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Këlcyrë ( sq-definite, Këlcyra) is a town and a municipality in southern
Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...
, located on the bank of the river
Vjosë The Vjosa (; indefinite form: ) or Aoös ( el, Αώος) is a river in northwestern Greece and southwestern Albania. Its total length is about , of which the first are in Greece, and the remaining in Albania. Its drainage basin is and its ave ...
. It was formed at the 2015 local government reform by the merger of the former municipalities
Ballaban Ballaban is a village and a former municipality in the Gjirokastër County, southern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Këlcyrë Këlcyrë ( sq-definite, Këlcyra) is a town and a municipalit ...
,
Dishnicë Dishnicë is a former municipality in the Gjirokastër County, southern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Këlcyrë Këlcyrë ( sq-definite, Këlcyra) is a town and a municipality in southern ...
, Këlcyrë and
Sukë Sukë is a village and a former municipality in the Gjirokastër County, southern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Këlcyrë Këlcyrë ( sq-definite, Këlcyra) is a town and a municipality in ...
, that became municipal units. The seat of the municipality is the town Këlcyrë. The total population is 6,113 (2011 census), in a total area of 304.86 km2. The population of the former municipality at the 2011 census was 2,651. The Vjosë forms a canyon near the town, known as the
Këlcyrë Gorge Këlcyrë ( sq-definite, Këlcyra) is a town and a municipality in southern Albania, located on the bank of the river Vjosë. It was formed at the 2015 local government reform by the merger of the former municipalities Ballaban, Dishnicë, Këlcyr ...
.


Municipality

The municipal unit consists of the town Këlcyrë and the villages Fshat Këlcyrë, Sukë, Dishnicë, Mbrezhdan, Maleshovë, Limar, Toshkëz, Ballaban, Tolar, Çorrogunjë, Leskaj and Kala. The village of Maleshovë traditionally consists of three neighbourhoods, one Christian, one Muslim and one with families of both religions. "Thus Maleshovë, which belongs to a group centering on Permet, has three mahaladhes, of which one is Christian, one is Mohammedan, and one has families of each faith."


Name

The Byzantine
Suda The ''Suda'' or ''Souda'' (; grc-x-medieval, Σοῦδα, Soûda; la, Suidae Lexicon) is a large 10th-century Byzantine encyclopedia of the ancient Mediterranean world, formerly attributed to an author called Soudas (Σούδας) or Souidas ...
lexicon, writes that the Romans called the forts at the passes ''Kleisoúrai'' ( grc-x-medieval, Κλεισοῦραι), which is the Medieval Greek rendering of the
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
word in
plural The plural (sometimes abbreviated pl., pl, or ), in many languages, is one of the values of the grammatical category of number. The plural of a noun typically denotes a quantity greater than the default quantity represented by that noun. This de ...
; the latter recorded for the first time in an order given by emperor
Theodosius II Theodosius II ( grc-gre, Θεοδόσιος, Theodosios; 10 April 401 – 28 July 450) was Roman emperor for most of his life, proclaimed ''Augustus (title), augustus'' as an infant in 402 and ruling as the eastern Empire's sole emperor after ...
in 443, while the former in the ''Strategikon'' of Maurice and the works of
Procopius Procopius of Caesarea ( grc-gre, Προκόπιος ὁ Καισαρεύς ''Prokópios ho Kaisareús''; la, Procopius Caesariensis; – after 565) was a prominent late antique Greek scholar from Caesarea Maritima. Accompanying the Roman gener ...
(early 6th c.) and
Theophylact Simocatta Theophylact Simocatta (Byzantine Greek: Θεοφύλακτος Σιμοκάτ(τ)ης ''Theophýlaktos Simokát(t)ēs''; la, Theophylactus Simocatta) was an early seventh-century Byzantine Empire, Byzantine historiographer, arguably ranking as th ...
(early 7th c.). By the late 7th century, the term came to be applied to more extensive frontier districts of Byzantium, distinct from the larger
themata The themes or ( el, θέματα, , singular: , ) were the main military/administrative divisions of the middle Byzantine Empire. They were established in the mid-7th century in the aftermath of the Slavic invasion of the Balkans and Muslim con ...
. Regardless of this particular evolution, the mountain passes continued to be called ''kleisoúrai'' ( grc-x-medieval, links=no, κλεισοῦραι), but sometimes the word was also used to describe a 'man-made fortified pass'. The word ''kleisoúra'' ( grc-x-medieval, links=no, κλεισοῦρα) was eventually borrowed by all Balkan peoples, becoming the root of several place-names. For instance, Klisura (Plovdiv Province), Klisura (Blagoevgrad Province) and the Klisura Monastery in Bulgaria, Klisura (Demir Kapija Municipality) in North Macedonia, Kleisoura (Kastoria) in Greece, etc.. The name of Këlcyrë comes from the same root; recorded as ''Clausura'' in 1327 and ''Qlisura'' in an Ottoman tax register of 1432. The nearby mountain pass is still called
Klisura Klisura, a South Slavic word of Greek origin (''kleisoúra''), for "pass", "gorge" or "canyon", may refer to: Albania *Këlcyrë, a Byzantine town, now in Albania Bosnia and Herzegovina * Klisura (Višegrad), a village in the municipality of Vi ...
.


History

During the
Second Macedonian War The Second Macedonian War (200–197 BC) was fought between Macedon, led by Philip V of Macedon, and Rome, allied with Pergamon and Rhodes. Philip was defeated and was forced to abandon all possessions in southern Greece, Thrace and Asia Minor ...
against the
Romans Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
, the troops of
Phillip V Philip, also Phillip, is a male given name, derived from the Greek (''Philippos'', lit. "horse-loving" or "fond of horses"), from a compound of (''philos'', "dear", "loved", "loving") and (''hippos'', "horse"). Prominent Philips who popularize ...
and
Athenagoras of Macedon Athenagoras ( grc-gre, Ἀθηναγόρας) was a Macedonian general of Philip V and Perseus. He fought against Dardani.''The Dawn of the Roman Empire'', page 44, by Titus Livius, John Yardley, Waldemar Heckel (2009), and Romans Notes Refere ...
attempted to delay the Roman consul,
Titus Quinctius Flamininus Titus Quinctius Flamininus (c. 228 – 174 BC) was a Roman politician and general instrumental in the Roman conquest of Greece. Family background Flamininus belonged to the minor patrician ''gens'' Quinctia. The family had a glorious place ...
. The Macedonians had secured the passage and then blocked the Roman advance in 198 BC. A shepherd is said to have led the Roman troops through the mountains, so that they could attack the
Macedon Macedonia (; grc-gre, Μακεδονία), also called Macedon (), was an ancient kingdom on the periphery of Archaic and Classical Greece, and later the dominant state of Hellenistic Greece. The kingdom was founded and initially ruled by ...
ians in the narrow gorge of two sides and destroy them. The Macedonians had been decisively defeated a first time. Later, the Romans used the route through the gorge of modern Këlcyrë and built a small settlement. To control this passage, a castle was built in the 13th century. When the town was incorporated in the
Kingdom of Albania Kingdom of Albania may refer to: *Kingdom of Albania (medieval) — from the Capetian House of Anjou *Albanian Kingdom (1928–1939) — from the House of Zogu *Albanian Kingdom (1939–1943) — from the House of Savoy during the Italian occupati ...
in the late 13th century it was ruled by the
Muzaka family The Muzaka were an Albanian noble family that ruled over the region of Myzeqe (southern Albania) in the Late Middle Ages. The Muzaka are also referred to by some authors as a tribe or a clan. The earliest historical document that mention Muzaka ...
. The correspondence of the Roman Curia with the Albanian nobility indicates that in 1319 it was ruled by Count Mentul Muzaka. After its capture by the Byzantine army, the Albanian population rebelled against Byzantine rule in 1335 and captured the fortress of the town. In 1432 the town was captured by Albanian rebels who defeated and expelled the Ottomans from the area. The Turks advanced and built in the 19th century also a
seraglio A seraglio, serail, seray or saray (from fa, سرای, sarāy, palace, via Turkish and Italian) is a castle, palace or government building which was considered to have particular administrative importance in various parts of the former Ott ...
. At this time Këlcyrë experienced its bloom as a key trading center between
Berat Berat (; sq-definite, Berati) is the ninth most populous city of Albania and the seat of Berat County and Berat Municipality. By air, it is north of Gjirokastër, west of Korçë, south of Tirana, and east of Fier. Berat is located in th ...
, Korça and Gjirokastra. The
capture of Klisura Pass The Capture of Klisura Pass ( el, Κατάληψη της Κλεισούρας) was a military operation that took place during 6–11 January 1941 in southern Albania, and was one of the most important battles of the Greco-Italian War. The It ...
(6–11 January 1941) was one of the most important victories of the Greek Army during the
Greek-Italian War The Greco-Italian War (Greek: Ελληνοϊταλικός Πόλεμος, ''Ellinoïtalikós Pólemos''), also called the Italo-Greek War, Italian Campaign in Greece, and the War of '40 in Greece, took place between the kingdoms of Italy and G ...
.


Today

The Kelcyre Castle is a Tourist Attraction nearby the City.The road is the main access route through the gorge that connects Këlcyrë with
Tepelenë Tepelenë ( sq-definite, Tepelena) is a city and a municipality in Gjirokastër County, in the south of Albania. The town is located on the left bank of the Vjosa River, about three kilometres downstream from its union with the Drino. Until the a ...
and other centers of Albania. To the south, the road continues to
Përmet Përmet (; sq-definite, Permeti) is a city and municipality in Gjirokastër County, southern Albania. The municipality of Përmet consists of the administrative units of Çarçovë, Frashër, Petran, Qendër Piskovë and Përmet. The total popul ...
in the capital district and then to
Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
. The road leading to the north in the direction of
Berat Berat (; sq-definite, Berati) is the ninth most populous city of Albania and the seat of Berat County and Berat Municipality. By air, it is north of Gjirokastër, west of Korçë, south of Tirana, and east of Fier. Berat is located in th ...
is paved only a few kilometers, and navigation over long distances is very difficult. Around Këlcyrë there are some age-old Eastern Orthodox churches.


Notable people

*
Ali Këlcyra Ali Bey Këlcyra (May 28, 1891 – September 24, 1963) born Ali Klissura, was an Albanian lord and a member of the Albanian parliament in the 1920s. He was co-founder with Mid'hat Frashëri of the Balli Kombëtar organization in 1942, and the ...
, politician *
Sejfulla Malëshova Sejfulla Malëshova (2 March 1900 – 9 June 1971) was an Albanian politician, writer and translator. He was an early member of the Communist leadership in post-World War II Albania and served as the Ministry of Culture and Propaganda. Biography ...
, writer and politician, founder of the
Albanian League of Writers and Artists The League of Writers and Artists of Albania () is a non-profit organization founded with the goal of promoting and advancing the literary and artistic creativity of Albanian writers and artists, as well as to assess and reassess the finest works ...
in 1945. * Veli bej Këlcyra, signatory of the
Albanian Declaration of Independence The Albanian Declaration of Independence ( Albanian: ''Deklarata e Pavarësisë'') was the declaration of independence of Albania from the Ottoman Empire. Independent Albania was proclaimed in Vlorë on 28 November 1912. Six days later the Assem ...
.


See also

* Kelcyre Castle *
Gorge of Këlcyrë The Këlcyrë Gorge ( sq, Gryka e Këlcyrës) is a gorge in southern Albania created by the river Vjosë, near the town of Këlcyrë. The gorge became famous during the Capture of Klisura Pass battle during the Greco-Italian War in World War I ...
*
Tourism in Albania Tourism in Albania has been a key element to the country's economic activity and is constantly developing. It is characterized by its rich archaeological and cultural heritage dating back to the classical period when Illyrians and Ancient Gre ...
*
History of Albania The history of Albania forms a part of the history of Europe. During classical antiquity, Albania was home to several Illyrian tribes such as the Ardiaei, Albanoi, Amantini, Enchele, Taulantii and many others, but also Thracian and Greek tribes ...


References


External links


Gjirokastra Region Travel Guide
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kelcyre Municipalities in Gjirokastër County Administrative units of Këlcyrë Towns in Albania