Opolje

Opolje (Serbian Cyrillic: Опоље) or Opoja (in Albanian) is a region in the southern part of the municipality of Prizren in southern Kosovo.

Settlements

The region of Opolje includes 19 settlements:

Name

The name Opolje is of Slavic, Serbian origin. According to Milisav Lutovac, the name "had to do with the inhabited localities dotted around a field". The name also appears in Lower Silesia, in Poland - Opole, and in Russia - Opolye.

Geography

Gora, in a collective term, refers to both the Gorani-inhabited Gora (which greater part is in Kosovo, the rest in Albania and Macedonia), and its sub-region Opolje, which is inhabited by Albanians. According to the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (1955), Opolje had an area of ca. 108 km², while Gora had an area of ca. 500 km². Sheltered by high mountain ranges of strong and cold winds, Gora and Opolje does not have harsh winters. There is no natural border between Gora and Opolje, while the northern part of the town of Dragaš has been considered part of Opolje as well.