Travel Guide Vushtrria (Vučitrn)

The town is called Vushtrri/Vushtrria in Albanian (pronounced "vouchtria") and Вучитрн/Vučitrn in Serbian ("vouchitrine"). It has 29,000 inhabitants and 70,000 with the rest of the municipality (98% Albanians). Vushtrria/Vučitrn is 13 km southeast of Mitrovica and 29 km northwest of Pristina.This pleasant town in the Stinica valley was the stronghold of the powerful Serbian noble family of Vojinović in the 15th century, before the arrival of the Ottomans. The latter made it a major commercial, administrative and religious center. So much so that today we can see both Serbian and Ottoman ancient monuments here. Mostly populated by Albanians since the seventeenth century, Vushtrria/Vučitrn has suffered the full force of the war in Kosovo. Most of its old mosques and churches were destroyed and the city lost its Serbian and Roma minorities. It has also seen its lead foundry, owned by the Trepča group, decline. The smelter is still in operation, but the large black slag heap to the south, in a loop of the river Stinica, is a reminder of a once intense activity (and pollution). The city remains very dynamic with a few small modern factories, many shops, the national police academy, the largest potato production center in the country and the highest birth rate in Kosovo. The bus station is located 1 km southeast (many connections to Pristina and Mitrovica).