The promenade in Pristina from 1930 to 1999

Abstract

The research focuses on the promenade in Pristina as a significant cultural sphere of socialization from 1930 to 1999, excluding the period during World War II. The aim of the study is to explore how this social space developed and changed over time, up until the establishment of international administration following the NATO bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Through interviews with longtime residents of Pristina and surveys, the author investigated how citizens adapted their social habits and interactions over time, and how local events influenced changes in the promenade. Characteristic of the promenade in Pristina is that it represented a cultural space of events. Through analysis, it was observed that the location of the promenade often changed or transformed, primarily influenced by urbanistic changes starting from the 1950s. From its earliest period, specifically in pre-war Pristina, the promenade extended along Kosovska Street, starting from the corner of Kosovska Street and King Alexander Street, stretching all the way to King Peter Street. Kosovska Street was connected to the old bazaar, composed of a labyrinth of narrow side streets. After World War II, the promenade was relocated, starting from the National Theater on Marshal Tito Street, moving along Kosovska Street to the intersection with Yugoslav People's Army Street. It can be concluded that the promenade reflected hierarchies in gender, generational, and ethnic relations, becoming in its final phase a political arena. It also mirrors the central mode of socialization up to the 1980s and represents a significant place of memory for older generations.