved to Prizren, the closest city to Gjakova and built the Saad Tekke in Marash, the center of the town. A focal point of the whole of the Grand Tekke is the shrine "tyrbe" where the saints are buried. There are also the so-called "samahanes" where people perform their religious practices, and the residential section where the family and its members, who take care of the Tekke, live.

Gjakova has many bridges which were built to connect the city with other developed areas, such as Prizren, Vushtrri and Shkodra, and simultaneously facilitating the journey of the Caravans. The bridges were mostly built by the Esnaf of Gjakova, who played the main role on the economic development of that time.

The most notable bridges are:

Many of these bridges dating back to the 18th century, are still used, and represent historical, sociological, urban, artistic and cultural values.

Clock Tower (Sahat Kulla) was built in the year 1597 (just after The Hadum Mosque) at a place known as "Field of the Clock" (Clock Valley, near the Grand Bazaar), characterizes the rapid economic development of Gjakova at that time. In 1912, the tower was burned by Montenegrin military forces (part of the Balkan Wars), while the belfry was removed and transported to Montenegro. With sides 4.10m long and a height of about 30 meters, a new clock tower was built later near the foundations of the previous one. Constructed mainly of stone with the wooden observation area and the roof covered in lead, the clock tower is unique of its kind.

Dating from the 16th century, the Haraqija Inn (Haraçia Inn) is one of the oldest objects in Gjakova, which history is linked with the origin of the city. Being used by many different passing caravans, the inn is situated in the southern part of the Bazaar. Characteristic wooden construction style, with a beautiful "çardak", two floors and a wonderful yard, it has almost saved the original shape. The second floor had had several single-rooms, where people of caravans, mostly from Shkodër, who used to travel and trade to Venedik, used to pass the night in. There are many elements that reminds old times, and it is a good enjoyment, especially for them who use to like oriental style. Nowadays the Haraçia Inn is exploited as a museum-restaurant, where people can be served with traditional foods.

During the 1870s and 1880s, 16 inns were built in Gjakova. In 1835, Ami Beau wrote about the beauty of the Inns of Haraqia and of Islam Aga. Miller, in 1838, mentioned the big caravanserai which hosted around 100 guests and their transport animals. The Caravanserai had big halls of Armenian seraphs. One of the most famous inns that still exist nowadays is the Haraqija Inn, located near the Hadumi mosque. The inn still serves as a restaurant and can host around a hundred people. The Haraqija Inn is made up of two parts: "the old inn" in the west, and "the new inn" in the east. The old inn is believed to have been built just after the construction of the Hadumi mosque, whereas the new inn was built in 1901. The old inn consists of two floors, the ground floor, which is constructed with stones, and the first floor that is constructed with bricks and attic. All the ceilings are decorated with carved wood. Likewise, the new inn consists of the ground floor and first floor constructed with bricks. Even today, The new inn still maintains its traditional style.

The Old Bazaar of Gjakova (from the Turkish: Çarşı meaning marketplace Albanian: Çarshia e Vjetër; also known as Çarshia e Madhe - Grand Bazaar) This cordial market with small wooden shops since the 16th century, if not earlier, has been a center of craftsmen and handicrafts-men of different artisans. The Old Bazaar was considered as one of original bazaars in Albania, which together with the Small Bazaar, Wood Square, Grain Square, Animal Square (livestock market), etc. composed the most important object of Gjakova Market. Although divided from the Krena River, the two bazaars (the old and the small one) used to be linked with a good system of bridges, lighted by head lights, creating the unitary and making the Old Bazaar as one of the largest and qualified markets in Albania. This market of a great economic value for the city of Gjakova was burnt to the ground during the 1999 war, but afterwards it was rebuilt in the same style and today it has been revived. The Old Bazaar is one of the most unusual oriental monuments in Kosovo and abroad.

It contains around 525 important buildings., covering an area of about 34,000 m, with its north to south scope reaching 1,000 m.

Established with the appearance of the first craftsmen and the manufacture production craft-work, when Gjakova won the status "kasaba" in 1594/95, the Old Bazaar represents a priceless value of cultural and social development of Gjakova. For the maintenance of the objects built by Selman Hadim Aga, such the mosque, the "mejtep" (religious elementary school), the "muvakihane" (a building which measures time and defines the calendar based on astrolabic quadrates), the library, the "hamam" (public bath), the inn and the shops, the Sultan was requested to add to his "vakëf" some land from the sultanate.

Being visited in 1662, Gjakova is first and right interpreted for the Old Bazaar, from the Turkish traveler, Evliya Çelebi, who was amazed with the large number of shops, buildings and craft-work.

The most famous craftsman and artisans were gunsmiths, silversmiths, tinsmiths, copper dishes producers, tailors (terezis), tanners (tabaks), embroiderers, bookbinders, musical instruments makers, pipe-makers, and carpenters. The different types of craftsmanship were a huge influential contributor to the cultural, social and economic development of the region of Gjakova.

It has been under protection of the law since 1995.

The Old Bazaar is the most special characteristic Gjakova has. With an oriental structure of crooked roads, which spontaneously link different neighborhoods, it inspires each architect. From the center of the city, through the Islam Begu Bridge, can be reached in less than five minutes. It includes a space from about 35,000 m, with the main road, which is longer than 1 km.
In architectonic view, it represents an interesting structure of the most beautiful models of the traditional architecture and the building skills starting from the tiniest details till the large complex of buildings, objects, environments and urbanism, always keeping the greatness in each detail.
The architect who projected the Old Bazaar, had a giant creative force, making it a symbol of traditional life of Gjakova people.

Since being connected with developed places of that time, such Shkodra, Dubrovnik, Venedik, Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Egypt, Austria, etc., Gjakova was developed rapidly. As center for this development was the Old Bazaar, which lied mainly round the Hadum Mosque, between the Çabrati Hill and Krena River.
The Old Bazaar in the 19th century, had 1250 shops of different handicrafts, which drove the development of inside and abroad trade. Even in the Old Bazaar of Gjakova, the trade day used to long three days, and some time used to be organized twice a week.
According to an old Byzantine tradition, which had a fluent development during the Ottoman Empire rule, each kind of handicraft or trade had its own road or square. While in eastern part of the Old Bazaar were assembled silk-workers, embroidery craftsmen, push button called "sumbulla" workers, in the opposite side toward the south, were grouped clock workers and silversmiths. Near the Hadum Mosque were centered the manufacture with many shops, while at various points of the Old Bazaar were placed other crafts such as: woolen white hat craftsmen, quilt workers, leather processors, blade workers, gunsmiths, rug workers, tailors, saddlers, caldron workers, bakers and butchers.
The Old Bazaar has a big cultural, social and historical value for the science, because through studying it, can be known the traditional and social life in Gjakova. This expresses a true museum, with the diversity of different handicrafts, some of have remained as part of spiritual heritage.

Traditional city houses, used to have near the yard entering doors, a kind of guest-house, composed from the room of familiar and unfamiliar, with separated baths and toilettes, the stable for placing the carrying animals and hayloft above it for keeping the food for animals, than the wheat garner, corn, basket, etc. At this side of the house the guests were sited that did not manage to finish all the works during the market day, which sometimes, when the bazaar reached the peak of its development, lasted up to three days.
The most famous city houses are:

Metal manufacturing included several important craftsmen such as gunsmiths, silversmiths, production of copper dishes, tinsmiths, etc. During the 18th century in Gjakova, a renowned gunsmith, Tush Dyfektxhija (rifle), managed to create "the popular school" of this workmanship, still known with the same name. Tush was considered as the most talented master for producing and ornamenting the "celinas" (A gun named after a kind of snake, given that the head-handle was in the shape of a snake). Long weapons crafted in Gjakova, ornamented with gold and silver elements, decorated "in the Albanian way", became famous all over Europe from the 18th century. These and other models were also sold abroad in other markets such as Venice, Austria, Greece, etc.

Gjakovar craftsmen were also known as silversmiths. Gjakova, Peja and Prizren are well-known silversmiths regarding their work of filigree and carving. The black and white metal combination, crafting method, was called as "Gjakova style" that differed from the "Prizren and Pehja style" (filigree and grain respectively). This style of craftsmanship was used in the production of rings, tobacco cases/boxes, tobacco pipes, etc. Up until now the method of this style was kept secret by gjakovars.

The artistic work of silversmiths were praised not only from the native population but also from the foreign countries that made them famous.

From the products for personal decoration of gjakovar silversmiths we can mention: rings, earnings, bracelets, tasfes (bowl-shape decorative hats for women), etc. that were utilized from the richest families of the country and also exported to Istanbul.

The yearbook of the Prizren vilajet (manuscript) of the year 1874, mentions the vast number of tailors ("terzi"), Currier work ("tabak") and the embroidery work ("gajtanxhi/kazaz"). In Gjakova the tailors were divided in categories according to their society ranks. The first category i.e. worked for the richest ranks of the city with selected imported fabrics, which were sold with higher prices. Tailors worked costumes and outfits with high artistic values. The clothing was embroidered with silken, golden and silver threads. The work of national clothing for women and men that were ornamented with authentic elements had the advantage of tailoring products. "The esnaf" of gjakovar tailors was the most powerful leader and owned two-hundred shops, that were constantly working.

In Gjakova a vast number of various crafts were developed, feature this that can be supported by a great number of shops in "Çarshia e Madhe" (Old Bazaar), which according to a report given by Myller in 1838, "consisted of 1100 shops that almost all of them are filled with various goods". From this variety of crafts one can mention the Currier "tabakët" only, the producers of white and black leather.

Gjakova is a city rich with water sources that presented an important precondition for organizing the workshops for the Currier.

At the second half of the 19th century, in Gjakova there were sixty Currier workshop where large quantities of leather types such as soft "Saftjan" and durable "qoselea" were produced.

From the wool products, Gjakova was known for the white woolen hats, called "qeleshe". These craftsmen were very popular from the establishment of the Old Bazaar because these hats were an essential part of the Albanian national clothing. It is known that the type of white round cap similar to nowadays white hat called "plis" presents a part of our Illyrian ancestor's clothing. Albanians that took part in Kosovo War, in 1389, according to the fable, wore white round hats as current ones. Besides this, the type of cap that is called the Skanderbeg grave tells us the heritage of the Albanian "qeleshe". Gjakova was the only center of this craft where afterwards was disseminated to other Kosovo regions, such as in Northern Albania, Western Macedonia, in Sanxhak, etc.

There are various techniques for producing the "Qeleshe" woolen white hats. The oldest way, used until the end of the 19th century with one balding, was called "the gjakovar way", which differs from the more sophisticated methods of "Tirana way" with uses +two balding. The latter technique was later used in Gjakova as well. Gjakova Craftsmen Chamber before the Second World War had registered 16 shops that produces these hats, than afterwards in 1963 increased to 19 of them. This craft continues to exist.

From the 18th and especially in the 19th century, besides metal processing the craft of wool and silk processing went through as well. In the Old Bazaar of Gjakova were produced and sold in wholesale: felts, silken and woolen fabrics, woolen and silken lacing, etc. that were exported continuously to bigger quantities at the markets and fairs of the neighboring provinces of the Balkans, Mediterranean and those of the Central European Countries.

Another craft linked closely with the one of tailoring was the one of embroidery ("kazaz") that was characteristic for Gjakova's craftsmanship. Silk was also produced, which were used to make weaved fabrics linen and fine elegant shirts. Gjakova embroiders were very known for the quality of their luxury products that were sent to markets of Prishtina, Skopje, Manastir, etc.

It is said that in Gjakova there were about 150 shops for silk and embroidery production.

From other crafts on metal processing, in Gjakova there was also developed the craft of cauldron-work, which developed enormously in the city center. Gjakovar cauldron-workers went all over to sell their products, competing successfully with other craftsmen of this workmanship.

At the small side streets beyond the complex of Hadum Mosque crowded shops of many craftsmen were also located. Therefore, at the first side street beyond the mosque that today is called the case box workers street ("Rruga e kutixhinjëve"), there were many shops of woodworkers, which worked extraordinary decorative wood case boxes, cupboards, distaffs, ornamented jewelry boxes, coffee cases boxes, cradles and hammocks for children, kneading troughs, low round dining tables, school desks, folding chairs for reading, bookcase, stairs, etc.

The leather production gave impetus also to the development of the craft of furrier (leather worker), craft of leather processing. The leather workers produced saddles as the most precious articles, ornamented with silver, colorful and metal decorations. In Shkodra, Gjakova and Manastir, according to Myller, saddles were produced, which differed from the others, because rear and front parts were more lifted. ref

The craft of the Currier and leather production contributed to development of another craft saddlers, the craftsmanship for processing the leather. Saddlers produced bags for tobacco and money, pushes, wallets, purses, arm belts, saddles, curbs, bits, girdles and other products necessary for equipping animal transport and loading. ref

The leather workers, same as tanners and slipper makers, used to sell their products locally and abroad. However, around the end of the 19th century the value of these crafts started to diminish.

Gjakova was known in all the Dukagjini Region more for the development of the tobacco pipe craft called "Çibukxhinjtë". This craft existed in Gjakova up to second half of the 20th century.

Tobacco pipe craftsmen worked on producing the tobacco pipes, jackets, calumets and various cutty pipes. The Dema brothers had their shops until the end of the 19th century, while the family of Zejnullah Ramadani, kept the shop until around 1958.

The raw material that was used for producing the tobacco pipes, jackets, calumets and various cutty pipes was wood and horns, different from what they used in the past such as ivory and bones.

In the past this craft was carried out also by silversmiths, who took care particularly of decoration of long pipes(chibouks, "çibuk") and weavers, who wove with silky gallons, parts of the smoking set.Another interesting craft, it seems, only for Gjakova, was the bookbinders craft (muxhelitët), who in their workshops, dealt with the binding of different books and manuscripts, with mending-repairing of old books damaged by long usage, or of any other physical damage and, above all, they dealt with copying of works of different authors, which they then distributed to libraries, or gave as gifts to their friends or to well-known scholars. They were usually people who had good handwriting.

Their work tools were usually made of wood by the bookbinders themselves.

This craft was practiced traditionally in Gjakova, from generation to generation, by the members of Doli family until recently. In the second half of the 19th century, Bajram Jusuf Doli was mentioned in regarding the craft of the bookbinder. There are over one hundred manuscripts that are kept in different collections in Kosova, which have been copied and bound by Bajram Doli. There are also some other famous bookbinders, such as: Mullah Bajram Efendi Doli, Mullah Hamdi Efendi Doli, Tahir Efendi Boshnjaku, Muhamed Tahir Jaka, etc.

Other well-known crafts of Gjakova are barbers, drugstores, soap work, farriers, potters, quilt work, clog work, watchmakers, millers, smiths, butchers, cart work, chest workers, and confectionery. According to some statistics of the beginning of the 20th century in Gjakova there were up to 400 crafts.

From the crosscut sources and from the verbal declarations of the head esnafs or its members, we learn that |in Gjakova the esnaf saved their function and authority up to late, up to the third decade of the 20th century. Therefore, from the declarations of the tailors head esnaf, Mr. Ahmet Domi, on 21 June 1924, we learn that this esnaf with humanitarian aid collected from its members and other charitable people, bought shops, fields, valleys, etc., and from their benefits helped the poor members of the esnae and other people in need. With this income they built a bridge above the stream, called the Terzi Bridge, that is 120m long.

Besides many other functions, craftsmen were also known for their humanitarian activities, such as helping the poor, the ill and disabled people. The most known craftsman, was the head-craft of the tailors, who dispersed to their members and the poor ones, food aid, built public buildings, fountains, bridges, etc.

Gjakova belonged to the cities, which during the 18th and 19th centuries, used the weakness and anarchy, which covered the Ottoman Empire and its administrative system, by empowering the power of esnafs in the Bazaar up to the level of non-defying the local governmental authority or the influence of "bejlers" (person of higher rank). The bound of craftsmen to esnafs and the rigorous respecting of their rules saved the trade development to the Grand Bazaar and the beginning of the 20th century, when, from the lack of authority of the state government, the esnafs kept the order and peace with power of weapons.

At the head of the Esnaf the best master craftsmen were chosen, so called more "esnafli".
Therefore, the power of the head if the esnaf, that in Gjakova was called "Qehaja", was very big. In Gjakova the head of the esnaf carried a special stick or cane, which was the sign of the authority that he had. This cane he used as a signal for closing a shop of a craftsman, which broke the rules of the esnaf. There were case when he ordered the closure of one shop for limited time, for three, six months or for a year. But there were also cases when the head of the esnaf closed the shop good and recessed the owner from the esnaf forever. At the 19th century in Gjakova it is mentioned the most known head of the esnaf of the tailors, Latif Gjuza.

Albanian folk costumes in Kosovo differ from one place to another, according to the age, and purpose, such as those used in a solemn act with the ones in ritual acts. They are all linked with the customs code itself and to a certain degree they are subject to different cultures identifying therewith the culture of those who lived in those regions. This is typical also for other Albanian regions. However, it is characteristic that this influence of foreign cultures has the strongest impact on ladies’ costumes and quite a little on men’s wear. As in other ethno-cultural fields, there are different explanations in the sphere of tradition as a result of its outstretching and comparison of study. Province features differ gradually passing from one territory to another. Brilliant works from Gjakova are wanted and somehow used in every town.

The young brides worked the folk costumes to have different feasts and events, in order to preserve the clothing tradition. This wear was replaced by modern wear receiving the denomination "Allafranga", ("in the western fashion"). However, for a long time the folk costumes continued to be worked out within household economies by the women themselves. Gjakova with its surroundings was known as a place of fabric production. The connection with bigger towns, such as Peja, Prizren, Prishtina, Mitrovica, resulted in many clothing materials, as well as special parts for waistcoats, socks, shorts being bought ready-made. The Dukagjini Plain has been the place where the traditional costume has been developed the most. This region of Kosovo, binding the northern part of Albania with the Gjakova Highland area, mainly Tropoja and including the Has are, has cultivated a tradition in costumes, being therefore in the first place.