Stephen Lewis' weblog merits a visit with a new posting on wooden mosques in the Eastern Balkans. See also some related photo blogs (is that the proper term?) on painted decoration in late Ottoman mosques and stone-carving. Strangely, his other weblog at hakpaksak.wordpress.com ("Infrastructure, Identity, Communication, and Change") has apparently been shut down by the Turkish government. From my Turkish computer it reads: Access to this site has been suspended in accordance with decision no: 2007/195 of T.C. Fatih 2.Civil Court of First Instance. More on this DEFINITELY later... (update: answer found here)

Next week in Istanbul: Conservation, Restoration, and Re-usage of Ottoman Architecture. Practices and Problems in Turkey, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the Balkans, a symposium at the Netherlands Institute in Turkey (October 9, 2007. 10AM-6PM). In the program (not yet online, conference info here): Machiel Kiel on Problematic Heritage: Restoration and Destruction of the Ottoman Architectural Heritage in Southeastern Europe, Sulejman Dashi on Restoring Ottoman Monuments in Albania: Successes and Problems, Gulsun Tanyeli on The Use of Materials from The Ottoman Archive for Restoration Projects, Zeynep Ahunbay on Ottoman Architectural Heritage: Risks and Chances for Survival, and more.

On the topic of "chinatowns" in Balkan cities like Prishtina and Sarajevo (and Belgrade, by the way; scroll down a bit on this site), Julia Nietsch from my neighbour blog SEE-EU has posted a brief comment in the context of an upcoming conference on "new" migrant communities in the Balkans.

More monuments: In the small Serbian town of Zitiste (near the border with Romania) a monument to the legendary on-screen boxer Rocky Balboa (played by Sylvester Stallone) has been unveiled (pic). The monument, built on initiative of the local Rocky Balboa Citizens' Association, was modeled after the one erected in Philadelphia in 1983 (pic), after having secured permission by the original sculptor. The mayor of Zitiste, interviewed by SETimes, explains: "We wanted to create a sort of tourist story. The goal is to make this town a brand. Zitiste has until now been known only for bad things -- floods, the pig plague" (and the Chicken Fest, one may add). The article continues: "Balboa was a logical choice for the monument, the association members say. The movie hero went from failed boxer to successful fighter, and eventually became champion of the world -- beating all his opponents and conquering his own demons. This, say Zitiste residents, is just what they plan to do in order to help their town prosper." On the context of this monument in a series of new monuments in Balkan towns, see also older postings here and on Sabine Ballata's ImagineSEE blog.

BIRN attests a "catholic rebirth in Kosovo", complete with new churches, "as Kosovars of all faiths look to Europe to resolve their political destiny." In the Kosovar capital Prishtina the construction of a new cathedral (a very small picture here), dedicated to Mother Theresa, has entered its final stage. "When construction is complete, the headquarters of the Catholic Bishop of Kosovo will move from Prizren to Pristina – a symbolic move by the Church to the centre of Kosovo’s political and social life." Some non-Catholics, however, are (quite rightfully, I suppose) "annoyed by the fact that the cathedral is to be built in place of a high school [see graffiti and "discussion" here], while devout Muslims have been irritated that the go-ahead came after the province’s Muslim majority was denied permission to build an Islamic centre in Pristina." (See also a picture of the new Catholic church in Gjakova/Djakovica.)

Porto Montenegro is the name of a business project to transform the 24-hectare shipyard of Tivat (Montenegro) into what an article at SETimes refers to as "a mega-yacht marina". A Canadian industrialist has purchased a 90-year lease on the site, on which he is planning to construct "approximately 200 apartments, 300 berths and many restaurants and shops", thereby establishing Tivat as a location on the popular Venice-Corfu cruising line. The mayor is now trying to convince Tivat's 13,000 residents, most of which closely linked to the ship-building industry (the shipyard was built in 1889 when still under Austro-Hungarian rule), "that the changes will bring long-term benefits."