Bus from KOSOVSKA MITROVICA to Dresden

Mitrovica or Kosovska Mitrovica is a city and municipality in the northern part of Kosovo. Settled on the banks of Ibar and Sitnica rivers, the city is the administrative center of the District of Mitrovica.

In 2013, following the North Kosovo crisis, the Serb-majority municipality of North Mitrovica was created, dividing the city in two administrative units, both operating within the Kosovo legal framework.

According to the 2011 Census, in Mitrovica live 84,235 inhabitants, 71,909 of which in the southern municipality and 12,326 in North Mitrovica.

In the middles ages the city was called "Demetrius" in honour of Saint Demetrius of Thessaloniki. When the city came under Ottoman rule, it was renamed "Mitrovica", as happened to other locations in the Balkans named after Saint Demetrius.

After President Tito's death, each of the constituent parts of Yugoslavia had to have one place named with the word 'Tito' (or 'Tito's') included, the city was then known as Titova Mitrovica in Serbian or Mitrovica e Titos in Albanian, until 1991.

The city is now known as Mitrovica and Mitrovicë in the Albanian language and Kosovska Mitrovica in the Serbian language.

The city is one of the oldest known settlements in Kosovo, being first mentioned in written documents during the Middle Ages.[citation needed] The name Kosovska Mitrovica comes from the 14th century, from Saint Demetrius of Thessaloniki,[citation needed] but there are some other legends on the origin of its name.[citation needed] Near Mitrovica is the medieval fortress of Zvečan, which played an important role during the Kingdom of Serbia under Nemanjić rule.

Under Ottoman rule Mitrovica was a typical small Oriental city. Rapid development came in the 19th century after lead ore was discovered and mined in the region, providing what has historically been one of Kosovo largest industries.

It became an industrial town, formerly the economic centre of Kosovo because of the nearby Trepča Mines. It grew in size as a centre of trade and industry with the completion of the railway line to Skopje in 1873–1878, which linked Mitrovica to the port of Thessalonika.[5] Another line later linked the town to Belgrade and Western Europe. During World War II, the city was part of Axis-occupied Serbia. In 1948, Mitrovica had a population of 13,901 and in the early 1990s of about 75,000.

Both the town and municipality were badly affected by the 1999 Kosovo War. According to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the area had been the scene of guerrilla activity by the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) prior to the war. It came under the command of NATO's French sector; 7,000 French troops were stationed in the western sector with their headquarters in Mitrovica. They were reinforced with a contingent of 1,200 troops from the United Arab Emirates, and a small number of Danish troops.

 In the aftermath of the war, the town became a symbol of Kosovo's ethnic divisions. The badly damaged southern half of the town was repopulated by an estimated 50,000 Albanians. Their numbers have since grown with the arrival of refugees from destroyed villages in the countryside.[citation needed] Most of the approximately 6,000 Roma fled to Serbia, or were relocated to one of two resettlement camps, Cesmin Lug, or Osterode, in North Kosovska Mitrovica. In the north, live some 17,000 Kosovo Serbs, with 2,000 Kosovo Albanians and 1,700 Bosniaks inhabiting discrete enclaves on the north bank of the Ibar River. Almost all of the Serbs living on the south bank were displaced to North Mitrovica after the Kosovo War. In 2011, the city had an estimated total population of 71,601.

DRESDEN

The city of Dresden is the state capital of the Free State of Saxony and, with its population of over 500,000, is one of the medium-sized German cities. The history of the settlements dates back to the Stone Age, the city was founded in 1206. Today, Dresden is both the cultural and economic center of Saxony. The city has become famous through the Dresden Christstollen, which enjoys a great popularity during the Christmas season.

Dresden is famous for its sightseeing spots that attract a great number of tourists every year:

 The Dresden Frauenkirche (The Church of Our Lady): The Dresden Frauenkirche is the symbol of the Saxon state capital and was built within 17 years and completed in 1743. In the Second World War the impressive church was almost completely destroyed by a huge fire. After the reconstruction, which lasted from 1994 to 2005, it now shines again in its new splendor and is a popular excursion destination of Dresden. Especially from the air-balloon over Saxony, the Frauenkirche looks particularly beautiful!

Dresden Residence Castle: The Dresden Residence Castle is one of the historical buildings of the city whose history dates back to the 14th century. Visitors can visit the Green Vault and the New  Green Vault, where valuable art treasures are exhibited.

Military History Museum of the Bundeswehr: The Military History Museum of the Bundeswehr is one of the largest museums of the German military and was opened in 1877. Here, visitors can learn everything about German military history from its beginnings to modern days. Well-known exhibit is the Brandtaucher (Fire Diver), the first German submarine which Dreiller Wilhelm Bauer developed and built in 1850.

Ufa Crystal Palace: The Ufa Crystal Palace is a Cinema center in the city center, which has an extraordinary architectural design with a glass exterior facade. It is located in the Prague street and was opened in March 1998. The Cinema center has 8 cinemas with 2,700 seats for relaxation.

The Blue Miracle: The Blue Miracle is the Loschwitz Bridge and one of the most famous bridge structures in Dresden. The bridge was built in 1893 and connects the noble districts of Blasewitz and Loschwitz with a length of 280 meters.

The Transparent Factory: itis the production facility for Volkswagen's top-class car VW Phaeton. The publicly accessible Autowerk at the Großen Garten is home to the hotel and was opened in 2002. There is a restaurant and a bar for the culinary delights.

The Neue Kugelhaus is located directly at Dresden's main railway station and is an attractive shopping center in the form of a glass ball. There are over 30 shops on 4 floors, which offer a special shopping experience.

The Semper Opera House: The Semper Opera is the court and state opera of the Saxony, whose history dates back to the year 1841. Regular concerts and operettas are held there, including performances by well-known artists such as Richard Wagner.