Newsletter
no.3 articles from CHwB Kosovo office, prepared in spring 2005
10
May 2005 (launching date in internet)
Year
2004:
Damages
to churches during the riots of 17-18th March 2004 in Kosovo
One urgent activity that was done by CHwB was the first report
about the damages on churches.
The report was launched in our web site in the 10th of May 2004.
It was very important to get an overview over what actually happened
with the orthodox and Serbian heritage during the riots. With
this report we believe to have contributed as much as we were
able to during the present severe conditions.
The facts were collected in cooperation between UNMIK, the Kosovo
Ministry of Culture and CHwB (photos were taken by all three groups
on the site), and with great help by Mr. András Riedlmayer
from Harvard University, USA, who did the valuable documentation
after the war 1999.
Photo taken after the riots 17 -18 March 2004
Seminar: “Restoration Art, Restoration Principles
and good Maintenance”
in Stockholm
Aiming to introduce the Swedish experience and knowledge for preservation
of cultural heritage and at the same time initiate a dialogue
between colleagues from former Yugoslavia, CHwB organized in March
15th -19th 2004 a seminar in Stockholm for experts of cultural
heritage from Balkan: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Serbia
and Montenegro. From CHwB office in Prishtina two persons participated.
The group had the opportunity among other things to see and discuss
the values of Fredriksborg’s Fortress, Vaxholm Fortress,
The Royal Palace, Museum of “Tre Kronor”, Katarina
Church and Bondeska palatset. The Swedish National Heritage Board
contributed to the seminar in a good way too.
The seminar made it possible for opening a dialogue between different
experts from Balkan about problems and challenges in their countries
for the first time after the tragic period of 1990’s.
The restoration of Kulla Isa Boletini
This has been a joint project, initiated by Ministry of Culture
and co-financed by them and Swedish Sida. CHwB has functioned
as project managers for the restoration of the existing so called
“Smoke House”. The restoration, which was the only
part that CHwB/Sida was involved in, came to an end during the
summer 2004. Other exterior works continued without our engagement
or funding. Civil engineer Sezair Gafurri, one of our two local
project managers, had a most important role, together with Pleqja
Construction Company, for the good result of the restoration.
Workshop "Pilot Preservation and Development Plan for Isniq"
This workshop was held in Isniq for 5 weeks during June - July
2004. It was possible thanks to a cooperation of the group of
people from CHwB, the Post University course « Habitat,
Technology and Development » Polytechnic of Torino, Italy,
the Faculty of Architecture in Prishtina, Kosova, and the community
of Isniq. Swedish Sida founded the workshop. The
activity resulted in a Preservation/Development Plan for Isniq.
The whole process included a close participation of the community
of Isniq. It started with questionnaires, which later on were
processed on SPSS software (Statistical Package for Social Sciences),
which clearly visualizes the community’s interests about
their future. Another new used tool was Arcview GIS (Geographic
Information System), which is the base for the Preservation/Development
Plan. The workshop also produced so called “Project Cards”
like “Public spaces plans” “Septic tanks solutions”,
and “Info point building design”. These “Project
Cards” are now in the hand of the municipality and the community
in case of available funding in the future.
During the workshop, realisation of some results - samples started
to come true, for example: the production of road light sample,
wooden seats and a stone wall in the village centre, baskets for
garbage; everything according to the project defined together
with community. The products were made of local materials by Isniq
craftsmen.
There was also an awareness campaign activating journalists. The
workshop was broadcasted live on national TV morning programs
explaining what we were doing in Isniq.
At the end we came up with general and specific guidelines:
General Prescriptive Guidelines that describe the identified values
in the rural and urban landscape, public and private building
environment, public open spaces, and virtual scenarios in the
light of modern needs and technologies.
Specific Prescriptive Guidelines describing essential restrictions
to preserve the urban and rural buildings. The guidelines also
describe alternative solutions (in terms of integrations, replacement
and adjustment) to reach an appropriate urban and rural habitat
development.
Tutors were: Professor arch. Corrado Minervini arch. Marina Pelfini,
(urban planning expert) and Stefania Fodrini (engineer) from Torino.
After this activity Decan became the only municipality in Kosova
that had a Preservation/development plan ready to be put in action.
Kosovar
Heritage Days – Dranoc 2004
In 1991, the European Council, supported by the European Union,
officially organised the celebration “European Heritage
Days (EHD)”. Ever since then, Heritage Days have been organised
all over Europe.
Kosovo joined EHD for the first time with its pilot project, Kosovar
Heritage Days in Dranoc 2004.
“Kosovar Heritage Days – Dranoc 2004”, was a
chance to prove that the Kosovo also have the desire and the will
to take part in European celebrations. It was organised in Dranoc
village in Decan on the 3rd October 2004.
During the celebrations the doors of the Kullas and the stone
houses were kept open so visitors could have a look around and
get familiar with the lives and traditions of the inhabitants.
They could also see schoolchildren playing traditional games of
the region.
Kosovar Heritage Days had the following objectives:
• The definition of the Kosovar cultural identity within
the European context.
• Identifying the role of cultural heritage as a connecting
bridge for the people of the Balkans.
• The protection of cultural heritage through the cooperation
of various public an private organisations.
• To make the inhabitants aware of and familiar with their
heritage of the region.
Note:
CHwB also arranged Heritage Week in Isniq in 2003.
Workshop
"Integrated preservation plan for the old road in Decan"
In purpose to continue to develop the toolbox for preservation
of the tangible heritage, CHwB organised a workshop named "Integrated
preservation plan for the old road in Decan". In autumn of
2004.
The
objectives where to do capacity building of municipal officers
and young architects, to contribute to the socio-economic development
through urban preservation and development in dialogue with the
citizens and to increase the public awareness.
It workshop was possible thanks to the cooperation between urban
planning expert Professor arch. Corrado Minervini from University
of Torino Italy.
During two intensive weeks on site it was possible to make necessary
documentation and analyses and come with a proposal for a preservation/development
plan for a part of the old road of Decan.
Another important item inside this workshop was the technical
assessment done for a few stone buildings in different conditions.
The question was: How can we use traditional materials and technologies
other than the today very expensive river stone masonry, to reach
a reconstruction that the common owners can afford?
How can one build cheap and still keep the values and the old
spirit of the road and the vernacular architecture. The two municipal
officers that were present and active on learning the methodology
are now able to continue by them selves to do other parts of the
old Decan. After these two workshops Decan is the only municipality
in Kosovo that has experienced in doing preservation/development
plans together with the inhabitants. CHwB believes this is the
only possible way to implement a sustainable development in a
historical zone.
Restoration
of Hadum mosque in Gjakova
CHwB is project manager for the restoration of this very valuable
16th century mosque, which was badly damaged during the 1999 war.
We were asked to take the responsibility for the restoration by
the US NGO “Kosova Cultural Heritage Project” (KCHP)
and we signed a contract in August 2003. The mosque is of greatest
importance to community of Gjakova, the Islamic Society and to
Kosovo. It is a so-called “living monument” used daily
by the Islamic society. CHwB is working in close contact with
the Institute for Protection of Monuments (IPM) in Gjakova, Ministry
of Culture and with local stone conservators under supervision
of Stone conservator Simon Warreck from England/Italy. Architect
for the restoration is Mustafa Pehlivanoglu from Turkey and Heritage
supervisor is Professor Zeynep Ahunbay from University of Istanbul.
The reconstruction of the minaret is finished. The new lead roof
on the Praying hall cupola, the stone conservation, the reparation
of the floor in the portico and the foundation including rainwater
drainage and a number of other activities will be finished in
2005. The inauguration will be in September 2005.
The
existing funding will not be enough the painting conservation
and other important items and right now we are searching for possible
donors for this important work.
Year
2005:
The
Centre for Education and awareness about Cultural Heritage
Kulla Mazrekaj in Dranoc village, Decan municipality
In autumn 2004 CHwB signed an agreement with the owner of Kulla
Mazrekaj in Dranoc village for CHwB to use the kulla building
and yard for the next ten years to come.
Dranoc is today maybe the only village in Kosovo that still has
an untouched historical core of kullas from the end of 19th century.
CHwB will restore the building and create the “Centre for
Education and awareness for Cultural Heritage” in the Kulla
Mazrekaj.
Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture in Prishtina will
use the centre for the students educational fieldwork. The centre
will also serve the inhabitants of Dranoc, the Municipality of
Decan, various NGO’s, schools, governmental organisations,
etc.
The
difficulty to maintain the buildings in the area has increased
the risk of degradation. CHwB hopes that the opening of this centre
will influence the local inhabitants to preserve the neighbourhood,
as it represents many cultural heritage values but also a possible
way to get an income.
The project is financed by the Swedish Sida.
Photo by CHwB, June 2004.
Museums
Ministry of Culture/Heritage Division has asked CHwB to support
the development of Museums of the Kosovo.
For this reason Mr. Per Kaks, a senior adviser of “National
Museums of World Culture” in Sweden made his first visit
to Prishtina in June 2004 with the aim to get informed about the
current state of the Museum of Kosovo as well as other museums
in general.
Mr. Kaks also visited Museum of Shkodra in Albania in December
2004, with the same purpose. As a first step a study visit to
Sweden was organised in April 2005; where four museum people from
Prishtina and two from Shkodra, visited a number of museums around
Sweden. The visit will be the start for Kosovo and Albania to
join the regional cooperation for museum development for former
Yugoslavia, which CHwB initiated in Sarajevo a number of years
ago.
Pilot
Project for the Peja region
In order to contribute to the safety and democratic stability
in South-Eastern Europe, the Council of Europe (CoE) has initiated
the “Regional Programme for Cultural and Natural Heritage
in Southeast Europe”. Kosovo has now been included in this
programme through the sub project “Pilot Project for Local
Development in Peja/Pec”. Five municipalities in the Peja
region - Peja, Gjakova, Decan, Istoq and Klina - have been chosen
for the project. CHwB are engaged as coordinator for the implementation
of the first phase.
The Regional Programme will contribute in building up of a wider
framework of cooperation for the exchange of knowledge and experience
between local and international experts in order to reach sustainable
economic and social development through the rehabilitation of
cultural and natural heritage.
The objectives for Kosovo are:
• To preserve and present the Cultural Heritage in urban
and rural zones.
• To protect the environment.
• To encourage projects that favours the protection of land
through traditional farming methods and the treatment of water
reserves that are used as drinking water.
• To encourage projects that favours recreation sport activities
like mountain climbing, hunting, winter sports, horseback riding,
hiking, camping etc, in a way that supports the objectives mentioned
above.
• To encourage diversity of traditional food.
• To contribute to the standardisation of signs (street
names, house numbers, traffic signs, signs in the countryside,
shop adverts, etc.)
• To encourage commercial activities, handcraft or customer
oriented, that will improve living conditions in the region.
• To attract tourists to visit the region by using the influence
of the Monastery of Decan, which is a World Heritage sight and
other historically valuable monuments.
• The project will run from November 2004 to the end of
2006 and will be founded by the municipalities, central authorities
in Kosovo and CoE.
A
training course in preparation of maintenance programmes for cultural
heritage buildings and sites
CHwB
has initiated a training course for interested young architects
inside the heritage institutions about how to produce maintenance
programmes. This activity corresponds with the policy programme
of Kosovo Ministry of Culture for technical capacity building
inside heritage sector.
The main focus building is the Hadum mosque in Gjakova that is
already under restoration. Internationally recognized restoration
experts are invited to describe specific topics about the maintenance.
In the end of the course, each participant will have done a maintenance
programme binder for one specific building in the city he/she
works.
The course will go on from April to June 2005.
The project is financed by Swedish Sida.
Prizren
Nenkalaja
Prizren
was regarded as one of the hundred most endangered historical
sites in the world in 2002. This prophecy unfortunately came true
in March 2004 when the riots badly damaged not only Byzantine
and Serbian churches but also the houses owned by Serbians in
the area called Potkalaja (Serbian) or Nenkalaja (Albanian), which
is the historical living area on the hill under the fortress (“Kalaja”).
CHwB is not involved in the restoration of the churches, but we
have been asked by Kosovo Ministry of Culture to take the responsibility
for the coordination of the reconstruction and the revitalization
of Potkalaja/Nenkalaja. It is essential that the area is restored
and those former inhabitants of different ethnic origin will be
able to return.
International and Local expertise have to be engaged and the activities
on different level and in different fields have to be coordinated.
CHwB will focus on cooperation and capacity building in order
to reach a result that is acceptable for all the different local
and international actors.
The project will run at least until 2007 and Sida will fund the
CHwB office and capacity building, while funding for the building
works is very uncertain in the spring of 2005.
Photo taken after the riots 17 -18 March 2004
