J. Int.

Environmental Application & Science,

Vol. 10(3): 292-300 (2015)

Urban Cultural Heritage Quarters in Kosovo and Their Sustainable Urban

Transformation
V. Nushi, N. Kabashi, Sh. Nixha
Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pristina, Pristina, Kosovo
Received June 03, 2015; Accepted September 14, 2015
Abstract: The cultural heritage sites, urban quarters in Kosovo were faced with a lot
of social and physical challenges and transformation during last century. Kosovos
rich cultural heritage in 1999 endured a terrible war that resulted with partial
destruction of built heritage and its urban settlements. The main aim of this paper is
to introduce and underline the concepts of heritage value of the urban quarter,
distinguished trade street Qarshia e Madhe of old Gjakova, a municipality in
western Kosovo, towards establishing an economic prosperity of the municipality.
Also, the research will discuss complex and demanding issues which diminished the
community interest to invest in further distinguishing a value of cultural heritage by
appliances of sustainable conservation principles and in accordance with
international Charters. The interdisciplinary research of case study is based in
sustainable development concepts, applied as a tool to select synthesized researched
data found at relevant heritage institutions, nongovernmental organizations and in
selected historical institutions. Gathered information and viewed indicators carried
out finding and opportunities to plane practices and strategies and to increase
awareness of the contribution of heritage conservation to sustainability through:
developing an understating of the attributes of heritage buildings-quarters,
considering the material options available for the improvement of environmental
performance (in particular reducing energy and water consumption) and evaluating
whether these measures are appropriate to heritage buildings and sites; identifying
he main issues which need to be addressed in optimizing the performance of
heritage buildings/sites. By dissemination of main concerns and undertaken
improvements of urban-architectural issues and/or accessories up to date, such as:
increase of public space, materials used for streets over layers and reinforcement of
them, refurbishment of shops wooden envelope, water supply, sewage, IT cabling
and other environmental issues. the paper will contribute towards finding wellconserved heritage with international practices to strength national strategies,
methods and tools. In particular findings will increase a community role in the
process, as well will provide arguments and suggestions for the integration of
heritage concerns of Gjakova sustainable development model to real-life heritage as
the dynamic basis of community well-being demands.
Keywords: Urban transformation, sustainable development, community memory

Introduction
It is important nowadays while rehabilitation an urban quarters within cultural heritage sites to be
followed by providing information which is related with sustainable development issues. The
sustainable development concepts, applied as a tool to synthesize researched data found at relevant
heritage institutions and to promote a cultural heritage richness of case study for local economic
development component and community well-being demands towards establishing an economic
prosperity of the municipality is a challenging issue. Hence, the interminable discussions and not
integrated approach of complex and demanding issues, diminishes the community interest to invest in
further distinguishing value of cultural heritage by applying a sustainable conservation principles and
in accordance with international Charters.
The cultural and historical value of urban quarters - herewith bazaar, is great, indeed. It is of
priceless importance for the science, since the study of evolution for relations of economy-production
within the crafts organized into corporation, completes the knowledge of social occurrences in the life
of bazaar. Since, the habitants areas within Albanian territories in Balkans, since the sixteenth

Corresponding: E-mail: violeta.nushi@uni-pr.edu; Tel:00377(0)44120600; Fax: +381 38 244 187

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century, displayed number of merchants, the bazaars or arshia, both terms in Persian origin entered
by the Turks, which represents an important place in urban breeding.
Introducing and underlining the heritage value of case study, distinguished Grand Bazaar of
Gjakova - arshia e Madhe, has be seen as a cultural heritage of urban quarters in Kosovo which
faced a lot of social and physical challenges during last century. Development of bazaars launched
originally around public and/or religious buildings, presents first built structures on cities and around
them later gradually began building of the shops. We noticed this feature in many old town centre of
Kosovo, i.e. bazaar around Hadum Mosque built in the core of old city in Gjakova, in the city Peja
around the Bajrakli mosque, Prizrenss old city mosque Sinan Pasha and bazaar around it, and so on.
Mainly, the bazaar have indicative characterization, where the crafts activity throughout developed
and conducted, simultaneously selling craft production, represent the most prosperous and economic
value of community (Rizvanolli, 2009).
In general, albanian bazaar systems, as well as in other Balkan areas, consisted of: (a) central
part, with a concentration of shops and places for workshop and mosques, and other social facilities
such as: hammams, clock towers, inns (hannes) and caravansaries, etc., which provided domestic and
temporary accommodated for foreign clients and traders; (b) bezistans or enclosed shopping area, in a
function to sale certain important goods and valuable ornaments of gold, silver, brilliant, etc.; (c)
weekly shopping for the exchange goods between rural and urban areas, organized on certain days of
the week; and (d) fair, which were organized as annual periodic trade market (Riza, 2006).

Figure 1.The bazaar streets views of old citys urban areas: a. Gjirokastra, b. Shkodra, c. Kruja,d.
Gjakova, e. Prizreni and f. Shkupi; represents typology of shop units within urban settlements.

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Vol. 10(3): 292-300 (2015)

century, displayed number of merchants, the bazaars or arshia, both terms in Persian origin entered
by the Turks, which represents an important place in urban breeding.
Introducing and underlining the heritage value of case study, distinguished Grand Bazaar of
Gjakova - arshia e Madhe, has be seen as a cultural heritage of urban quarters in Kosovo which
faced a lot of social and physical challenges during last century. Development of bazaars launched
originally around public and/or religious buildings, presents first built structures on cities and around
them later gradually began building of the shops. We noticed this feature in many old town centre of
Kosovo, i.e. bazaar around Hadum Mosque built in the core of old city in Gjakova, in the city Peja
around the Bajrakli mosque, Prizrenss old city mosque Sinan Pasha and bazaar around it, and so on.
Mainly, the bazaar have indicative characterization, where the crafts activity throughout developed
and conducted, simultaneously selling craft production, represent the most prosperous and economic
value of community (Rizvanolli, 2009).
In general, albanian bazaar systems, as well as in other Balkan areas, consisted of: (a) central
part, with a concentration of shops and places for workshop and mosques, and other social facilities
such as: hammams, clock towers, inns (hannes) and caravansaries, etc., which provided domestic and
temporary accommodated for foreign clients and traders; (b) bezistans or enclosed shopping area, in a
function to sale certain important goods and valuable ornaments of gold, silver, brilliant, etc.; (c)
weekly shopping for the exchange goods between rural and urban areas, organized on certain days of
the week; and (d) fair, which were organized as annual periodic trade market (Riza, 2006).

Figure 1.The bazaar streets views of old citys urban areas: a. Gjirokastra, b. Shkodra, c. Kruja,d.
Gjakova, e. Prizreni and f. Shkupi; represents typology of shop units within urban settlements.

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The architectural structures of cells shops, as well as habitants areas, are built without any
urban or financial state planning. The improvised urban composition and extension of them, within the
urban agglomeration, is based on crafts distributing needs for shop and workshops. The urbanarchitectural compositions were developed and increased by respecting certain vernacular settlement
principles, such as: division of the street units according to craft bazaars fields; string linked series of
one or two story buildings; mostly with common pattern of ground layout divided in two areas: shop
area faced to the street and back story workshop part; stories widespread nearby river streams (Rizaet
al. 2006).
Objectives
The purpose of this paper is to introduce and underline the concepts of heritage value of the urban
quarter, distinguished old trade streets Grand Bazaar of Gjakova, arshia e Madhen Gjakov, within
old city of Gjakova, towards susceptibility for possible economic prosperity of municipality. Also, the
research will discuss complex and demanding issues which diminished the community interest to
invest further, in distinguished cultural heritage, by appliances of sustainable conservation principles
as a consequence during a replacement of the main street pavement. The interdisciplinary research of
case study is based in sustainable development principles, applied as tools to select and synthesize
researched data, found at relevant heritage institutions, nongovernmental organizations and in selected
research institutions.
Gathered information carried out findings and opportunities, to plane practices and strategies and
to increase awareness for contribution of heritage conservation in sustainable development. This could
be achieved by understating the attributes of heritage buildings-quarters, opportunities of usage of
materials available for improvement of environmental performance in infrastructural facilities, and to
evaluate whether these measures are appropriate to heritage buildings and sites.
General Description of Grand Bazaar of Gjakova
Background of the research
Gjakova is a city in western Kosovo. It is also the administrative centre of the homonymous
district. The municipality's population in 2011 stood at 94,556. According to the written history,
Gjakova dates back to middle Ages. The artisans who belonged to various guilds built their workshops
beside the walls of the oldest nucleus: Hadum mosque, hammam, han, clock tower (Figure 3.b.) and
medresa. Around a year 1594, Hadum Sulejam Aga built the mosque, which also bears the name of the
donor-sponsors of the facility in town. Hadum Mosque, according to tradition was built in property of
JakVula, a property owner with obviously an Albanian name and surname; hence, the name would
become the city Jakov.
Grand Bazaar Gjakova urban settlement
The Gjakovas Grand Bazaar is one of main historic landmarks, dating back to the 17th century,
badly damaged during the 1999 war. From historical point of view the Grand Bazaar growth and
continuity nowadays have a significant value due to progressive adaptation for human needs and
sustainable survival of its authenticity beside continues regenerations (Figure 2).
It presents one of Gjakovas seldom protected quarters typology, the main cultural heritage
landmark and a public space of the old city. Based on historical report by J. Myller, dated on 1838, the
bazaar had approximately 1100 private owned shops. (Shehu, 1976) The urban settlement of Grand
Bazaar and its network still offers a striking scholastic example of inherited city plan with narrow and
winding streets, connecting spontaneously with mahalla (Figure 3.a).
The urban structures, countless architectonic and constructive emphases trills, animate and inspire
users. Indeed, this is a second regional largest, 1500m linked bazaar, with approx. 34.000 m2. It is a
real treasure, tresses with many of mottled mosaic of various crafts; in the specific, mostly vernacular
architecture, rich craftsman interior facilities; cut out with carpenters tools and put together by means
of wooden or wrought rivets.

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a.

View point from

abrat (fig.2.a.)

Clock
Tower

b.
Figure 2. Musicality of Gjakova, a. the west view-pointpictures of Gjakova taken form a hill abrat;
b. pattern of urban settlement of Grand Bazaar of Gjakova old city.
Architectural structure and typological order
In an architectural richness of views, the proportional form of shops, their materialization and
artisan works is not crated with intention to monumental or representative tendencies for the founders
of feudal stamp. On the contrary, these modesty artisans engaged a man who precisely took the
inspiration from his richness and irresistible imaginations, endowed with a huge creative force,
expressed in a brilliant vernacular architectural and nobble forms (Riza, 2006).
From the fundamental module of urban network, shops may be observed both chronologically
and typologically. The original forms developed nowadays, bringing new conceptions, new
technologies and materials, which contributed in their stylistic plastic appearance, but without losing
their identity, as shown in Figure 3 c, d, e. Conceptually, narrow streets as well followed the
architectural dynamic of small shops in harmonic relation with small sized cube stones. The basic
architectural structure is presented mainly by three type series of small shops, incorporated in an
extraordinary fashion, thus forming continuous chain of mostly combined one and/or two story timberframe wooden structure and/or masonry ground enclosure, which are not faced towards street. The
highness of shops is proportioned as follows: from 204 analysed shops, 75% are ground floor, 23.5%
are one story and 1.5% is two story shops (Kurtovi & Foli, 1987).
Restoration and revitalization of bazaar
The urban conservation of Grand Bazaar in Gjakova has been a subject of professional and
academic discourse for over five decades. Its conservation is seen as a challenge that covers a wide
spectrum of issues that can be classified under four basic sustainable development categories:
physical- environmental, socio-demographic, law-economic and cultural concerns for further research.
It is significant to emphasize that the initiative for rehabilitation and conservation of historic
quarters tends to re-affirm residents' feelings of identity and sense of belonging. In this regards the
society have made many attempts to rehabilitate the bazar with or/and rehabilitation plan, a historical
core of the city, for instance, after the fire occurred in 1912, after the second world war in 1945, later
after 1978 by following a rehabilitation plan, etc. Since a war in 1999, the quarter faced various
obstacles, challenges and opportunities that contributed in its partial degradation due to lack of any
conceptually updated rehabilitation plan nowadays (Figure 4a.b.c.).
Thus, an immediate need for introduction of new principles and conservation concepts is
required; since the changes of political and social order are not included within following process of

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updating rehabilitation plans. Attempting to summarize the causes and consequences of the
depreciation of bazaar cultural heritage value is a difficult issue worth mentioning. Since actions taken
are still facing an incomplete infrastructure, too lower administrative mechanisms, inefficient and not
integrated support from political, professional and financial stakeholders. It also manifests a process of
social-economic development of the city, which involves preserving, restoring, and adapting old
structures and infrastructures, while introducing new ones, in a process that respects the continuity of
history and tradition, the needs of inhabitants and their own private cultural aspirations.
This understanding indicates that urban conservation of Grand Bazaar is a continuous process and
shall be fully controlled by urban environmental indicators. As an example of it is the last
conservation and rehabilitation initiative by local government. The restoration proceeded in 2011, at
the main bazars street Ismajl Qemajli, in order to improve infrastructures such as electricity, IT, water
and sewage systems, which required replacing a pedestrian street pattern existing stone cube cover
with new stone cube cover.

a.

b.

c.

d.
e.
Figure 3. The old city urban settlement of Gjakova, a. the Hadum Mosque in the centre of urban
quarter, b. clock tower, c. Haraqiashan, d.and e. main streets of bazaar.
This attempt have not been adopted sufficiently with integrated urban conservation approach, thus a
lot of social and professional arguing and debates appears, causing in this way rehabilitation delays
which made an economy of bazaar unstained, each day more and more impoverished, due to different
obstacles, presented in Figure 4c.
Sustainable approach for urban heritage rehabilitation
The urban rehabilitation and/or conservation in its broader term reserves tradition, social and
cultural aspects as well as the physical improvement of cultural heritage buildings and often witnessed
as an approach towards higher levels of sustainability. According to Stren and Polese (2002), one of
the main aims of sustainable urban policy is to "bring people together, to weave parts of the city into a

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cohesive whole, and to increase accessibility (spatial and otherwise) to public services and
employment.
In addition, sustainable areas are those that create a support to sustainable living, with a prime
focus placed on economic, social and environmental sustainability. (McDonald, et al. 2009) This is of
distinguished importance in cultural heritage districts (quarters) which tend to represent and
symbolize a diverse set of ideals of the city's identity, including its history and culture in one side, and
its local economic viability on the other side (Elnokaly et al., 2007).

Figure 4. The bazaar views after the war in 1999, b. the main street of the quarter before the war, and
b. the same street of the quarter and its partial rehabilitation nowadays.
Rehabilitation and conservation, defined as an act to restore to a former rank and an act of
conserving (AHD, Ed., 2005), means a controlled use and the systematic protection of resources,
restoration of natural or built environments and the ecological environments that prohibit them.
Conceptually, the complex approach for preservation of cultural heritage and enlarging the concept of
living tradition, even if in fact those definition can act to model or to increase the value of any process
of production/services, cannot be used prior making an assessment and evaluate the environmental
impact of each component, system or building material. In a context of a very complex, detailed
approach, the sophisticated tools available have to be used to analyze and evaluate a model, even more
the historic buildings and/or architectural heritage sites (Nushi et al., 2012).
Accordingly, based on sustainable development principles and life cycle of entire built systems,
sites and/or buildings, the rehabilitation should be considered a foundation act of sustainability,
because if you do not preserve something, it is not sustained. Meanings of the words, "preservation"
and "sustainability" should be nearly synonymous, as mentioned on Historic Preservation as
Sustainable Development. (Frey, 2007) Unfortunately, this was not achieved in our case study as
consequence of not integrated approach, lack of professional advises no sufficient funds etc.
Apart different approaches, principles and classes for rehabilitation, in physical and social terms,
it is seen that the most appropriate to be followed are definition introduced as the most significant of
intervention: (1) deep conservation, which attempts to restore a historical area in a rigorous and

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accurate form; (2) surface conservation, which attempts to maintain the public face or the physical
appearance of a historic building or area, and (3) deep social conservation, which attempts to ensure
jobs for local inhabitants, controls rents, and provides new services and amenities (Appleyard, 1979).
Consequently, the partial rehabilitation of Grand Bazaars main street rehabilitation, herewith treated
as a case study, is presented in threefold sense in order to evaluate an overall environmental, social
and economic beneficial impact.
Case Study: bazaars street rehabilitation
General information
Nowadays, there is a range of factors which caused bazaar structure changes, typically those
related with social, economic and environmental requirements, such as: changes and additions of
craftsmans miscellanies, improvements of sewage and water supply, improvement of electrification,
etc. In this regards the Regional Institute for Protection of Cultural Monuments in Pristina with
Faculty of Architecture and Republic Institute of Bosnia Herzegovina compiled a draft of protection
and revitalization of bazaar (SPRODJ, 1979). The aim of this task was firstly to establish a physical
structure by renovation of the most valuable buildings, by replacement of damaged and devastated
objects and later on to provide conditions for modern urban functions to take place. Secondly, the aim
was to regain primary aesthetic qualities and features that make the Great Bazaar a distinguishable and
important example into regional opened trade-centre.
The protection and rehabilitation plane functioned well until was interrupted by the war
interferes, which destroyed almost 80% of architectural composition of the complex. Further, many
studies, projects and planning proposals, interventions and other partially rehabilitation actions tried to
respect its ancient elements. It is obvious that the urban layout of architectural composition with street
network remained protected, exceptionally, appeared some changes on paths covering, mainly due to
small interventions. Basically, the architectural structure of the bazaar still presents a series of small
shops interconnected in peculiar approach, the new materialization of streets; almost remained the
same, with cubic stone cover of streets, laid in horizontal lintel collocation (Figure 4a.).

a.
Figure 4. The main street covers before and after replacement.

b.

c.

Challenges of sustainable heritage

The latest rehabilitation activity in Great Bazaar is related with improvements of infrastructure which
required the replacement of covering of Ismal Qemali Street. This made a very difficult rehabilitation
process since the process of replacement have been accepted by community, due to their collective
memory, traditionally linked with old (existing) street cover nature, etc. The main request during the
rehabilitation of the street was to use the same stone, with the same properties, because the
environmental impact and modifications to as much as possible. Hence, beside good results of the
tests, they are insufficient due to not apply other additional sustainable principle, such as: economic
statistics, questioner with community etc.
Quality control of the stone
The following graphs and pictures represent the tests of examinations done in relation to physical and
mechanical feature of the stone. In process of requesting properties, we analyse and found out that the
properties of old stone are almost the same as the properties as new stone, which is installed already.
The main properties for compares are density; water absorption; compressive strength and
abrasion.All of the properties are presented in Table 1. The mineralogical and petrography analysis
and evaluated stone using the microscope, presented in figure 6. The old existing stone is on family of

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magmatic stones, in this case and in site, while the new proposed stone is on family of sedimentary
stones.
Table 1. The stone cube examination summary
#

Type of examinations
2

Compressive strength (N/mm ):

*dry state

2
3
4
5
6

Bulk density (gr/m3)

Water absorption (%)
Abrasion resistance
Mineralogical and petrography analysis
Chemical analysis

Exist. stone
158.48
/
/
2580
0.35
/
/
/

a.
Figure 5. The cut section of a. existing stone and b. new stone

New stone
144.22
/
/
2620
0.14
/
/
/

Min. req.
min 80 C
min 160 A
(2000-3000)
max 1.0
18-25
/
/

b.

Conclusion and Recommendations

There is an urgent requirement for integrated rehabilitation and heritage conservation strategies
which aims at sustaining the essential qualities of the cultural heritage quarters in old cities along with
sustain developed principles. These strategies should be adapted to physical urban-architectural
compositions while maintaining the everyday welling being of people.
This paper underlines opportunities and obstacles to looking forward while preparing integrated
rehabilitation projects of cultural heritage quarters after conflict countries. These integrated
rehabilitation projects should introduce new uses the historic heritage buildings and quarters which
supports todays life style requirements and to be able to provide a vision for future generations to
come.
The appropriate technical-environmental and social-economy solutions provided by sustainable
urban conservation of these projects should be analysed in detail and in multidisciplinary analysis in
the above section, as in exampled case: when the proposal of new stone for rehabilitation of the street
fulfilled the basic properties but not fulfilled the social and cultural heritage expectations. The extent
and the level of such an intervention is dependent upon crucial indicators that comprehend the value
system accredited by the resources available, the society, and the cultural and environmental context
within which such an intervention takes place.
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