Novo Brdo Voyage Tips and guide

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In Latin documents written as Novus Mons, Nova Monte in some documents by Republic of Ragusa, and in Saxon miners' documents as Nyeuberghe was mentioned in the historical documents as early as 1326. Novo Brdo was a metropolis at the time, with a huge medieval fortress built on the top of an extinct volcano cone, the remains of which can be visited today, and residential sections sprawling all around. In the outer wall of the fortress, a large cross is visible, built into the stones. The castle, or fortress, was thought at one point to have dated back to the Byzantine Empire.

On 1st June 1455, Novo Berda was besieged by the Ottoman Empire for the second time where the last Despot in Fortress was Lekë Shpani (Alessio Span).

Legend says when Novoberdo was a city with 40,000 inhabitants, London was a village.

Novo Brdo is an archaeological site and was mentioned with its present name in historical documents as early as 1326. It served as the most important mining community in the Balkans during the 15th century. Previously it was known as Novus Mons or Novamonte in Latin and as Nyeuberghe in Saxon texts. The famous scribe Vladislav the Grammarian was born here.

The arrival of Saxon miners resulted in the emergence of mining towns in the Balkans in the 13th and 14th century, among them Novo Brdo. Despite much of Novo Brdo's early history being a mystery, the development of the town was heavily influenced by Saxon migrants, with mining operations first starting under the reign of the Serbian King Stefan Milutin. After 50 years, the Novo Brdo mine became the most prosperous in Medieval Serbia and housed a state mint that produced the most silver in the country. Saxon miners introduced efficient mining techniques and implemented a legal system that granted them greater autonomy.

Albanians settled Novo Brdo during the 13th to 14th century to work in the local mines, thus reinforcing the Albanian population in Kosovo. Subsequent waves of Catholic Albanians kept arriving in Novo Brdo up until the 17th century. Ragusan documents attest to the presence of a significant number of Albanians living in Novo Brdo throughout the 14th and early 15th centuries, including members of the Catholic Albanian clergy with names such as Gjergjash and Gjinko, Gjini, son of Gjergji, the presbyter (1382); the reverend Gjergj Gega, Nikollë Tanushi, Gjergj Andrea Pellini and Nikolla Progonovic. In the book of debtors belonging to Ragusan merchant Mihail Lukarevic, who resided in Novo Brdo during the 1430s, 150 Albanian household heads were mentioned as living in Novo Brdo with their families. They worked as miners, artisans and specialists in the mines of Novo Brdo. The anthroponomy of these figures is characteristically Albanian; distinctive Albanian names such as Gjon, Gjin, Tanush, Progon, Lek, Gjergj and Bibë are mentioned. Some families had a mixed Slav-Albanian anthroponomy - that is to say, a Slavic first name and an Albanian last name, or last names with Albanian patronyms and Slavic suffixes such as Gjonoviç, Gjinoviq, Progonoviq, Bushatoviq, Dodishiq, Kondiq, Lekiq and other such names. Many Albanian Catholic priests were registered as residing in Novo Brdo, as well as in towns like Janjevo, Trepça, Prizren and others. These Catholic Albanian priests served as the primary Catholic priests for the town of Novo Brdo.

It is estimated that during the 15th century, Novo Brdo had a population of 4 to 5 thousand people within the fortified city. Beyond the city walls, a network of satellite settlements housed a further 8 to 10 thousand people. Such a large settlement was unusual in Europe where 90 to 95% of all medieval European cities had populations of less than 2 thousand. At the first half of 15th century, Serbian Orthodox bishops of Lipjan resided in Novo Brdo. There were mines and smelting furnaces for iron, lead, gold and silver ores. Novo Brdo silver is known by its glam silver [sr] (Latin: argentum de glama; an alloy of silver with 1/6-1/3 gold). In 1450 the mines of Novo Brdo were producing about 6,000 kg of silver per year. The medieval settlement was an important producer of Serbian pottery and other goods. Despite a Serbian population within the city, merchants from the Republic of Ragusa managed international precious metal trade within Novo Brdo. Prior to the Ottoman conquest of the city, Novo Brdo was a Catholic stronghold within the region.

Novo Brdo was the last Serbian town to remain standing during the first Ottoman invasion. In 1439 the capital of Smederevo fell and Serbia resisted until finally Novo Brdo fell in 1441. Novo Brdo was by treaty restored to the Serbs in 1443. The fortress (named in Turkish Nobırda) came under siege for forty days by the Ottomans, before capitulating and becoming occupied by the Ottomans on 1 June 1455. This event is described by Konstantin Mihailović from Ostrovica near Novo Brdo, who was taken by the Ottomans along with some 300 other boys to be trained as Janissaries. All of the higher ranking Serbian officials were executed after the castle fell, with the younger men and boys being taken captive to serve in the Ottoman Army, and some 700 young Serbian women and girls being taken to be wives to Ottoman commanders. When the city fell to the Ottomans, it had an estimated population of about 40,000 people.

In the Ottoman Defter of 1591, the city of Novo Brdo itself was recorded within the Sanjak of Viçitrina - this defter included the household heads of the city. The city consisted of several Muslim neighbourhoods (Mahalla/Mëhalla); they were Xhamia Sherif (Sherif Mosque, 26 households), Kasap (11 households), Hamam (21 households), Darbbane (40 households) and Mehmed Çelebi (5 households). There were also 6 Jewish households, including 1 that hailed from Catalonia and 1 that hailed from Castille. Of the Christian neighbourhoods (Mahalla/Mëhalla), the following had inhabitants of mixed Albanian-Slavic/Orthodox anthroponomy: Sokraja (15 households), Pop Simoni (12 households), Çarshi (13) and Himandin (9). Slavic/Orthodox anthroponomy predominated in the following neighbourhoods: Sveti Petra (19 households), Sveti Nika (9 households), Marko Kërsti (26 households), Filip (9 households), Pop Krilovina (10 households), Kallogjer Gligorija (6 households), Kovaç Radosavi (16 households), Shagliçiq (8 households), Shuster (14 households) and Vuka Mrkshiq (8 households). Characteristic Albanian anthroponomy predominated in the following neighbourhoods: Protopop (9 households), Izllatar (9 households), Pop Grobani (Grubani) (5 households), Pop Bozha (4 households) and Kuriçka (13 households).

During the Great Turkish War, Albanian insurgents participated in a battle fought between the Austrian military unit commanded by Kutschenbach against the Ottomans in Novo Brdo on March 17, 1690, a battle won by the Austrians. Albanians were encouraged to begin the fight against the Ottomans and to intensify their attempts to strengthen their relations with the Albanian insurgents in Kosovo.

By the early 20th century, Novo Brdo's population dwindled, with most inhabitants moving to the more easily accessible area of Gjilan. In 1999, with the entry into Kosovo of KFOR and the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), the area had a small military outpost occupied by US soldiers, as well as a station of International Police and Kosovo Police.

According to the 2013 Brussels Agreement, the municipality was to become part of the Community of Serb Municipalities. Part of the agreement which pertained to the creation of the Association of Serbian municipalities was deemed unconstitutional by Kosovo’s Constitutional Court and since then the agreement has been blocked.

Novo Brdo is one point of a triangle with Pristina and Gjilani. It is 57 min (41.7 km) from Pristina via M25-2 and R123 and 39 min from Gjilani (31.8 km) via M25-2 and R123.

Taxis from Pristina and Gjilani cost €20-25 one way, €40-45 round trip (May 2022).

Map of Novo Brdo

There is no public transport in Novo Brdo, only taxis and tours.

Novo Brdo (Artana) it is known as a very rich place in heritage, for the medieval fortress and monuments around.

• 42.61515621.4172141 Novo Brdo Fortress (Artana), 16000 Novobërda, ☏ +383 44 465 471, [email protected]. In Latin documents written as Novus Mons, Nova Monte in some documents by Republic of Ragusa, and in Saxon miners' documents as Nyeuberghe was mentioned in the historical documents as early as 1326. Novo Brdo was a metropolis at the time, with a huge medieval fortress built on the top of an extinct volcano cone, the remains of which can be visited today, and residential sections sprawling all around. In the outer wall of the fortress, a large cross is visible, built into the stones. The castle, or fortress, was thought at one point to have dated back to the Byzantine Empire.
  First of June 1455 Novo Berda was sieged by Ottoman Empire for the second time where the last Despot in Fortress was Lekë Shpani (Alessio Span) Albanian, son of Pjeter Spani from Principality of Drishti (Drivast) Albania. (updated Aug 2022)
• 42.6159821.419052 Osman Effendi Mosque, 16000 Novobërdë (nearby the fortress), ☏ +383 44 465 471, [email protected]. Built in 1758 by Osman Effendi, it was rebuilt after being badly damaged during World War I. It's smaller than the original, and the existing minaret remained unfinished. (updated Aug 2022)
• 42.61621321.4199143 Saint Nikola Cathedral, 16000 Novobërda, ☏ +383 44 465 471, [email protected]. Built by the 12th century above the ruins of a paleo-Christian basilica. (updated Aug 2022)

• Hiking, ☏ +383 49372639, [email protected]. Hiking can be done on your own. If you however wish to engage a local guide, GuideKS is the umbrella organization of tourist guides in Kosovo. They will put you in touch with a local guide suitable for your activity. (updated May 2022)

• Gjilan
• Prishtina