The Lapidary, dedicated to fallen martyrs in the fights against Maxhar pasha
In the hundredth anniversary of the Albanian League of Prizren, in a sign of remembrance for the fighters killed fighting against Mehmet Ali pasha, a lapidary was built, which in the foundation consists of three fireplaces that symbolize the unification of Muslim, Orthodox and Catholic Albanians, and continues with a vertical part that reaches high, symbolizing the continuous fight of our nation, which is converted into a permanent resistance, which on its top is symbolized by the tower, which for Albanians was not only a house for residence, but also a site for protection.
The author of this monument is the academic sculptor, Xhavit Lokaj.
On May 13, 1999, this symbol was mined and ruined to the ground by Serb military forces, but it was reconstructed after the war.
In the justification for protection of this monument it is stated that the lapidary was built with armored concrete, that it is 11 meters high, that it symbolizes the unified nation in fight for national liberation, that this symbolism is characterized by Albanian architectural elements, that in bronze plates it is written in Albanian and in Serbian the text: “To the fighters of Albanian League 1878-1881 as a sign of permanent remembrance for their fight for national liberation, etc.
It is under protection by law since 1979.
The ossuary of killed fighters of NLAW
It presents the cemetery of the killed fighters from Gjakova and its vicinity during the National Liberation Antifascist War 1941-1945, it represents the only implemented part of a grand project that included the Çabrati Hill all the way to Brick Factory, which was foreseen to include a construction of Olympic swimming pool for swimming competitions, other swimming pools for joy of citizens, modern park with Botanic Garden and a zoo, the playground for children, and in both parts of the stairway that would link the ossuary with the city, spaces for organizing open air summer concerts.
Sylejman Vokshi’s Statue
Close to the tower house of A. Dreni there is the statue of the National Hero S. Vokshit, a creation of the sculptor Agim Çavdërbasha, erected on 100th anniversary of the League of Prizren
Mother Teresa’s Statue
In the park of the city, the statue of the Albanian Nobel prize winner, Gonxhe Bojaxhiu-Mother Teresa, is situated, a creation of the sculptor Ibrahim Ponosheci.
The Monument Dedicated to KLA
In the park of the city there is the monument dedicated to 180 martyrs of KLA from Gjakova Municipality.
Tom Lantos’s Monument
In Tom Lantos boulevard, in the east of the city, there is a monument dedicated to the deceased American Congressman, the friend of Albanians, Tom Lantos, erected in 1999, in the first anniversary of his decease, in a memory of his visit to Gjakova in 1990.
Asim Vokshi’s Bust
In front of the Culture House “Asim Vokshi” there is bust of the fighter in Spain, the National Hero Asim Vokshi, a creation of the sculptor Skënder Rexha.
Emin Duraku's Bust
In front of Hotel “Pashtriku” there is a bust of the National Hero Emin Durakut.
Mustafa Bakija's Bust
In the park of Sefa neighborhood, there is a bust of National Hero Mustafa Bakia. A similar bust is also placed in front of the primary school “Mustafa Bakija”.
Bajram Curri's Bust
In front of the Faculty of Education there is a bust of the National Hero Bajram Curri.
Hajdar Dushi’s Bust
Hajdar Dushi’s bust is placed in front of the gymnasium that bears the name of this hero.
Mazllom Këpuska’s Bust
Mazllom Këpuska’s bust is placed in the school yard of the school that bears the name of this martyr.
The grave of Hadum Aga’s mother in village Guskë
Based on the legend, it is said that Hadum Aga’s family, the constructer of the Hadum Mosque and many of other first buildings in Gjakova, originated from village Voksh, from where they moved to village Guska near Gjakova. Inhabitants of Guska, all of them Catholics, honored this grave and protected it with commitment during a period of four centuries.
This is the first Albanian monument from ottoman time, the first material evidence, which proves that Albanians in Kosovo are not denizens, who moved from Albania after the so called the Great Serb migration led by Peja’s patriarch, Arsenije Çarnojeviqit in 1690.
Dah Polloshka’s grave from 1845 in Nakarade
In March 1845 the insurgency against giving away the weapons continued in Gjakova, to which the tribes of Malësia were joined led by Binak Alia and Sokol Rama. Around 8 thousand insurgents liberated Gjakova. But, the secretary of Rumelia, the perpetrator of Manastir Massacre, the Albanian-killer Mehmet Reshit pasha, managed to crush with bloodshed the insurgency, massacring many insurgents. Daut aga Polloshka organized an assassination against Reshit pasha, and when he approached his tent he was noticed by pasha’s bodyguards and arrested, and with the order from serasker, his body was butchered.
His mother hardly managed to get the permission from serasker to bury her son near the scene. A series of national songs dedicated to his heroism are still preserved.
Maxharr pasha’s grave from 1878
Marshal Mehmet Ali pasha (Karl dë Troa) was born in a French Huguenot family. After the death of his parents, he moved to Istanbul where he converted to Muslim religion and graduated from the military academy. He participated in many battles and received the rank of marshal. As a known expert, he represented Ottoman Empire in Saint Stefan negotiations and in the Berlin Congress.
He came in contact with Albanians already in 1857. In 1862 he attacked unsuccessfully Gjakova’s Malësia to crush the insurgency of Krasniqe and to arrest their leader Shaqir Curri. In 1871 he made a carnage against Shkodra’s insurgents.
On August 12, 1878, the Porte nominated him as a political commissioner for implementation of the decisions from Berlin Congress for giving away Albanian lands to Montenegro and Serbia, something that was being opposed by Albanian League in Prizren. From Prizren he arrived in Gjakova on August 31, in the house of Adullah Dreni on the way to Montenegro. After harsh discussions on September 1 and 2, with heads of the League in Gjakova, the fights started and lasted until September 6, 1878, when he was killed together with his accompanying soldiers and some of the hosts.
This is how one of the most distinguished statesman, military officer and diplomat of the Ottoman Empire ended his life. He also wrote poems in German, French, Greek, Persian, Arabic and Turkish. He was buried in front of the house of Abdullah Dreni together with 400 volunteers of the League.
In the detailed justification for protection of this monument it is stated that he was sheltered at the renegade feudalist Abdullah Dreni, that the first to besiege the house were the highlanders led by Mic Sokol, that the besiegers burnt the building, etc.
It is under protection by law since 1980.
Sylejman Vokshi’s grave
In Gecë neighborhood is the grave of the National Hero Sylejman Vokshi. Close to that are buried also his fellow fighters from the Albanian League of Prizren, theology teachers Ismail efendi and Ali efendi.
Lapidari “Shokët e Lirisë”
Lapidari “Shokët e lirisë” ju kushtohet dëshmorëve të komunës së Gjakovës, ndërsa ndërtimi i saj është iniciuar nga shokët e dëshmorëve . Qëllimi i kësaj vepre është që të nderohet kontributi i pakrahasueshëm që këta dëshmor i dhanë vendit.
Inspirimi për të zhvilluar vet konceptin që figurativisht paraqet udhën e lirisë, është kontributi i djemve gjatë jetës së tyre që ishte si një udhë e pambarim e mbushur me vështirësi, pengesa dhe luftë të përgjakshme për një qëllim të përbashkët lirinë e atdheut.
Udhë kjo që prezantohet me një shirit ngjyrë kuqe që çan përmes fushë-betejave figurativisht të paraqitura me forma gjeometrike, shtrihet drejtë në kuotën zero për një gjatësi të caktuar, ku akoma pa e gëzuar lirinë ngritët guximshëm që simbolizon guximin dhe udhën e tyre për një përjetësi.
Në lapidar janë vënë dy lloj ndriçimesh. I pari është vënë në majë të çdo shiriti, ndriçim që çan qiellin dhe figurativisht bënë ndriçimin e udhës së dëshmorëve, ndriçimi i dytë gjendet prapa secilit shirit, “për të vënë në pah lirinë që gëzojmë ne sot”.
Si udhë-shirita paraqitën në numër më shumë se një, “për të treguar se këta të rinj kanë qenë në grup, pavarësisht asaj që secili ka shënuar një udhë të rëndësishme”.
Kështu kjo vepër me madhështinë e saj, e kombinuar me reflektimin e dritë-hijes, vjen e bëhet shumë madhështore, që të kujton vazhdimisht krenarinë që ndjejmë për atë çfarë ishin dhe bënë djemtë tanë për këtë vend.
Ky Lapidar është përuruar me 28 Nëntor 2014, si ditë e festës së Pavarësisë së Shqipërisë.