The UN's Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has voted to recommend Kosovo as a full member. The majority of members overruled objections from Serbia, which doesn't recognize Kosovo's independence. The country's inclusion in UNESCO will be put to a final vote by all UN member states on November 9. Here are some of the diverse cultural and historical sites in Kosovo that already enjoy UNESCO recognition or other protected status.
Ancient Sites In Kosovo, UNESCO's Likely Next Member
An excavation site at the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Ulpiana, near Pristina, the capital of Kosovo
Roman walls in Ulpiana
The Prizren medieval fortress, one of Kosovo's UNESCO-recognized sites, was once the seat of the Serbian Empire.
The Prizren medieval fortress
The minaret of the Hadum Mosque in the western town of Gjakova. The mosque was built in 1598 under the Ottoman Empire and was partly destroyed in Kosovo's 1998-99 war between Serb forces and ethnic Albanian guerrillas.
The dome of the Hadum Mosque
A Serbian Orthodox monastery in Gracanica, Kosovo. Located on the ruins of a 6th century basilica, the monastery was built by Serbian King Stefan Milutin in the early 14th century.
The Serbian Orthodox monastery in Gracanica
The Sultan Mehmet Fatih Grand Mosque in Pristina was built in 1460–1461 during the reign of the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II, also known as al-Fatih, or The Conqueror.
The interior of the Sultan Mehmet Fatih Grand Mosque
Saint Ndou Catholic Church in Pristina
Saint Ndou Catholic Church
The 17th century Sinan Pasha Mosque in Prizren
The Sinan Pasha Mosque in Prizren
Mehmet Pasha Hamam in Prizren
The buildings of the League of Prizren, an Albanian political organization founded on January 5, 1877
The Orthodox Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succor in Prizren
The Old Stone Bridge in Prizren
The Orthodox Church of Saint George Runovic in Prizren
The Orthodox Church of Saint George Runovic
Visoki Dečani monastery south of the town of Peć. The structure is the largest medieval church in the Balkans.
The Serbian Orthodox monastery in the town of Peć