Pashtrik (, ; sr-Cyrl, Паштрик) is a mountain located in

Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...

and

Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...

. Its highest peak is located on their mutual border. It is high. The

White Drin The White Drin or White Drim (; , ) is a river in Kosovo and northern Albania, a ca. long headstream of the Drin. Course Kosovo The Kosovo section of the White Drin flows entirely in the semi-karst part of Kosovo, in an arc-shaped -long ...

river passes along by it. Mount Pashtrik is the site of annual pilgrimages of residents from Has region of

Prizren Prizren ( sq-definite, Prizreni, ; sr-cyr, Призрен) is the second List of cities and towns in Kosovo, most populous city and Municipalities of Kosovo, municipality of Kosovo and seat of the eponymous municipality and District of Prizren, ...

and

Gjakova Gjakova or Đakovica, ) and Đakovica ( sr-Cyrl, Ђаковица, ) is the sixth largest city of Kosovo and seat of the Gjakova Municipality and the District of Gjakova, Gjakova District. According to the 2024 census, the municipality of Gjakov ...

in Kosovo and from the border area of Albania.

History

In the 15th century the Albanian toponym ''Darda'' was recorded in the region, which indicates an Albanian presence. Tax register from 1452 show the inhabitants of Darda and the Pashtrik had mostly Albanian anthroponyms.

Overview

Pashtrik is located in the historical region of Has, which up until the 16th century was named after the mountain. In the 17th century the name ''Has'' gained a prominence. It is a reference to the taxation status of the region which was taxed directly under the Ottoman Sultan instead of being part of the administrative divisions of the Ottoman Empire. Two-thirds of the mountain belongs to Albania. It is located in north-eastern Albania. The village of

Krumë Krumë is a town in northern Albania. It is located in a mountainous region, within Kukës County in the municipality of Has. It is the principal town in the ethnographic region of Has, which is inhabited by a population that has maintained disti ...

is positioned next to it. One-third of the mountain is in Kosovo. It is located in south-western Kosovo. The village of

Gjonaj Gjonaj is an Albanian surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Adriana Gjonaj, Albanian politician * Algert Gjonaj (born 1987), Albanian basketball player * Etilda Gjonaj (born 1981), Albanian politician * Kujtim Gjonaj (1946–2021), Al ...

is positioned next to the mountain. It was built from

Paleozoic The Paleozoic ( , , ; or Palaeozoic) Era is the first of three Era (geology), geological eras of the Phanerozoic Eon. Beginning 538.8 million years ago (Ma), it succeeds the Neoproterozoic (the last era of the Proterozoic Eon) and ends 251.9 Ma a ...

core, covered by

Mesozoic The Mesozoic Era is the Era (geology), era of Earth's Geologic time scale, geological history, lasting from about , comprising the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous Period (geology), Periods. It is characterized by the dominance of archosaurian r ...

limestone, mostly under the vegetation. Small mammals living in the mountain include the

common vole The common vole (''Microtus arvalis'') is a European rodent. Distribution and habitat The common vole is hardly restricted in means of distribution and habitat and inhabits large areas of Eurasia but, apart from the Orkney vole, not the Br ...

, northern white-breasted hedgehog, balkan mole, and

european mole The European mole (''Talpa europaea'') is a mammal of the order Eulipotyphla. It is also known as the common mole and the northern mole. This mole lives in a tunnel system, which it constantly extends. It uses these tunnels to hunt its prey. ...

. The blind mole occurs in the grasslands in old growth stands of beech forest.

Cult and pilgrimages

Mount Pashtrik has been considered sacred since ancient times. The old pagan cult is reflected in the annual pilgrimage of both Christians and Muslims that take place on the mountain. Catholic pilgrimages celebrate a two-day festival dedicated to the

Assumption of Mary The Assumption of Mary is one of the four Catholic Mariology#Dogmatic teachings, Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. Pope Pius XII defined it on 1 November 1950 in his apostolic constitution as follows: It leaves open the question of w ...

. The feast is called by locals "Feast of the Holy Trinity" (

Albanian Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: **Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language **Albanian culture **Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...

: ''Festa e Shëndritatit'').

Bektashi Bektashism (, ) is a tariqa, Sufi order of Islam that evolved in 13th-century western Anatolia and became widespread in the Ottoman Empire. It is named after the wali, ''walī'' "saint" Haji Bektash Veli, with adherents called Bektashis. The ...

take pilgrimages to honor the legendary figure

Sari Saltik A sari (also called sharee, saree or sadi)The name of the garment in various regional languages include: * * * * * * * * * * * * * * is a drape (cloth) and a women's garment in the Indian subcontinent. It consists of an un-sti ...

(Albanian: ''Sari Salltëk''), considering the mountain to contain one of his seven tombs. The Orthodox of Prizren consider the mountain to contain the tomb of Saint Pantaleimon, and take pilgrimages celebrating one whole night in summer. The cult of the mountain and mountain tops is widespread among

Albanians The Albanians are an ethnic group native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, Albanian culture, culture, Albanian history, history and Albanian language, language. They are the main ethnic group of Albania and Kosovo, ...

. This ancient practice is still preserved today, notably in Pashtrik, Lybeten,

Tomorr Tomorr is a mountain chain in the region of Berat and Skrapar, in Albania. It reaches an elevation of above sea level at the Çuka e Partizanit, which is the highest peak in central Albania. Mount Tomorr is one of Albania's biggest water-col ...

, Gjallicë,

Rumia Rumia (; ; ) is a town in northern Poland, in the Wejherowo County in Pomeranian Voivodeship, with some 49,000 inhabitants. It is a part of the Kashubian Tricity (Rumia, Reda, Wejherowo) and a suburb part of the metropolitan area of the Tricity ...

Koritnik Koritnik () is a wooded, limestone mountain, located in northeastern Albania and southwest Kosovo between the cities of Kukës and Prizren. The mountain is entirely surrounded by branches of the White Drin river. The highest point of Koritnik ma ...

Shkëlzen Shkëlzen ( 'Shkëlzeni') is a mountain situated in the Albanian Alps, bounded by the Tropojë river valley to the northeast, the Gashi river valley to the southwest, and the Tropojë basin to the southeast. Its highest of the two peaks, ''Maja e ...

, Mount Krujë, Shelbuem, Këndrevicë, Maja e Hekurave, Shëndelli and many others. In

Albanian folk beliefs Albanian paganism comprises the pagan customs, beliefs, rituals, myths and legends of the Albanian people. The elements of Albanian mythology are of ancient Paleo-Balkanic origin and almost all of them are pagan. Ancient paganism persisted among ...

it is strictly related to the cult of Nature in general, and the cult of the Sun, the earth and water in particular. Every mountain is said to have its own nymph ( ''Zana e malit''). According to the top of the mountain where the nymphs stay, they get their specific name. Therefore Mount Pahtrik is the dwelling of ''Zana e Pashtrikut''.; ; .

References

Bibliography

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Pastrik Mountains of Kosovo Mountains of Albania Has (municipality)

History

Overview

Cult and pilgrimages

See also

References

Bibliography