Pejë (Kosovo) | Gateway to the Accursed Mountains - Day 167

Pejē is the eastern gateway to the Accursed Mountains, which span Kosovo, Montenegro, and Albania. The Valbvona to Theth hike I completed several weeks ago in Albania is part of the Accursed Mountain Range.

When I checked the weather this morning, it looked like the rain was letting up today, so I took a 1.5-hour bus ride to Pejë (pay-yah), Kosovo. I've been trying to get to Pejë for a few days now from Prizren, but the weather and limited bus schedule foiled me. So I chose to relocate to Prishtinë because there is a more robust bus schedule from Prishtinë. The twice-hourly buses give me more flexibility on a day trip to Pejë.

On my agenda is the Patriarchate of Peć Monastery, which is part of Kosovo's only UNESCO site; this site includes 5 sites, including the Serbian Orthodox Holy Mother of God Church in Prizren. Peć (pech) is the Serbian name for the Albanian city of Pejë. The Monastery is nearly 3 km west of the town, so I am glad it is not raining today so I can enjoy the walk. Unfortunately, it is cold today, so I wear my electric blue buff as a stocking cap. I am really enjoying the versatility of my buff.

As I approach the gate, a police offer flags me down from his drab green booth. I walk over to visit with him. "Want to see the Monastery? I need your passport," he says. I reach into my bag and hand it to him. I don't usually carry my passport with me every day. However, when I was in Prizren, one of the other travelers told me I needed it to visit the site. So I tossed it into my daypack this morning before leaving. From this point, it is about 300 m (1,000 ft) to the Monastery.

I love this cobblestone road that winds its way through the foothills of the Accursed Mountains. My original plan was to spend more time in Pejë, hiking a few of the great trails in the area. However, I am no longer adequately prepared for the unpredictable weather and short days of late November. Consequently, I opted to make a day trip to Pejë instead. Nevertheless, the link above is a stunning video of the Accursed Mountains. No one is certain how the mountains got their names, but several local legends exist.

This beautiful tower is the first building I notice once inside the Patriarchate of Peć Monastery's exterior protective stone wall. The small building next to it serves as a gift shop.

Within the protective walls are several ruins. The site pictured below is of a palace that dates to the 14th Century. The valley to the west is stunning with the low-hanging clouds. On occasion, when they part, I can see fresh snow on the peaks from the recent storm.

The red stucco Church is magnificent. It dates to the 13th and 14th centuries and has four buildings joined into a single site through the years. The Serbian Orthodox Monastery is quite striking, as are the nuns who wear solid black outfits.

The oldest Church is the central building (i.e., the tallest dome). It is the Church of the Holy Apostles and dates to the 13th Century. After that, two other Churches (i.e., the dome in the background), St. Demetrius and St. Nicholas (i.e., the small arch in front of the tall dome), were added on either side (i.e., north and south) in the 14th Century. Finally, the narthex (i.e., lobby area to the 3 churches), the white and red building on the left, was added to the west in the 14th Century.

This is the most extraordinary mausoleum of Serbian religious dignitaries, holding relics of many saints from the 13th through the 17th centuries. The site is fantastic! The inside walls of all four buildings are covered with stunning religious frescos. I was in awe when I walked in. Several crypts of the saints are also located inside. This video in Serbian shows the site's beauty inside as well the modern nun's quarters (i.e., white buildings near the end of the video).

Remnants of frescos are located on the left side of the entrance to the narthex. The interior floors are a mosaic of several different types of marble tiles, which are well-worn and undulating. This place exudes character and charm! And I have it all to myself today. One of the joys of traveling off-peak.

One of the other reasons I wanted to visit Pejë is that the city was a heavily damaged during the Bosnian-Kosovo war, which ended in 1999 AD. Before coming here, I read that > 80% of the buildings were damaged during the war. Notably, it is hard to tell. Apart from the occasional building like this one, which stands in ruins, it is hard to find evidence of the war and damage. A tribute to the resilience of the Albanian people and Kosovo. 

Looking south, I can see evidence of houses scattered throughout the foothill of the surrounding mountains. It reminds me of lesser-known small ski towns in North America.

Something that is perplexing in Pejë, however, is the architecture. It is hard to figure out the city's identity. For example, in the picture below, the white building (circa 1929) resembles American architecture. On the other hand, the building on the right, which is more recent, appears to draw inspiration from Asia. There are many places where the architecture conflicts. I find it very strange. 

Pejë is famous for having an extensive old bazaar. Unlike other cities I have visited in the Balkans that seem to cater to souvenirs and cheap trinkets, this bazaar is mostly jewelry, clothing, and bags. The old bazaar spans three major streets downtown.

One of the reasons why I love Albanian cuisine so much is its extensive use of fresh produce. Pejë has some of the largest produce stores I've encountered in the Balkans.

When I arrive in Prishtinë, it is well after 6 pm. It has been dark for about 1.5 hours, alright. The temperature drops quickly at night these days. The lows are -2 C (28 F), which isn't that cold, except that I am equipped for fall and summer, not winter conditions. So even with all my layers, I find the evenings quite chilly and try not to linger unnecessarily.

Though I saw some beautiful sites today, Pejë wasn't one of my favorite towns. Pejë is a city that didn't resonate with me like Prizren or even Prishtinë. Nevertheless, I would return to Pejë to explore the Accursed Mountains further.