Dissonant heritage and promotion of tourism in the case of Serbian medieval monuments in Kosovo

Abstract

During and after the war in Kosovo in 1999, Serbian medieval monuments were recognised as symbols and bearers of Serbian identity. This led to the fact that among the Albanian population in Kosovo, they were seen as an undesirable legacy – a reflection of centuries of the existence of Serbs in Kosovo. Although the historical value of these monuments, four of which are on the UNESCO World Heritage list of endangered sites, is not disputed, popular tourist publications open an unfounded debate and are used to alienate the historical identity of these places or to promote a distorted interpretation of them. Through popular media representations this paper will touch on the complexity of these monuments as dissonant heritage in the newly established state of Kosovo and its different uses and interpretations in the promotion of tourism.