Prizren

Prizren (Albanian: Prizren / Prizreni; Serbian: Prizren / Призрен pronounced [prîzrɛn]; Turkish: Prizren / Pürzeyn / Perzerrin) is a historic city located in Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the eponymous municipality and district. The city has a population of around 178,000 (2011 census preliminary results), making it the second largest city in Kosovo. The residents of Prizren are mostly ethnic Albanians. Prizren is located on the slopes of the Šar Mountains (Albanian: Malet e Sharrit) in the southern part of the Republic of Kosovo The municipality has a border with Albania and the Republic of Macedonia.

History

Ancient

The Roman town of Theranda in Ptolemy's Geography is mentioned in the 2nd century AD. In the 5th century, it is mentioned as being restored in Dardania with the name of Petrizên by Procopius of Caesarea in De aedificiis (Book IV, Chapter 4). Sometimes it is mentioned even in relation to the Justiniana Prima. It is thought that its modern name comes from old Serbian Призрѣнь, from при-зрѣти, indicating fortress which could be seen from afar (compare with Czech Přízřenice or mount Ozren), and it may also derive from Petrizen mentioned by Procopius.