History

Prizren Fortress is one of the most significant cultural heritage sites in Kosovo. For more than three thousand years, this hill above the city has been settled, fortified, abandoned, rediscovered and reimagined – a compact archive of the region’s prehistoric, ancient, medieval and modern past.

Fortress above the routes

The castle occupies a saddle-shaped hill on the south-eastern edge of Prizren, about 120 metres above the left bank of the Lumbardh river. From here, the fortress controlled major historic routes: towards the Adriatic coast in the west and towards the Skopje basin and central Balkans in the east. Its topography, combined with a carefully planned system of walls and terraces, gave it both defensive strength and visual dominance over the city below.

From prehistoric settlement to Roman and Byzantine stronghold

The earliest traces of life on the hill belong to the Eneolithic and later Illyrian–Dardanian periods, represented by ceramics, tools and weapons found near the fortress. In Roman times, the nearby Illyrian town of Theranda developed as a garrison settlement connected to the defensive system on the hill. Massive surrounding walls from the late Roman and early Byzantine periods mark the moment when the settlement grew into a true stronghold protecting key regional routes.

In the 6th century the Byzantine historian Procopius of Caesarea mentioned the fortress as Petrizen, rebuilt under Emperor Justinian I as part of a wider programme of fortifications in the province of Dardania. This reference is the first known written record of the fortress and links the hill directly to the origins of the city of Prizren.

Medieval Prizren and the growth of the fortress

Throughout the Middle Ages the fortress continued to be strengthened in response to political changes in the wider region. New defensive walls, towers and inner divisions were constructed, shaping the castle into an organised complex with separate sections and terraces. From this period onwards, the hill functioned as the armed “acropolis” of Prizren – the place from which power over the town and its hinterland was exercised.

The fortress not only defended local communities from raids and campaigns, but also served as a checkpoint over trade and communication routes that connected the Adriatic with inland markets. The presence of storerooms, cisterns and circulation corridors discovered during excavations shows that the castle was prepared to withstand long sieges and to host sizeable garrisons.

Ottoman fortress and military centre

After the Ottoman conquest of Prizren in 1455, the fortress was integrated into the defensive system of the empire. Like many Byzantine strongholds in Rumelia, it was adapted and reused as a military garrison. Over the following centuries, the Ottomans continued to modify and extend the castle: strengthening walls, building new casemates and adding religious, administrative and service buildings within the enclosure.

During the rule of Rustem Pasha and later Emin Pasha Rotulli in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the fortress underwent major repairs. A mosque was constructed inside the walls and renovated in 1828, and a clock tower was built, its mechanism and bell reportedly brought from Smederevo. These additions reflect the dual role of the site as both a military base and a symbol of Ottoman authority in the region.

In this period the castle housed infantry, cavalry and artillery units. Historical records note that when Prizren served as an important administrative centre, the fortress garrison counted several thousand soldiers – more than in many other major cities of the region. Artillery pieces were placed along the south-western and western slopes, where surviving cannonballs still recall the site’s defensive function.

Destruction, abandonment and modern conflict

The Balkan Wars at the beginning of the 20th century marked a turning point. In 1912, when the Serbian army took control of Prizren, the fortress and many associated buildings suffered heavy damage and were largely abandoned. Without regular maintenance, exposed to harsh climatic conditions and vegetation, the structures deteriorated rapidly in the following decades.

During the late 20th century, the fortress and the ridge around it were again drawn into wider political and military events. After the 1999 war in Kosovo, German KFOR troops stationed at the site for several years, and the entire area around the fortress functioned as a restricted zone. Only in 2003, when the military presence withdrew, was the hill once again opened to the citizens of Prizren and to visitors.

Archaeology, conservation and a new role

Scientific archaeological work at Prizren Fortress began in 1969 and continues into the 21st century. Excavations carried out in 1969, 2004 and 2009–2011 have revealed a complex system of defensive walls with towers, casemates, corridors, underground passages, storerooms and traces of earlier buildings. These investigations also confirmed the existence of a prehistoric settlement dating to the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age, as well as architectural remains and artefacts from Roman and Late Antique periods.

Alongside archaeological research, conservation and restoration projects – coordinated by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the Archaeological Institute of Kosovo, in cooperation with CHwB and international partners – have stabilised key structures and made the site accessible to the public. The fortress is today listed as a protected archaeological area and recognised as a heritage asset of national importance.

In recent years, Prizren Fortress has also become a cultural stage in its own right. The site is used for outdoor screenings during the Dokufest documentary and short film festival and for various cultural events, linking its historic defensive role with a new function as a place of gathering, learning and dialogue.

This historical overview is based on archaeological research and documentation compiled for the Management Plan of Prizren Fortress and related heritage studies.