The missing pieces

                                                           

                                                           The missing pieces                                                                                                                                   

 By: Nita Sahiti

                                                                                                                                      

It was a Friday midday when I decided to go together with my family and explore my Illyrian roots, I went to visit the Castle of Harilaq, which is located on a hill of Harilaq. When I went there I was mesmerized by what I saw. In the beginning before going to the castle, there was a huge pre entrance that was made with huge stones, and as I walked I was excited because this was my first time visiting the Castle of Harilaq and I did not know what to expect.

(Photo taken by Rina Sahiti)

As I walked to that huge pre entrance I turned back and I saw the whole village of Harilaq and Fushe Kosova, from there it was a beautiful view the houses, the trees the fields seen from that distance seemed like a scene from a movie. As I continued walking I saw some stairs and decided to go and look at them, there I noticed that these stairs were the ones that send people to the Castle. I went up there, I made some pauses and turned to watch the pre entrance from the stairs, I thought to myself: they must have seen what was happening in the village just like me from these stairs, they must have seen the people who entered the castle, but at the same time during war times they must have felt secure as they could see what the enemy was doing.

 As I continued walking I was feeling proud of what my ancestors had built, but at the same time curious as I went up in the castle I asked myself: how did they make it? Who designed the Castle? With what materials did they work? Where did they find these materials?  Was it hard to bring these materials in the castle because it was very high? Unfortunately, these questions remain unanswered. As I climbed the walls of the Castle I saw the walls that were made with some type of stones and pugs ,when I entered the Castle I was furious when I saw that only some traces of the Castle remained and trees had started to grow. When I stepped closer to the remaining's of the castle, I could only picture in my mind: how did the castle used to look; the walls, rooms, thrones since everything was destroyed.

(Photos taken by Rina Sahiti)

Even though the castle was destroyed only the floor, the walls, and some parts of the room remained its history is told by its missing pieces. these pieces tell  that we are a nation that throughout centuries have survived and these pieces are  traces of our glorious past. Visiting Harilaq’s castle connected me with my ancestors and my Illyrian roots. For people who want to have a glance at Kosovo’s past visiting Harilaq’s castle is a must!.           

 (Photos taken by Rina Sahiti)