Peja

Fifth largest city of Kosovo

This article is about the city in Kosovo. For other uses, see Peja (disambiguation).

City and municipality in Kosovo

Peja

Peć

City and municipality

View of Peja

Ethnographic Museum

Patriarchate of Peć

Flag

Seal

Peja

Show map of Kosovo

Peja

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Coordinates: 42°39′37″N 20°17′30″E﻿ / ﻿42.66028°N 20.29167°E﻿ / 42.66028; 20.29167
Country| Kosovo
District| Peja
Municipality| Peja
Government

• Type| Mayor–council
• Mayor| Gazmend Muhaxheri (LDK)
• Council| Peja Municipal Council
Area

[1]

• Municipality

| 602.63 km2 (232.68 sq mi)
• Rank| 3rd in Kosovo
Elevation

| 516 m (1,693 ft)
Population

(2024)[2]

• Municipality

| 82,661
• Rank| 5th in Kosovo
• Density| 140/km2 (360/sq mi)
• Urban

| 41,171
• Ethnicity

* 91.22% Albanians
* 8.78% Other

Demonym(s)| Albanian: Pejan (m), Pejane (f)
Time zone| UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)| UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code|

30000

Area code| +383 (0) 39
Vehicle registration| 03
Website| kk.rks-gov.net/peje/

Peja[a] or Peć[b], is the fifth most populous city in Kosovo and serves as the seat of the Peja Municipality and the District of Peja. It is located in the Rugova region on the eastern section of the Accursed Mountains along the Peja's Lumbardh in the western part of Kosovo.

In medieval times, the city was under Byzantine, Bulgarian and Serbian rule. After its integration into Serbian territory, it became the seat of the Serbian Orthodox Church in 1346. The Patriarchal monastery of Peć is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Medieval Monuments in Kosovo. Under Ottoman rule the city became a district capital with mosques and civil architecture. From the end of the nineteenth century until today, the city has been the site of nationalist aspirations and claims for both ethnic Albanians and Serbs, often resulting in tense inter-ethnic relations and conflict.

According to the 2024 census, the municipality of Peja has 82,745 inhabitants. The municipality covers an area of 602 km2 (232 sq mi), including the city of Peja and 95 villages; it is divided into 28 territorial communities.

## Etymology

[edit]

The etymology of the city's name is derived from the South Slavic word for cave, Pećina. The connection is in reference to nearby caves to the city.[3] During the period of Ottoman rule, it was known as Ottoman Turkish İpek (ايپك). The Albanian name's definite form is Peja and the indefinite Pejë. The Serbian name for the city is Peć. Other names of the city include Latin Pescium and Greek Episkion (Επισκιον) meaning "Episcopal City". It was also known as Siparant.[3]

## History

[edit]

### Early development

[edit]

The Patriarchal Monastery of Peć was the seat of the Serbian Orthodox Church from the 14th century, when its status was upgraded into a patriarchate.

The city is located in a strategic position on Peja's Lumbardh, a tributary of the White Drin to the east of the Accursed Mountains. The medieval city was possibly built on the ruins of Siparant(um), a Roman municipium (town or city).[4] The area has the most unearthed stelae in all of Kosovo.[4]

Following Slavic settlements in the 6th century, the Byzantine Empire and the First Bulgarian Empire fought for control of the area until it finally fell under full Serbian rule. Between 1180 and 1190, Serbian Grand Prince Stefan Nemanja annexed Peja with its surrounding župa (district) of Hvosno from the Byzantine Empire, thus establishing Serbian rule over the city of Peja for next 300 years.[5] In 1220, Serbian King Stefan Nemanjić donated Peja and several surrounding villages to his newly founded monastery of Žiča.[6] As Žiča was the seat of a Serbian archbishop, Peja came under direct rule of Serbian archbishops and later patriarchs who built their residences and numerous churches in the city starting with the church of Holy Apostles built by archbishop Saint Arsenije I Sremac. After the Žiča monastery was burned by the Cumans in the 1290s, the seat of Serbian archbishop was transferred to a more secure location, the Patriarchal Monastery of Peć.[7][8] The city became a major religious center of medieval Serbia under the Serbian Emperor Stefan Dušan, who made it the seat of the Serbian Orthodox Church in 1346.[9] It remained the seat of the Serbian Orthodox Church until the abolition of the Serbian Patriarchate of Peć in 1766.[10]

#### Ottoman Empire

[edit]

See also: League of Peja and Kosovo Vilayet

Zallç Bridge from the Ottoman era

The town passed under Ottoman rule after its capture in 1455.[11] In Turkish, the town was known as İpek. The town became the center of the Sanjak of İpek, governed by the Albanian Mahmud Pasha Dukagjini as its first sanjakbey (local ruler).[12] The Sanjak of Dukagjin had four kazas: Peja, Gjakova, Gusinje and Berane.[13]

During the 15th and 16th centuries, Orthodox Albanians formed the majority of the region's population whereas South Slavs formed a minority. The Slavs had arrived during the period of Serbian rule in Kosovo through the Middle Ages from the regions north of Kosovo or as a stratum of the ruling class. In the Ottoman defters of the time, there existed a designation for new arrivals to the region; in the region of Peja and Suhogërla, new arrivals existed within about a third of the villages, with their anthroponomy indicating that only 4 of these new 180 arrivals had Albanian names, whereas the rest had characteristically Slavic names. This suggests that an arrival of a Slavic element to the northeast of the Sanjak of Shkodra occurred during the 15th-16th centuries, and the absence of this trend in the rest of the Sanjak of Shkodra indicates that these Slav populations hailed from Slavic-inhabited regions outside of Peja itself.[14][15]

In 1582, Ottoman cadastral records indicated that 23 villages in the nahiya of İpek were inhabited by an Albanian majority due to the dominance of Albanian anthroponomy amongst its inhabitants; 85 villages had mixed Albanian-Slavic anthroponomy, and the rest contained almost exclusively Slavic anthroponomy.[14]

The villages with a certain Albanian majority were Osak (Usak), Kramor, Ljepovaç, Trakagjin, Strelec, Romaniça, Sredna Çirna Goi, Nivokas, Temshenica, Trepova pole, Novasel, Dobri Lipari, Boshanica, Brestovac, Baç (Beç), Tokina pole, Novasel (another Novasel), Dujak, Dobroshi i Madh, Vraniq, Mraç or Çirna Potok, Dolina Çirna Goi and Preloniça. The documentation of Albanians in Peja at the end of the 15th centuries, which coincides with the very beginning of Ottoman rule in Kosovo, presupposes that the Albanians of Peja were early inhabitants of the region.[14][15]

By the 1582 defter, the city had been significantly Islamised. Several cases exist where Muslim inhabitants have a blend of Islamic and Albanian anthroponomy (such as the widespread Deda family: Rizvan Deda, Haxhi Deda, Ali Deda). The Muslim neighbourhoods include Xhamia Sherif, Sinan Vojvoda, Piri bej, Ahmed Bej, Hysein, Hasan Çelebi, Mustafa bej, Mahmud Kadi, Orman, Kapishniça, Mesxhidi Haxhi Mahmud, Bali bej and Çeribash. The Christian neighbourhoods include Gjura Papuxhi, Nikolla (abandoned), Nikolla Vukman (abandoned), Andrija (abandoned) and Olivir. The inhabitants of the two Christian neighbourhoods Olivir and Gjura Papuxhi had a blend of characteristically Albanian and Slavic/Orthodox anthroponomy.[14]

A revolt against the Ottomans was instigated in the area of Peja in 1560 by an Albanian named Pjeter Bogdani, possibly an ancestor of the Archbishop Pjeter Bogdani himself. Not much is known about the revolt other than that Bogdani robbed a caravan, killed some traders and was later captured and executed.[16]

During this period the town of Peja had a majority Muslim population; the Ottoman tax register from 1582 lists 158 households with only 15 being Christian.[17] Travelling Kosovo in the 1660's, Evliya Celebi wrote that the town and the mountains lay in Albania.[18] According to a report from 1681 by Pjeter Bogdani, the town had a majority of 1,000 Muslim Albanian households, and 100 Christian Serb households.[17]

In 1835 the Albanian population supported by other Albanian rebels from Shkodra took over the town from the Ottomans.[19]

The Albanian nationalist organization League of Peja established in 1899 was based in the city. The organization, led by Haxhi Zeka, adopted the character of the earlier League of Prizren to defend the rights of Ottoman Albanians and seek autonomous status within the empire. After an armed clash with Ottoman forces in 1900 the organization ended its operations.[20][better source needed]

### Modern period

[edit]

Ottoman rule came to an end in the First Balkan War of 1912–13, when Montenegro took control of the city on 28 October 1912. On 8 January 1916, during World War I, Austria-Hungary took the city. Peja was taken by Serbian forces under the command of Kosta Pećanac on 13 October 1918, taking approximately 2,000 Austro-Hungarian prisoners of war.[21] After World War I, the city became part of Yugoslavia (at first officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes). Between 1931 and 1941 the city was part of Zeta Banovina.

Peja in 1920

During World War II Peja was occupied by the Italian puppet state of Albania. Following Italy's capitulation in the last months of 1943, several hundred Serbs were massacred by Albanian paramilitaries in Peja and its vicinity.[22] After the war, Peja again became part of Yugoslavia as part of the Autonomous Region of Kosovo and Metohija (1945–1963), an autonomous unit within the Socialist Republic of Serbia.

Relations between Albanians and Serbs and were often tense during the 20th century. They came to a head in the Kosovo War, during which the city suffered heavy damage and mass killings.[23] The Panda Bar massacre occurred in Peja, and the perpetrators of the massacre remained unknown until the Serbian government admitted that the massacre was a black operation carried out by Serbian intelligence operatives, although news agencies falsely reported that it was done by the KLA.[24] More than 80 percent of the total 5280 houses in the city were heavily damaged (1590) or destroyed (2774).[25] It suffered further damage in violent inter-ethnic unrest in 2004.

## Geography

[edit]

View of the Accursed Mountains near the city of Peja, in the region of Rugova

Peja is located in western Kosovo near the Rugova Canyon or Gorge. Rugova is a mountainous region entered through the north-west part of the city of Peja. It is the third region of Accursed Mountains. In 2013 it became a National Park. Rugova is known for its natural environment and access to the mountains. The city is located some 85 km (53 mi) west of Pristina, 250 km (155 mi) north of Tirana, Albania, 150 km (93 mi) north-west of Skopje, North Macedonia, and some 180 km (112 mi) east of Podgorica, Montenegro.

### Hydrology

[edit]

The Lumbardhi i Pejës River flows through the city.

The region of Peja is rich in water resources. The White Drin and Lumbardhi i Pejës rivers pass through the municipality of Peja.[26]

### Climate

[edit]

Peja has an Oceanic climate (Cfb) as of the Köppen climate classification with an average annual temperature of 9.0 °C (48.2 °F).[27] The warmest month in Peja is August with an average temperature of 19.7 °C (67.5 °F), while the coldest month is January with an average temperature of −1.9 °C (28.6 °F).[27]

Climate data for Peja (1961–1990)

Month  | Jan  | Feb  | Mar  | Apr  | May  | Jun  | Jul  | Aug  | Sep  | Oct  | Nov  | Dec  | Year
Record high °C (°F)  | 15.4
(59.7)  | 22.6
(72.7)  | 25.0
(77.0)  | 28.0
(82.4)  | 31.5
(88.7)  | 35.8
(96.4)  | 38.2
(100.8)  | 35.9
(96.6)  | 34.1
(93.4)  | 28.3
(82.9)  | 22.9
(73.2)  | 18.9
(66.0)  | 38.2
(100.8)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)  | 2.8
(37.0)  | 6.0
(42.8)  | 10.9
(51.6)  | 16.1
(61.0)  | 20.9
(69.6)  | 24.1
(75.4)  | 26.5
(79.7)  | 26.4
(79.5)  | 22.7
(72.9)  | 16.9
(62.4)  | 10.1
(50.2)  | 4.5
(40.1)  | 15.7
(60.3)
Daily mean °C (°F)  | −0.5
(31.1)  | 2.1
(35.8)  | 6.4
(43.5)  | 11.2
(52.2)  | 15.9
(60.6)  | 19.0
(66.2)  | 21.1
(70.0)  | 20.8
(69.4)  | 17.2
(63.0)  | 11.8
(53.2)  | 5.9
(42.6)  | 1.2
(34.2)  | 11.1
(52.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)  | −3.6
(25.5)  | −1.5
(29.3)  | 2.0
(35.6)  | 6.1
(43.0)  | 10.3
(50.5)  | 13.3
(55.9)  | 15.0
(59.0)  | 14.8
(58.6)  | 11.5
(52.7)  | 6.8
(44.2)  | 2.3
(36.1)  | −1.8
(28.8)  | 6.3
(43.3)
Record low °C (°F)  | −24.8
(−12.6)  | −19.3
(−2.7)  | −13.6
(7.5)  | −3.8
(25.2)  | 0.6
(33.1)  | 3.5
(38.3)  | 6.7
(44.1)  | 5.2
(41.4)  | −1.2
(29.8)  | −4.8
(23.4)  | −15.3
(4.5)  | −15.2
(4.6)  | −24.8
(−12.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches)  | 85.9
(3.38)  | 71.5
(2.81)  | 65.2
(2.57)  | 67.2
(2.65)  | 68.2
(2.69)  | 53.0
(2.09)  | 54.7
(2.15)  | 48.0
(1.89)  | 52.1
(2.05)  | 75.3
(2.96)  | 118.2
(4.65)  | 91.4
(3.60)  | 850.7
(33.49)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 12.0  | 12.3  | 11.3  | 11.5  | 13.0  | 13.2  | 9.9  | 8.7  | 8.1  | 9.5  | 12.3  | 13.3  | 135.1
Average snowy days  | 8.1  | 6.0  | 3.7  | 0.6  | 0.0  | 0.0  | 0.0  | 0.0  | 0.0  | 0.1  | 2.0  | 6.5  | 27.0
Average relative humidity (%)  | 81  | 75  | 68  | 63  | 64  | 64  | 60  | 60  | 67  | 73  | 81  | 83  | 70
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 69.5  | 93.3  | 143.0  | 172.0  | 207.8  | 257.7  | 274.3  | 264.9  | 206.3  | 152.6  | 86.8  | 55.3  | 1,983.5
Source: Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia[28]

## Politics

[edit]

Municipality building of Peja

The municipality covers an area of 602 km2 (232 sq mi), including the city of Peja and 95 villages; it is divided into 28 territorial communities.[29] As of 2011[update], the whole municipality has a population of approximately 95,723,[29] of which ca. 48,962 live in the city of Peja.[30]

## Economy

[edit]

### Tourism

[edit]

Peja is a central hub for tourism in western Kosovo, offering a range of cultural, historical, and natural attractions. The city has developed a growing tourism infrastructure, including a tourist information center located on Mbretëresha Teutë Street. A notable offering is the "Trail of Cultural Monuments," a self-guided walking route through Peja's historical center, including a trail through the sites of the Bajrakli Mosque, the Hamam Mosque, Haxhi Zeka’s Mill, the Peja Regional Museum located in the former Tahir Bey guesthouse, and several traditional Albanian kullas (tower houses).[31][32]

Located just west of the city, Rugova Canyon (Gryka e Rugovës) is a prominent natural feature extending approximately 25 kilometers into the Accursed Mountains. The area offers a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, climbing, and mountain biking. Several peaks exceeding 2,400 meters—such as Guri i Kuq, Hajla, and Çfërla—are accessible via marked trails. Adventure infrastructure in Rugova includes four Via Ferrata routes—Ari, Mat, Marimangat, and Shpella—constructed between 2013 and 2016 according to international safety standards. The Rugova Zip Line, at 700 meters in length, is currently the longest in Kosovo and is located within the canyon area.[33]

Peja serves as one of the key entry points to the Peaks of the Balkans Trail, a 192-kilometer transnational hiking route that connects Kosovo, Albania, and Montenegro. The route, divided into 10 stages, typically requires 10 to 12 days to complete and includes alpine landscapes, remote villages, and high mountain passes.[34] Skiing is available at the ski center in Bogë nearby.

Approximately 12 kilometers from Peja is the White Drin Waterfall, a protected natural monument located near the village of Radavc. Nearby is Bukuroshja e Fjetur Cave (Sleeping Beauty Cave), a karst cave formation situated in the Accursed Mountains, noted for its geological features.

Wellness tourism is also present in the region through the Banja of Peja (locally known as Ilixhe), located in the neighboring municipality of Istog. The spa area is known for its thermal mineral springs and facilities focused on therapeutic treatments and rehabilitation services.[35]

Peja is home to several tour operators that offer services for both domestic and international tourists. Among these, Balkan Natural Adventure and Outdoor Kosovo are prominent agencies that provides guided treks, climbing activities, and multi-day tours across Kosovo and the wider Peaks of the Balkans region.[36][37]

The White Drin Waterfall is considered to be the source of White Drin river.

Bukuroshja e Fjetur Cave is one of the few caves in Kosovo.

Ski center in Bogë, Rugova. The region of Rugova is well known for its ski resorts.

## Infrastructure

[edit]

### Education

[edit]

Main article: Education in Peja

Education in Peja is a system with no tuition or fees, mandatory for all children between the ages of 6–18. It consists of a nine-year basic comprehensive school (starting at age six and ending at the age of fifteen) secondary general and professional education commonly known as high school and higher education at Haxhi Zeka University. It also includes non-mandatory daycare programs for babies and toddlers and a one-year "preschool". The school year runs from early September to late June of the following year. Winter break runs from late December to early January, dividing the school year into two semesters. Peja is the only city in Kosovo that offers high school education in arts and there is also a school for the visually impaired.

## Demography

[edit]

Main article: Demographics of Peja

Historical populationYear| Pop.| ±% p.a.

|
|

1948| 47,009| —
1953| 53,548| +2.64%
1961| 66,656| +2.77%
1971| 90,124| +3.06%
1981| 111,071| +2.11%
1991| 127,796| +1.41%
2011| 96,450| −1.40%
2024| 82,745| −1.17%
Source: Division of Kosovo

According to the last census of 2024 conducted by Kosovo Agency of Statistics, the municipality of Peja has 82,745 inhabitants.[38]

According to the 1981 census, the city urban area had a population of 54,497 inhabitants; according to the 1991 census it had grown to 68,163.[30] According to the 2011 census, around 49,000 people live in the city of Peja.[30]

The population is predominantly Albanian, comprising 91.22% of the residents. The largest minority group consists of Bosniaks, making up 3.59% of the population. Additionally, Egyptians account for 2.32%, Roma for 1.07%, and the remaining residents are Serbs, Ashkali and Gorani.[38]

The ethnic composition of the municipality:

Ethnic Composition in the municipality  Year/Population  | Albanians  |  %  | Bosniaks  |  %  | Roma (Ashkali, Egyptians)  |  %  | Montenegrins  |  %  | Serbs  |  %  | Others  |  %  | Total

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1961 Census | 41,532 | 62.35  | 1,397  | 2.1 | 728 | 1.09 | 12,701 | 19.05 | 8,852 | 13.28 |  |  | 66,656
1971 Census | 63,193 | 70.12  | 5,203  | 5.77 | 433 | 0.48 | 11,306 | 12.54 | 9,298 | 10.31 |  |  | 90,124
1981 Census | 79,965 | 71.99  | 8,739  | 7.86 | 3,844 | 3.46 | 9,796 | 8.82 | 7,995 | 7.2 |  |  | 111,071
1991 Census | 96,441 | 75.5  | 9,875  | 7.72 | 4,442 | 3.5 | 6,960 | 5.44 | 7,815 | 6.11 |  |  | 127,796
January 1999 | ~104,600 | ~92  | n/a  | n/a | ~3,500–4,000 | ~3.3 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | ~4,000–4,200 | ~3.6 | ~113,000
2011 Census | 87,975 | 91.2  | 3,786  | 3.9 | 3,836 | 3.9 |  |  | 332 | 0.4 | 521 | 0.5 | 96,450
2024 Census  | 75,479  | 91.2  | 2,974  | 3.59  | 3,114  | 3.76  |  |  | 813  | 0.98  | 365  | 0.44  | 82,745
Source: Yugoslav Population Censuses for data through 1991, OSCE estimates for data from 1999, 2011 and 2024 census from the Kosovo Agency of Statistics.[29][39]

## Culture

[edit]

### Architecture

[edit]

The architecture in Peja show different architectural styles, from the medieval Serbian, Ottoman, Yugoslav, and contemporary architecture. Because of this there are many churches, mosques, buildings which are attraction points in the city and were built by the aforementioned influences.

Notable architectural traits of Peja include:

* Home of Tahir Beg, dates back to the 18th century and is a monument of cultural heritage in Peja, Kosovo. The Ethnographic Museum of Peja is currently located in Tahir Beg's Mansion.[40]
* Bajrakli Mosque, Ottoman-built mosque in the Bazaar of Peja. It was destroyed during World War II and then rebuilt.
* Hamam of Peja, Ottoman-era bath
* Bazaar of Peja, Ottoman-era market in the center of the city. It was destroyed during World War II and the Kosovo War. It has been fully rebuilt.

Home of Tahir Beg in Peja is today an ethnological museum.

The Bajrakli Mosque is the main mosque situated in the center of the Bazaar of Peja and it was built in 1471.

The Hamam of Peja is an Ottoman bath built in the 15th century.

Bazaar of Peja is a market place in the center of the city of Peja.

### Cinema

[edit]

Peja has one local cinema, Kinema Jusuf Gërvalla, which also functions as a cultural center. It was built in 1955 with money of the Workers’ Union. Back then, the cinema was called 'Kino Rad' ('Workers' Cinema'). Its goals was to provide a cultural space in the city of Peja. During the period 1955-1998 it served as a central point of joint cultural activities for the residents of Peja. Activities included screenings of the latest films, public discussions, music concerts, theatrical performances and children's programs. The cinema was closed down when the war started in 1998 and was heavily damaged in the years after, just like the rest of Peja. In 2000, the building was renovated and partly reconstructed. In 2001, the cinema was reopened, with its name changed to ‘Kinema Jusuf Gërvalla’ in 2002. However, activities became more sporadic, due to technical difficulties and lack of public interest.[41]

In 2016, by a municipal decision, the cinema with all its assets was given to the non-governmental organization Anibar, which since 2010 organized the Anibar International Animation Festival in the cinema. The goal was to revitalize Kinema Jusuf Gërvalla. But later that year the Privatization Agency of Kosovo put the building on the list of buildings for privatization, which meant it would lose its public function. However, backlash emerged against the idea of taking this important historic and cultural site from the local community. The protests secured Kinema Jusuf Gërvalla a spot on the temporary list of protected cultural heritage buildings in Kosovo.[41] Currently, Kinema Jusuf Gërvalla is functioning as a cultural center which hosts movie screenings, musical performances, poetry nights, board game nights, and more. It also offers guided tours, which introduces you to the rich history of the cinema.

Kinema Jusuf Gërvalla

### Festivals

[edit]

Main article: Events and festivals in Peja

* Anibar International Animation Festival

### Sport

[edit]

Peja is one of the more successful cities in Kosovan sport.[citation needed] The city is home to the first Olympic Medal for Kosovo, won by Judoka Majlinda Kelmendi in Rio de Janeiro Games in 2016. Her team also has won numerous other medals including gold and bronze in the World and European championships.

The main football team of the city is FC Besa Pejë and its basketball teams is KB Peja. Additionally the city is host to a handball team, KH Besa Famiglia, a volleyball team KV Besa, a judo team Ippon, an athletic team Besa, as well as a women's basketball team KB Penza. Since June 2008 Peja has also a Taekwondo Team: Tae Kwon Do Club Peja (Klubi i Tae Kwon Do-së Peja).[42]

Peja has its aeroclub called "Aeroklub Peja", which was founded in 1948. Last years this club is part of competitions in several countries. In June 2013 it was the organizer of "second Paragliding event" which included paragliders from Kosovo and Albania.[43] In 2014 it was the organizer of an international contest called "Peja open PARAGLIDING CUP 2014".[44]

## International relations

[edit]

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Kosovo

Peja is twinned with:

* Afyonkarahisar, Turkey[45]
* Bağcılar, Turkey[46]
* Berane, Montenegro[47]
* Eger, Hungary[48]
* Fier, Albania[49]
* Gusinje, Montenegro[50]
* Hörby, Sweden[51]
* Johnston, United States[52]
* Nilüfer, Turkey[53]
* Stari Grad (Sarajevo), Bosnia and Herzegovina[54]
* Yalova, Turkey[55]

## See also

[edit]

* List of people from Peja

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ (Albanian indefinite form: Pejë, pronounced [ˈpɛj])
2. ^ (Serbian Cyrillic: Пећ, Serbian pronunciation: [pêːtɕ])

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Komisioni për majten e territorit të Republikës së Kosovës" (PDF) (in Albanian). Prime Minister Office of Kosovo. p. 52\. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
2. ^ "Population and housing census in Kosovo preliminary results - July 2024" (PDF). Retrieved 2 August 2024.
3. ^ a b Everett-Heath, John (2005). The Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. p. 408\. ISBN 978-0198605379. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
4. ^ a b Mirko Pak; Igor Vrišer (1980), Urban and industrial geography, Inštitut za geografija univerze Edvarda Kardelja v Ljubljani, "Prema tome, od gore spomenutih cinjenica mozemo pretpostaviti da je stara Pec bila municipij i da se u dardansko-rimsko doba nazivala Siparant, odnosno Slparantum."
5. ^ John V. A. Fine; John Van Antwerp Fine (1994), The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest, University of Michigan Press, p. 7, ISBN 978-0-472-08260-5
6. ^ [1] [dead link]
7. ^ Pavlowitch, Stevan (2002). Serbia: The History Behind the Name. London: C. Hurst & Co. Publishers. p. 11\. ISBN 9781850654773.
8. ^ McAllester, Matthew (2003). Beyond the Mountains of the Damned: The War Inside Kosovo. New York and London: NYU Press. p. 52\. ISBN 9780814756614.
9. ^ Vrousalis, Nicholas; Bechev, Dimitar; Anastasakis, Othon (2009). Greece in the Balkans Memory, Conflict and Exchange. UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. p. 14\. ISBN 9781527556652.
10. ^ Aleksov, Bojan (2014). CHAPTER 4. Orthodox Christianity and Nationalism in Nineteenth-Century Southeastern Europe. Fordham University Press. pp. 65–100\. doi:10.1515/9780823256099-005. ISBN 9780823256099. S2CID 234380509. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
11. ^ Prilozi za orijentalnu filologiju: Revue de philologie orientale, Volume 37. Sarajevo: Orijentalni institut u Sarajevu. 1988. p. 174. Retrieved 1 August 2011. "Poslije pada juznih dijelova Despotovine pod osmansku vlast 1455. godine, oba sjedista srpske patrijarsije, Peć i Ziča više nisu bili pod srpskom vlašću"
12. ^ Altimari, Francesco; Janez Stanič (1984). Albanci (in Slovenian). Cankarjeva založba. p. 41. Retrieved 1 August 2011. "Z zavzetjem Peči je bil ustanovjjen du- kagjinski sandžak s sedežem v Peči, za sandžakbega pa postavljen Mahmut paša Dukagjini."
13. ^ Samardžić, Radovan (1983). Istorija srpskog naroda: pt. 1. Od Berlinskog kongresa do ujedinjenja 1878–1918. Srpska knjiiževna zadruga. p. 264. Retrieved 2 August 2011. "Пећки санџак је обухватао пећку, ђаковичку, гусињску и беранску (Доњи Васојевићи) казу."
14. ^ a b c d Pulaha, Selami (1984). Popullsia Shqiptare e Kosoves Gjate Shekujve XV XVI. Tirana: 8 Nëntori. pp. 68–69, 71, 476–77, 504–507.
15. ^ a b Pulaha, Selami (1974). Defter i Sanxhakut të Shkodrës 1485. Academy of Sciences of Albania. pp. 34, 40.
16. ^ Malcolm, Noel (1998). Kosovo: A Short History. Macmillan. p. 195\. ISBN 9780333666128.
17. ^ a b Malcolm, Noel (2020). Rebels, Believers, Survivors: Studies in the History of the Albanians. Oxford University Press. p. 143, 346. ISBN 9780192599230.
18. ^ A journey through Kosova'At the base of the fortress flows the ..... river, which originates in the mountains of Peja (4) in Albania, joins the Llap river, and flows down until it joins the Morava. In these regions, this fortress is called Mitrovica of Kosova. There is also a fortress called Mitrovica of Srem, (5) but it is in ruins.'
19. ^ Pollo, 1984 & p.124 harvnb error: no target: CITEREFPollo1984p.124 (help)
20. ^ Bep Jubani et al., Historia e popullit shqiptar: për shkollat e mesme (Libri Shkollor: Pristina, 2002) 182-185.
21. ^ Tasić, Dmitar (2020). Paramilitarism in the Balkans: The Cases of Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Albania, 1917-1924. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. p. 37\. ISBN 978-0-19-885832-4.
22. ^ Antonijević, Nenad (2009). Албански злочини над Србима на Косову и Метохији у Другом светском рату, документа (PDF). Muzej žrtava genocida. p. 42\. ISBN 9788690632992.
23. ^ Mcgeary, Johanna (28 June 1999). "Crimes Of War". Time. Archived from the original on 3 December 2008. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
24. ^ Everts, Daan W. (25 June 2020). Peacekeeping in Albania and Kosovo: Conflict Response and International Intervention in the Western Balkans, 1997 - 2002. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-83860-449-3.
25. ^ "UNDER ORDERS: War Crimes in Kosovo – 4. March-June 1999: An Overview". Hrw.org. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
26. ^ "Draft – Plani Zhvillimor Komunal i Pejës 2019 - 2027+" (PDF).
27. ^ a b "Climate: Prizren". Climate-Data. Archived from the original on 3 October 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
28. ^ "Peć: Monthly and annual means, maximum and minimum values of meteorological elements for the period 1961 - 1990". Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia. Archived from the original on 3 October 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
29. ^ a b c [2] Archived June 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
30. ^ a b c World Gazetteer: "Kosovo: largest cities and city and statistics of their population". Archived from the original on 5 January 2013.. – Retrieved on 12 May 2011.
31. ^ "Peja Tourism Information". pejatourism.org.
32. ^ "Tourist attractions in the Municipality of Peja" (PDF). mint.rks-gov.net.
33. ^ "ZIP line". accursed-mountains.me.
34. ^ "Peaks of the Balkans". peaksofthebalkans.com.
35. ^ "PLANI ZHVILLIMOR URBAN I SUB QENDRËS—BANJË". Kk.krs-gov.net. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
36. ^ "Travel & Adventure". bnaadventure.com.
37. ^ "Outdoor Kosova". outdoorkosova.com.
38. ^ a b "Population, Household and Housing Census in Kosovo 2024" (PDF). Retrieved 23 May 2025.
39. ^ "Agjencia e Statistikave të Kosovës - Â". Esk.rks-gov.net. Archived from the original on 25 November 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
40. ^ "Muzeu i Pejës artefakte vepra artizanale në Muzeun Etnografik". www.atdheu.com. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
41. ^ a b "Bioskopi".
42. ^ "TKD-peja.tk". Archived from the original on 26 November 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
43. ^ "Aeroclub Albania". Archived from the original on 13 February 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
44. ^ "Aeroklub Peja organizon "Peja open PARAGLIDING CUP 2014"". Gazeta Lokale. 15 June 2014. Archived from the original on 12 June 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
45. ^ "Kardeş Şehir Hamm". afyon.bel.tr (in Turkish). Afyonkarahisar. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
46. ^ "Kardeş Belediyeler". bagcilar.bel.tr (in Turkish). Bağcılar. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
47. ^ "Међународна сарадња". berane.me (in Montenegrin). Berane. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
48. ^ Kosovo in Hungary (October 27, 2022) "Fantastic news from Eger 🇭🇺! The Assembly of Eger voted unanimously to be sisters city with city of Peja 🇽🇰! This is historical in 🇽🇰🤝🇭🇺 relations as the first ever sister twinning between a city in Kosovo and a city in Hungary!" Twitter.com
49. ^ "Binjakezim". bashkiafier.gov.al (in Albanian). Fier. Archived from the original on 3 July 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
50. ^ "Marrëveshja për Binjakëzim" [Twinning Agreement] (PDF) (in Albanian). 28 September 2018.
51. ^ "Vänorter och projekt". horby.se (in Swedish). Hörby kommun. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
52. ^ "Kosovo Sister City – Peja, Kosovo". cityofjohnston.com. City of Johnston. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
53. ^ "Kardeş Kentler". nilufer.bel.tr (in Turkish). Nilüfer. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
54. ^ "Općine prijatelji". starigrad.ba (in Bosnian). Stari Grad. Archived from the original on 15 May 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
55. ^ "Kardeş Şehirler". yalova.bel.tr (in Turkish). Yalova. Archived from the original on 28 July 2022. Retrieved 9 March 2021.

## External links

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