Levisha Church, a photo from Kosovo, South

Photographer's Note

This church was set alight on 17/18 March 2004 by Albanians still angry with the Serbs after the Kosovo War in 1998 / '99 & incensed with arrests of former KLA (Kosovo Liberation Army) members by Serbian police in early 2004. And the Serbs were equally angry. Several mosques in Serbia were also set alight in retaliation. There were many deaths on both sides.

It is a Serbian Church under several names such as Our Lady of Levisha / Ljevis / Friday Church. It is currently protected from further arson and vandalism with razor wire. I don't think there have been any further hostilities since 2004. Some of the Albanian culprits were arrested and jailed. Here is a list of churches damaged in Prizren:

"Our Lady of Ljevi in Prizren from 1307 (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
the Church of Holy Salvation in Prizren, destroyed by vandals after German KFOR troops had left the site.
Church of St George in Prizren (the city's largest church)
Church of St George in Prizren (Runjevac)
Church of St. Kyriaki, Church of St Nicolas (Tutić Church) in Prizren
the Monastery of The Holy Archangels in Prizren as well as Prizren's Orthodox seminary of Saint Cyrillus and Methodius in Prizren"

I've added a wider view as a workshop. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. If you want to see the interior you have to go to St George Church across the river and ask for an escort with a key. The church dates from the time that Prizren was the old Serbian Capital in 1307 AD. Later it was converted to a mosque after the Ottoman invasions in 1371 & 1389 ad, then back to a church after the 1st Balkan War in 1912/ 1913 ad after the expulsion of the defeated Ottomans by the Balkan League.

The history is quite complex.

More information here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottoman_Serbia#Wars_for_Serbia_(1389%E2%80%931540)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosovo_War

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_unrest_in_Kosovo#Destroyed_churches

And here is a link showing the frescoes before and after the damage caused by the arson attack.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Ljevi%C5%A1

pajaran, papagolf21, snunney, holmertz, ikeharel, pierrefonds, jhm, Silvio1953, Cricri, alvaraalto, alvaraalto, COSTANTINO, mcmtanyel oznaczył to zdjęcie jeko użyteczne

Critiques | Translate

pajaran (114945) 2018-10-18 1:16

Dobar dan.
Lep pogled, interesantan i dobar telkst ...
Dobar rad sa lepom fotografijom u radionici, lepo pokazano, dobar kontrast i ostrina, lepe boje.
Lepo pokazana Srpska svetinja.
Lepa fasada i detalji, lepa stara arhitektura.
Lepa pravoslavna Crkva.
Zelim vam lepo popodne, sve najbolje.
Paja.

papagolf21 (152605) 2018-10-18 1:24

Bonjour, cher Chris,
Message subliminal ŕ travers cette composition avec ces fils de fer barbelés et cet édifice religieux;
Je regarde avec intéręt l'architecture et la note d'accompagnement.
Amitiés.
Philippe

snunney (130967) 2018-10-18 2:07

Hello Chris,
Rather disheartening to view a church through barbed wire, but your note explains everything. I like the agreeable warm/cool colour contrasts and the nicely rendered textural detail.

holmertz (102008) 2018-10-18 2:13

Hello Chris,
Razor wires surrounding churches, mosques or any kind of temples is not a good sign. I had a similar view in Nicosia, Cyprus, another centre of a long conflict that never seems to stop. But if you are looking for angles that make a photo like this more dramatic and eye-catching, such wires certainly do the trick. I have used it too.
Best regard,
Gert

mesutilgim (0) 2018-10-18 2:30

Hello Chris
Nice capture with a quite sad history.
Your notes rememberd me the times around 1920, where my grandparents decided to move from Prizren to Turkey.
The whole family (my grandparents, my father and aunt) came just wit only one luggage, leaving all their homes, fields and other belongings there.
Unfortunately two points in the World (one Jerusalem and the other one Serbia) are full with such sad stories.
TFS and best regards
MESUT ILGIM

ikeharel (112467) 2018-10-18 2:35

Evidence of centuries long conflict, Chris, an interesting note to the unusual scene.
Good afternoon,
Ike

pierrefonds (113610) 2018-10-18 4:49

Bonjour Chris,

Les fils barbelés cadrent bien l'église. La prise de vue permet de voir les détails de l'église. La lumičre fait ressortir les couleurs. Bonne journée.

Pierre

jhm (211734) 2018-10-18 5:05

Hello Chris,

Thank so much, the note is excellent I learn everyday on TE.
Lovely architectural picture.
Excellent depth and perspective too.
Very well done, TFS.

Have a nice day,
John.

Silvio1953 (220637) 2018-10-18 5:29

Ciao Chris, sad view of this fantastic church trough barbed vire, fine details, excellent clarity, splendid light and wonderful colors very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

Sergiom (117241) 2018-10-18 6:27

Bonjour Chris,

Bien sur, la premičre chose qui frappe dans cette photo, c'est le barbelé ŕ l'avant plan. On se demande bien pourquoi, les Serbes ont décidé d'emprisonner cette trčs belle église.

Amicalement

Serge

Nicou (193806) 2018-10-18 6:33

Hello

Les fils font un dessin comme un coeur quelle vue quelle forme et quelle église en fond et vue sueprbe captage et iamge ces toirs coupole le rendu doux sur la peirr ce ciel pur sueprbe.
Bravo et amitié
nciou

Royaldevon (85606) 2018-10-18 12:00

Hello Chris,

It seems totally alien to witness a church surrounded by barbed wire! Usually, it is a building welcoming people in! How sad that such methods were necessary!
However, your inclusion of the two together, really emphasises the breakdown of trust between the two factions!
Having seen both photographs, my preference is actually for the w/s.

My warm regards,
Bev 😊

Tue (91604) 2018-10-18 13:30

Hello Chris,
An excellent photo of this church with its three small towers. The soft, but warm light and the perfect sharpness are excellent. The barbed wire is an interesting addition and tells part of the recent history of the area.
Lars

jimmj63 (0) 2018-10-18 15:45

ciao Chris
very good composition of this war landscape, remeber us the sad past,
ciao, Giacomo

Cricri (176) 2018-10-18 23:35

Hi Chris
Trčs particulier ces barbelées pour protéger l'église, belle lumičre, intéressante architecture
Bonne journée
cricri

alvaraalto (42804) 2018-10-19 3:24

Hello Chris,
Two beautiful photos that, although they have the same subject, still give a very different atmosphere.
The main photo accentuates with the barbed wire in the foreground the misery of recent history in this area.
At the workshop photo, it is the beauty of the church that is best shown.
Excellent work
Have a nice day, groet Rob

rychem (72187) 2018-10-19 8:46

Your photo is a very good illustration of this sad history, in the Balkan region there are lots of social anxiety, a very good reportage photo
regards Ryszard

COSTANTINO (115563) 2018-10-19 22:45

Hello dear friend and have a nice weekend
I am so sad reading notes as below
and the most important detail is
that there were many deaths on both sides
what a pity!!!
regards
Costantino

emka (157280) 2018-10-20 21:32

Hello Chris, My guide in my last trip to Balkans was Serbian and she was rather unfriendly towards the Albanians. Difficult to judge. Sad view of this church behind the wires.

Kind regrads MAlgo

abmdsudi (95869) 2018-10-21 1:51

Hi Chris
Nicely seen - I like the "intrusion" on the picture postcard church, how the hard barbed wire contrasts with colour of the stonework. Well done!
Best regards

mcmtanyel (67681) 2018-11-03 17:05

Hello Chris,
Barbed wire reminded me of Jerusalem. It's a very telling photo, well done! 👍👍
Regards,
MT