Peja Travel Guide

At the foot of the gigantic Damned Mountains (Prokletije/Bjeshk‘t e Nemuna), on the river Bistrica (pronounced: Bis-tritza) and the entrance of the Rugova Gorge (Rugovska klisura/Gryka e Rugov‘s), lies Pec/Peja, a town with around 85,000 inhabitants, the main economic and cultural center of northern Metohija/Dukagjin region of Kosovo. The name of the town means in Serbian "a cave", a lot of which can be found in the vicinity. The Albanian name is a latter deterioation of the same. Because of its exceptional position in regards to communication, the natural attractiveness of the mountainous hinderland and richness in cultural and historical monuments, Pec is one of the best known tourist resorts of the region.  

During the medieval Serbian state, Peja was a cultural center because of the Patriarchate of Pech, which is in the immediate vincity of the town. It is still the most interesting (and oldest!) monument in the town. It consists of three churches connected together with a large narthex. The churches were built one by one from the beginning of 13th to the beginning of the 14th c. and, despite all the attacks on them, have still perserved a marvelous ensamble of fresco-paintings from 13th to 16th c.

With the arrival of the Ottoman Turks, Pech/Peja developed under the influence of oriental architecture, becoming a casbah with cobble stone streets, numerous brooks in courtyards, small shops, and mosques.

The urban architecture of the Turkish period is interesting, with a large number of preserved houses of Albanian feudal lords, among which is the famous Tahir Bey's Palace, and Jashar Pasha's House. The Sheremet Tower, although built during the Turkish rule, in fact is a true type of an Albanian Dukagjin tower, a stone house with small windows resembling rifle loopholes. The ceilings of these types of houses are tall, usually in carved wood, with niches. The houses are surrounded by tall walls and have well kept gardens.

In the center of the town is the old ‚arshia (shopping street), with shops of various craftsmen (coppersmiths, goldsmiths, slipper makers, leather tanners, saddle makers, tailors, etc.). The attractive Bajrakli mosque built in the 15th century ranks among the older structures of Islamic architecture.