Isa Boletini Tower Complex

The tower Complex of Boletini family is located in Boletin village, Zveqan Municipality. The fortified family residence of the Boletins - the towers were built at the end of the XIX century by Albanian folk masters using local materials. In addition to the architectonic values, the Complex still preserves the historical, aesthetic, scientific and social values.

In the courtyard of the Complex surrounded by a wall made from carved stones are erected the Towers of Isa Boletini, a prominent historical figure of the late 19th, 20th centuries and today. The tower, known as the "Men's Chamber", was intended for meetings and hospitality, while the "House of Fire" was intended for family members. The towers have a square base, with massive stone walls, originating from "Majdani", a rocky hill which was the property of the Boletini family. Among other things, millstones were made from the Majdani stones.
The Men's Chamber that was ruined between World War I and II, and the "House of Fire" tower, were conserved and restored during 2003-2004. Today, the Complex of Towers functions as a museum, where the cultural-historical values of the prominent figure of Isa Boletini are presented.

Historical values:

The Complex of Towers over a relatively long period of time expresses historical continuity, namely it is a testimony of the existence of the settlement. With all its materials, volumetric and functional architectonic composition, as a typical representative of constructions, settlement - fortifications, the Complex of Towers presents the culture and lifestyle during the XIX and XX centuries. . Among other things, the Boletini family was a well-known host among the tribe and the province for its political traditions. Ise Boletini, as an organizer and leader, was a national figure, patriots and prominent Albanian fighter at the end of the XIX century and at the beginning of XX century. This outstanding national figure was part of important historical revolutionary activities and events, of national liberation and unification as well as other political movements.

Architectonic value:

The Complex of towers Isa Boletini is a rural residential building of the modern tower type (XIX century) XIX), and is a monument in a settlement community, with the function of a museum (without status). With all its materials, volumetric and functional architectonic composition, as a typical representative of constructions, settlement - fortifications, the Complex of Towers presents the culture and lifestyle during the XIX and XX centuries.

Aesthetic-artistic values:

Elements that contribute to its aesthetic-artistic values:
Quality of processing - craftsmanship
Quality of material (massive carved stones, wood, etc.
- Proportions (windows, doors)
Composition (square plan, volumetric and functional architectonic composition of the tower)
Value of detail - detail (massive carved stones, chimneys, stairs, wooden pillars, shelves in alcoves, round windows with shape of truncated cone, the stone windows that only have the inner arch)
The value of the construction (the two-century-stone gallery, the toilet which only comes out of the northern wall, the half-timbered construction supported on "qupri" which is supported by the pillar resting on the stone block in the middle of the tower)

Vlerat shkencore:

As evidence of historical changes, of the time of construction, of the tower type, it represents an important work of folk masters (Dibran masters). The Complex of towers presents the culture and lifestyle during the XIX and XX century. . The Complex has potential importance for cultural tourism.

Scientific values:

The Complex of towers presents evidence of the typical lifestyle in the periods when the towers were built. In addition to the historical, architectonic and environmental values, the towers are also evidence of the social and cultural life of the period. The emotional connection of the community with the building is special and represents the value of the national identity.

Spiritual values:

The Complex of towers with separate destinations, but with historical and cultural values, presents the love relationship for the motherland and patriotism.

The Complex lies on a terrain with a very dynamic and attractive configuration in the village of Boletin. The western side of the Complex was surrounded by defensive walls, on a rather steep terrain.

The absence of the eastern enclosing wall can be explained by the simple reason that this part of the Complex was on a pronounced slope and suitable for observation.

 2. DESCRIPTION

The complex of Boletin towers is located in the village of Boletin, in the municipality of Zveçan. The towers as a fortified family settlement of the Boletini family - were erected at the end of the XIX century. The towers of Isa Boletini were destroyed three times during the years 1830 - 1832, 1892, 1895 as well as twice during the first decade of the XX century, in 1908 and 1912. The Complex of towers served as a fortified family settlement. The Complex is located on a terrain with a very dynamic and attractive configuration. The western side of the Complex was surrounded by defensive walls, on a rather steep terrain.

The absence of the eastern enclosing wall can be explained by the simple reason that this part of the Complex was on a pronounced slope and suitable for observation. The courtyard of the building is surrounded by a wall made of carved stones, with a turret and a fireplace in the wall. The Complex consists of two entrances: The main entrance was used for external guests and the other entrance is the economic entrance leading to the economic courtyard. The access to the Complex is quite interesting due to the organization of the contents and the free conception of the buildings (there are traces of the physical separation of the courtyard between these two central buildings). The towers were erected on the inner plateau of the surrounding walls: "Men's Chamber" and "House of Fire". In the yard of the current school, there were other accompanying facilities (barn, silo, cow stall, etc.) of the Complex in question and now they no longer exist. The "House of Fire" tower is presented in its original state, with a three-tiered roof and covered with traditional ceramic tiles. The base of the tower is square. The walls are made of massive stone. The ground floor has two entrances facing each other. The main entrance served for communication with the "Men's Chamber" tower, while the economic one with the secondary facilities. There are two types of openings: stone windows that have only the inner arch, and round windows with the shape of truncated cone. The two-story window on the western facade has small openings formed in a massive block as well as two windows on the southern facade. The floor consists of four alcoves, three of them are bedrooms, where each of them has its own fireplace, while the fourth alcove is the divanhane alcove. In the divanhane there is also a stone gallery (dyshekllëku), area for ablutions and a toilet, which only accessible from the northern wall. The half-timbered construction, the roof and the stairs are made of wood. The half-timbered construction of the ground floor is designed so that the main beam, which rests on the wooden pillar resting on a stone block, lies in the east-west axis and the secondary beams in a transverse position are arranged parallel to each other. The same solution is also in the half-timbered construction of the first floor, but with the opposite order. Today only the ruins remain from the "Men's Chamber" tower. The masonry structure is regular with the use of hewn stone blocks. Although largely ruined, we can see the entrance in the eastern part and the position of the stairs on the same side (one-sided internal stairs). The floor is a single space. In this space, two quadrilateral-shaped windows can be seen, so we conclude that this space was almost closed with several holes and had the role of ventilating the floor. The "House of Fire" tower is presented in original condition. . The men's chamber, once ruined, between World War I and II, and the "House of Fire" tower, were conserved and restored during 2003-2004. The sanitary facilities in the complex are not of the time, as they were built when the "House of Fire" tower was transformed into a center of education for the surrounding settlements, at the beginning of the 20th century. The Complex is owned by the state, therefore during the XX century this Complex, in the absence of a school building, served as a primary school, while a new school building was built in the economic part of the complex. Today, the Complex of towers functions as a Museum, where the cultural-historical values of the outstanding figure of Isa Boletini are presented. In 2013, emergency measures were taken and the investments were made by MCYS. In 2015, the remains of Isa Boletini were exhumed, on this occasion MCYS took over the cemetery works.

Historical and chronological development.

• The towers have been destroyed three times, since the time of their construction. During the year 2003-2004, the remains of the walls of the Tower - Men's Chamber, were conserved, while the "House of Fire" was conserved and restored.
•   Restoration and conservation works in the Fortification Complex of the Towers of Isa Boletini (February, 2004), Investor MCYS/Prishtina.
• -Restoration and conservation works in the Isa Boletini Tower Complex (November, 2013), Investor MCYS/Prishtina.
• - Works on the arrangement of cemeteries in the Isa Boletini Towers Complex (May, 2015), Investor MCYS/Prishtina.

The Complex of Boletini towers is located in Boletin village, Zveçan municipality. The fortified family settlement of the Boletini family - the towers were built at the end of the XIX century by Albanian folk masters using local materials.
The towers were built by Isa Boletini, one of the most prominent personalities of this region. The Complex with rural towers as residential buildings and fortifications have social, cultural-historical and architectonic values in the region. The natural landscape of the location of the Complex is a unique feature with extremely high values.

The towers have square bases with a massive structure raised from hewn stones.
The emotional connection of the community with the object is special and represents the value of the community's identity. The conserved Men's Chamber has preserved its authenticity and integrity. While the Fire House preserves the pillar on the ground floor which, through the profiled cushion, creates stability for the floor and reinforcement for the walls of the ground floor.
This building adds value to the area of Shala e Bajgora and the region

• - The Complex of towers has a high potential of importance for cultural tourism, information.

             The preserved ruin-shaped Men's chamber maintains its authenticity and integrity

In the "House of Fire", the original element that has resisted the destructive factors is the pillar on the ground floor, which through the profiled pillow creates stability for the floor and reinforcement for the walls of the ground floor.

The protection of the asset, legal and technical measures, policies, as well as the asset management plan, are governed by the existing law on Cultural Heritage in Kosovo and its seven Regulations, international conventions, and the seven guidelines issued by the joint project of the European Union/ Council of Europe - Support for the Promotion of Cultural Diversity in Kosovo (PCKD).

Law on Special Protected Areas / LSPA, (Law: No. 03/L-039; date 04.06.2008)