Lipjan (Lipjani) or Lipljan (Липљан) is a city and municipality located in the District of Pristina in Kosovo. According to 2024 census, the municipality had 55,044 inhabitants, of whom 13,092 lived in the urban area.
Name
The name of the city derives from
Ulpiana,
a nearby Dardanian and
Roman Empire era settlement, possibly due to either a
Ul- to
Li- shift seen elsewhere in Roman toponyms.
[Lafe, Emil (1976). "Toponymes latino-romans sur le territoire de l'albanais". Iliria. Page 116] Ulpiana was named in honor of Roman Emperor Marcus Ulpius Traianus. The neo-
Latin form
Lypenion occurs for the first time in a
Byzantine text from 1018 AD .
Albanian author Selami Pulaha states that the shift from
Ulpiana to
Lipjan is in accordance with early Albanian phonetic rules, and the city must therefore have been inhabited by
Albanians.
History
Early Period
The ancient predecessor of Lipjan, the
Roman Empire settlement of
Ulpiana, was an important town in the
Illyrians and
spheres. By the 2nd century CE, it was the economic, political and culture centre of the province of Dardania.
It was situated on a road between ancient
Naissus and Lissus, called Via de Zenta. It suffered from barbarian raids, especially the incursion of 517CE, and from a great earthquake that damaged much of Dardania. By the time
Justinian I began his restoration of the
Byzantine Empire, Ulpiana was in a ruinous condition - after repairing the town, Justinian labelled it
Justiniana Secunda. Ulpiana also played an important ecclesiastical role, having had a local bishop present at the Council of Serdica in 347CE and at the Ecumenic Synod of 553CE. Florus and Laurus were said to have settled in Ulpiana.
Middle Ages
In the early Middle Ages the city was part of the Bulgarian Empire and a diocese of the Archbishopric of Ohrid. In 1018 it was recaptured by the
.
In the period between the 13th and 15th centuries Lipjan was part of the Kingdom (later Empire) of Serbia and of the Serbian Despotate. The church of the Presentation of the Mother of God was rebuilt to its present-day form as seat of the Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Lipljan.
According to some modern authors, Lipjan may also be the birthplace of Lekë Dukagjini (1410–1481),
Ottoman Era
Since the second half of the 15th century until 1913, Lipjan was part of the
Ottoman Empire.
Kosovo War and Aftermath
During and after the
Kosovo War, Lipjan was the site of war crimes and atrocities which affected both Albanian and Serbian civilians. In July 1998, 22 Serb civilians were murdered in the nearby village of Kleçka/Klečka, allegedly by KLA members.
In April 1999, ethnic Albanians were forced out of the area by Serb forces, and their properties were looted and burned by said forces. Serbian paramilitary forces were alleged to have shot more than 50 Albanian civilians in 3 surrounding villages.
Immediately after the war, during the Staro Gracko massacre, 14 Serb farmers were slaughtered.
During the 2004 unrest, the majority of local Serb families were forced out of the area, with their houses and properties burned down.
Geography
Lipjan is located in the central part of the Republic of Kosovo and at the crossroads of important roads in the region. The city is located south of
Pristina at a distance of around . The Municipality of Lipjan contains of land, and it consists of 70 villages. It borders the municipalities of
Drenas,
Kosovo Polje and
Pristina to the north,
Malisheva to the west,
Novo Brdo and
Gjilan to the east and
Ferizaj,
Suva Reka and
Shtime to the south.
Demographics
The municipality of Lipjan has 55,044 inhabitants according to the 2024 census,
compared to 57,605 in 2011.
The city of Lipjan has 13,092 inhabitants.
Ethnic groups
The ethnic composition of the municipality of Lipjan:
Religions
The religious composition of the municipality of Lipjan:
|
| Islam | 56,384 | 97.88 | 53,635 | 97.44 |
| Eastern Orthodoxy | 520 | 0.90 | 533 | 0.96+ |
| Roman Catholicism | 572 | 0.99 | 455 | 0.82+ |
| Others | 7 | 0.01 | 75 | 0.13+ |
| No religion | 6 | 0.01 | 50 | 0.08+ |
| Prefer not to answer | 68 | 0.12 | 296 | 0.57+ |
| Unavailable | 48 | 0.09- | - | - |
| Total | 57,605 | 100.00 | 55,044 | 100.00 |
Municipality
-
Akllap/Oklap
-
Babush i Muhaxherëve/Muhadžer Babuš
-
Baicë/Banjica
-
Banullë/Bandulić
-
Breg i Zi/Crni Breg
-
Brus
-
Bujan/Bujance
-
Bukovicë/Bukovica
-
Divlakë/Divljaka
-
Dobrajë e Madhe/Velika Dobranja
-
Dobrajë e Vogël/Mala Dobranja
-
Gadime e Epërme/Gornje Gadimlje
-
Gadime e Ulët/Donje Gadimlje
-
Gllanicë/Glanica
-
Gllavicë/Glavica
-
Gllogoc/Glogovce
-
Grackë e Vjetër/Staro Gracko
-
Grackë e Vogël/Malo Gracko
-
Gumnasellë/Guvno Selo
-
Hallaç i Madh/Veliki Alaš
-
Hallaç i Vogël/Mali Alaš
-
Hanroc/Androvac
-
Janjevo
-
Kleçkë/Klečka
-
Kojskë/Konjsko
-
Konjuh
-
Kraishtë/Krajište
-
Krojmir/Krajmirovce
-
Leletiq/Laletić
-
Lipovica
-
Livađe/Livagjë
-
Llugaxhi/Lugadžija
-
Llugë/Lug
-
Magura
-
Marec/Marevce
-
Medvec/Medvece
-
Mirenë/Mirena
-
Okosnicë/Okosnica
-
Plitkoviq/Plitković
-
Poturoc/Poturovce
-
Qellapek/Čelopek
-
Qyqylagë/Čučuljaga
-
Resinoc/Rusinovce
-
Ribar i Madh/Veliko Ribare
-
Ribar i Vogël/Malo Ribare
-
Ruboc/Rabovce
-
Rufc i Ri/Novo Rujce
-
Rufc i Vjetër/Staro Rujce
-
Shalë/Sedlare
-
Shisharkë/Šišarka
-
Sllovi/Slovinje
-
Smallushë/Smoluša
-
Teqë/Teća
-
Topličane
-
Torina/Torinë
-
Trbovce/Tërbuc
-
Varigoc/Varigovce
-
Vërshec/Vrševce
-
Vogaçicë/Vogačica
-
Vrelo
-
Vrellë e Goleshit/Goleško Vrelo
-
Zlokućane
See also
-
Municipalities of Kosovo
-
Cities and towns in Kosovo
-
Populated places in Kosovo
-
Staro Gracko massacre
-
Lekë Dukagjini
External links
