Gjilan

Gjilan (Albanian) or Gnjilane (Serbian, Гњилане) is a city and municipality in eastern Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the District of Gjilan. It is famous for having recorded the lowest temperature in Kosovo with −32.5 °C (−26.5 °F) on 25 January 1963.

Geography

Gjilan is located in the southern Binačka Morava river basin (Binačko Pomoravlje).

Etymology

Geographical position by Turkish chroniclers. In XVII century, Turkish descriptor track, Evliya Çelebi, quotes residence of Gjilan, with the name Morava, as administrative unit within the Vučitrn Albanian: "Vushtria: Sandzak. Çelebi writes that: "The seventeen day journey from Constantinople (Istanbul) to pass through Vranje Novo Brdo , Krivareka (Egridere) and Morava (Gjilan ) The etymology of Gjilan is disputed. Albanian sources claim that the town (initially a village) obtained its name from Bahti Beg Gjinolli of Gjinaj clan that ruled the region of Vučitrn (Llapi and Drenica), and populated this area in the 18th century (around 1750). However, there is no definite evidence to support that claim, and in fact no one can confirm as to who the first true inhabitants were, or when they first settled there. On the other hand, Serbian sources claim that the origin of the town name is in the Serbian word gnjio (putrid, rotten).

History

Middle Ages and Ottoman period

In 1342, a place called Morava was visited by Serbian King Stefan Dušan (later Emperor, r. 1331-1355). A fort was built nearby in the 14th century. Gornja Morava was known as simply Morava under Ottoman rule, and it extended west of the Upper Žegra-Budriga-Cernica line, thus Gjilan stayed in the oblast (province) of Topolnica, which provincial seat was Novo Brdo. In the 1455 defter (Ottoman tax registry), Gjilan was inhabited by Serbs, and the priest Božidar served the town. There were 41 households. Haji Kalfa (first half of the 17th century) mentions Morava being 17 days from Constantinople. Gornja Morava and Izmornik were organized into the Sanjak of Vučitrn up until the 18th century. Gjilan became a kadiluk around 1780, and 20–25 years later a large village.

Modern history

In 1915, in and around the city, the Serbian army made a futile stand against the 1st Army of Bulgaria, during the World War I Battle of Kosovo. That battle resulted in the ultimate defeat of the Serbian military, and the occupation by the forces allied with the then German Empire.

In World War II there was a significant amount of activity in and around Gjilan by the Partisans fighting against Nazi Germany and her allies. Monuments to these actions can still be found today, one of which is located in the middle of the village of Koretište.

In 1999, Camp Monteith was established outside the city as a base of operations for KFOR during Operation Joint Guardian, on the site of a destroyed Serbian military base which is handed over to Kosovo Protection Corps in 2007 after U.S. Military downsized their troops. Gjilan has also served as the regional headquarters of the UNMIK International Police task force from 1999.

Population

File:Gnjilane building.jpg

Communist-era apartment complex in Gjilan.

In March 2011, the Gjilan municipality was estimated to have over 90,015 residents. The vast majority of the population is Albanian, followed by Serbs, and a small number of minorities. The population density was 229.7 km2 (595 sq mi).

Languages

Albanian, Serbian and Turkish languages are official languages in the municipality.

Ethnic composition
Year/Population	Albanians	%	Serbs	%	Roma	%	Others	%	Total
1953	24,797	50.87	19,196	39.32					48,748
1961	29,942	57.12	18,297	34.91	735	1.50			52,415
1971	43,754	64.45	20,237	29.81	1,824	2.69			67,893
1981	59,764	71.08	19,212	22.85	3,347	3.98	1,762	2.1	84,085
1991	79,357	76.54	19,370	18.68	3,477	3.4	1,471	1.4	103,675
1998	94,218	79.4	19,481	16.4	3,568	3	1,387	1.2	118,654
2011	87,814	97,45	624	0,7	361	0,4	1,379	1,52	90,178
Source: Yugoslav Population Censuses for data through 1991,and Kosovo 2011 census.

In the municipality according to the 2011 census there are 978 Turks or 1% of the municipality population. The number of Serbs has decreased due to boycott and the creation of the Serb-majority municipality of Parteš.

Education

Main article: Education in Gjilan

Education in Gjilan includes primary, secondary education, and a public university. Currently there are 23,608 Albanian students and 881 minority students enrolled in educational institutions around Gjilan.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Gjilan

There are 3,700 registered private businesses in the municipality employing 7,900 people. Before 1999, Gjilan was an important industrial centre in Kosovo. Still in operation are the radiator factory and tobacco factory, which has been recently privatized. The new city business incubator, supported by the European Agency for Reconstruction, was inaugurated in summer 2007.

Culture

Flaka e Janarit

Main article: Flaka e Janarit

An Albanian dance during "Flame's Pentagram"

Flaka e Janarit is a cultural event that starts on January 11 in Gjilan, Kosovo with symbolic opening of the flame, to keep up with various cultural activities to 31 January of each year. It gathers thousands of artists and art lovers from all the Albanian territories, who for three consecutive weeks transform the city into a cultural metropolis. The nation's martyrs are honored through values of art by this event, which began before the 10th anniversary of the assassination of writer, activist and patriot Jusuf Gërvalla, along with Kadri Zeka and Bardhosh Gërvalla. It was exactly the 10th anniversary without these three martyrs of freedom and from coincidence of these murders in a same date on 11 January, this event got this name "Flaka e Janarit". Moreover, this month has "eaten" lots of devout patriots.

Features

Gjilan is now the administrative center of the District of Gjilan of Kosovo. Since February 15, 2003, it is the headquarters of the Local Democracy Agency in Kosovo of the Council of Europe.

Sports

Main article: Sports in Gjilan

Gjilan is home to the basketball club Drita Gjilan, the football clubs KF Gjilani and KF Drita and volleyball club KV Drita, male and female- the most successful club in Gjilan's history.

Gallery

• Gjilani i vjeter qendra.jpg

  Gjilan old city center 1913

• Gjilani 1925.jpg

  Gjilani 1925

• Shtëpia e Zekirja Abdullahut Gjilan.jpg

  Haus Zekirja Abdullahu in Gjilan

• Manastiri i Shen Nikolles , Strazh Gjilan.jpg

  Monastery of St. Nicholas, Straza Gjilan

• Gilan.jpg
• City of Gjilan.jpg

  City of theater in Gjilan

• Shkolla e Muzikës Gjilan.png

  Muzices schoole

Notable people

• Zoran Antić (b. 1975), Serbian footballer
• Faton Bislimi (b. 1983), Kosovan author
• Nijazi Ramadani (b. 1964), Kosovan poetry writer
• Albert Bunjaku (b. 1983), Swiss footballer
• Daut Dauti ( b.1960) Kosovan author
• Dragan Dimić, Serbian footballer
• Bajram Haliti (b. 1955), Romani writer
• Shpëtim Hasani (b. 1982), Kosovan footballer
• Lutfi Haziri (b. 1969), Kosovan politician
• Genta Ismajli (b. 1985), Kosovan singer
• Ismet Munishi (b. 1974), Kosovan footballer
• Aljmir Murati (b. 1985), Swiss footballer
• Zenun Pajaziti (b. 1966), Kosovan politician
• Xherdan Shaqiri (b. 1991), Swiss footballer
• Jahi Jahiu, (b. 1959), Kosovan artist's
• Mira Stupica (b. 1923), Serbian actress
• Goran Svilanović (b. 1963), Serbian politician
• Faton Toski (b. 1987), German footballer
• Agim Ramadani (b. 1963) Albanian Commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA)
• Abdullah Tahiri (b. 1956) Albanian Commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA)

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Kosovo

Twin towns – Sister cities

Gjilan is twinned with:

• Peć, Kosovo

References

Sources

• А. Урошевић: Гњилане. — Гласник Географског друштва, св. ХУП. Београд, 1931
• А. Урошевић: Горња Морава и Изморник., Насеља и порекло становништва, књ. 28, Београд 1935

External links

• Municipality of Gjilan
• SOK Kosovo and its population