Monuments of Kosovo

Monuments of Kosovo comprise all the monuments that are located in Kosovo.

Kosovo has an abundance of multicultural and rich heritage dating back to the Bronze Age, later followed by Illyrians, Roman, Byzantine/Serbian Orthodox and Ottoman periods.

Most of the monuments in Kosovo were built by local craftsmen's with local materials under conditions that were influenced by the empires that invaded Kosovo.^[1][2][3] Monuments that still stand are those of the Byzantine/Serbian Orthodox and Ottoman periods, which have historical, cultural, architectural and artistic values for our priceless legacy. Among the antique cities, Byzantine and Orthodox churches and monasteries, Ottoman Mosques, Hamams and Bazaars thrived the building culture of the common people – the residential dwelling.^[1]

Kosovo's monuments are unique common property for which the society is responsible to maintain them in order to transmit their authenticity to future generations.^[2][4] The field of popular architecture has value upon indigenous features that are considered to have one of the most original constructive structures in the whole Balkan.^[2] Kosovo has a strategic geographical position, since through Kosovo's territory natural traffic lines and roads passed which had an importance for cultural movements, heritage, historical, and art developments.^[3] During the last war in 1998-1999, more than 500 monuments were systematically targeted by the state forces, where more than 80% of them were destroyed, burnt or damaged.^[1][2][3] In many of them, only the construction walls have remained.^[2][3]

UNESCO has classified Kosovo's monuments as Serbo-Byzantine monuments, Islamic monuments of the Ottoman Period and Vernacular architecture.^[5][6]