Peja is Kosovo's third-largest city and one flanked by sites sacred to Orthodox Serbians. With a Turkish-style bazaar at its heart, for most visitors the real reason to visit is to use the town as the launch pad to some wonderful mountain adventures in the spectacular nearby Rugova Valley and surrounding mountains. The city is the hometown of Majlinda Kelmendi, who was the most successful judo player in world in 2014. The young lady is a big star in Kosovo. In 2016, she won a gold medal at the Olympics.
Current Statues of Women in Peja
Majlinda Kelmendi
Majlinda Kelmendi, the first athlete from Kosovo to win an Olympic Games gold medal, unveiled a statue of herself in her hometown on Friday.
Kelmendi is a judoka. She won the 52-kilograms division at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. She's also a two-time world champion and two-time European champion.
Hundreds of people, including International Judo Federation president Marius Viser, endured the rain to gather in Peja, 85 kilometers (50 miles) west of Pristina, to see the bronze statue of Kelmendi in a judogi preparing to fight.
“I strongly believe that the statue will motivate children in Kosovo to achieve successes in life like me,” the 28-year-old Kelmendi said.
