Pogradec () is the
eleventh most populous city in
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 ...
and the capital of the eponymous municipality. It is located on a
narrow plain between two mountain chains along the southwestern banks of the
Lake of Ohrid
Lake Ohrid ( mk, Охридско Езеро , al, Liqeni i Ohrit , also referred as ''Liqeni i Pogradecit'';) is a lake which straddles the mountainous border between the southwestern part of North Macedonia and eastern Albania. It is one of ...
. Its climate is profoundly influenced by a seasonal
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...
and
Continental climate
Continental climates often have a significant annual variation in temperature (warm summers and cold winters). They tend to occur in the middle latitudes (40 to 55 north), within large landmasses where prevailing winds blow overland bringing som ...
. The total population is 61,530, of which 20,848 in the municipal unit (the pre-2015 municipality) Pogradec (2011 census).
Pogradec and its surroundings were listed by
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
as a
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
as part of the
natural and cultural heritage of the
region of Ohrid. Nevertheless, the
Illyrian Royal Tombs in the adjacent unit of
Proptisht
Proptisht is a village and a former municipality in the Korçë County, southeastern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Pogradec. The population at the 2011 census was 4,785. are on the
Albanian tentative list for becoming a
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
.
Etymology
The name of the town is
Eastern South Slavic in origin. Pogradec comes from ''Po(d)'' (under/beneath) and ''
Gradec'' (town, city, castle or fortified settlement) and means literally "under the city". This is a reference to the
ancient Illyrian settlement, which was situated on a hill above the contemporary region of Pogradec. In the medieval period during the Ottoman occupation, the town was known as İstarova or İstarye during
Ottoman rule and was bounded to as
kaza
A kaza (, , , plural: , , ; ota, قضا, script=Arab, (; meaning 'borough')
* bg, околия (; meaning 'district'); also Кааза
* el, υποδιοίκησις () or (, which means 'borough' or 'municipality'); also ()
* lad, kaza
, ...
center in
Görice Sanjak of
Manastır
Bitola (; mk, Битола ) is a city in the southwestern part of North Macedonia. It is located in the southern part of the Pelagonia valley, surrounded by the Baba, Nidže, and Kajmakčalan mountain ranges, north of the Medžitlija-Níki ...
Vilayet before
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars refers to a series of two conflicts that took place in the Balkan States in 1912 and 1913. In the First Balkan War, the four Balkan States of Greece, Serbia, Montenegro and Bulgaria declared war upon the Ottoman Empire and defe ...
.
History
From the 8th until the 14th century, Pogradec area was captured by various medieval states such as the
Bulgarian
Bulgarian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to the country of Bulgaria
* Bulgarians, a South Slavic ethnic group
* Bulgarian language, a Slavic language
* Bulgarian alphabet
* A citizen of Bulgaria, see Demographics of Bulgaria
* Bul ...
, Byzantine and
Serbian Empires as well as by noble Albanian families such as
Gropa. In the middle of 15th century the area became part of
Skanderbeg
, reign = 28 November 1443 – 17 January 1468
, predecessor = Gjon Kastrioti
, successor = Gjon Kastrioti II
, spouse = Donika Arianiti
, issue = Gjon Kastrioti II
, royal house = Kastrioti
, father ...
state and after his death in 1468, it was invaded by the
Ottomans who kept it until Albania's Independence in 1912. During their occupation Pogradec was the center of the
kaza
A kaza (, , , plural: , , ; ota, قضا, script=Arab, (; meaning 'borough')
* bg, околия (; meaning 'district'); also Кааза
* el, υποδιοίκησις () or (, which means 'borough' or 'municipality'); also ()
* lad, kaza
, ...
of Starova and was developed as a small town of craftsmen and fishermen. When the Turkish traveler
Evliya Celebi visited the area in 1662 he wrote that "''Pogradec was a sweet city with red roofs, four neighborhoods, four mosques, two elementary schools, six hundred houses and one hundred and fifty shops''".
During the second half of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, Pogradec area played an important role in the
Albanian National Renaissance. In 14 March 1887 the second Albanian language school was started here.
During
WWI
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
Pogradec became a battlefield divided between the enemy fronts. From 1914 until 1920 Austro-Hungarian, Serbian, Greek, Bulgarian and French armies, captured the city replacing each-other from time to time.
During
WWII
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
the city was first invaded by the Italian army in 12 April 1939. Italian occupation of Pogradec was interrupted due to
Greco-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 ...
and Greek troops
occupied
' (Norwegian: ') is a Norwegian political thriller TV series that premiered on TV2 on 5 October 2015. Based on an original idea by Jo Nesbø, the series is co-created with Karianne Lund and Erik Skjoldbjærg. Season 2 premiered on 10 October ...
the city between 30 November 1940 and 14 April 1941. After Italy's
capitulation in 1943 the Italians were replaced by German
Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previous ...
units who held the city until 30 August 1944 when it was liberated by the Albanian partisans.
After the war the town was a favorite summer escape for many communist government officials and particularly
Enver Hoxha. The summer residences and the area around them were sealed off from the public.
Geography
Pogradec is located at , on the shore of the southwestern corner of the
Lake of Ohrid
Lake Ohrid ( mk, Охридско Езеро , al, Liqeni i Ohrit , also referred as ''Liqeni i Pogradecit'';) is a lake which straddles the mountainous border between the southwestern part of North Macedonia and eastern Albania. It is one of ...
between two mountain chains located in the north and east.
The mountain chain of
Mali i Thatë
Mali i Thatë ( mk, Сува Гора, ''Suva Gora''; rup, Malethate, Malethata) is a mountain in southeast Albania; with a part of it being in the southwest of North Macedonia (known with the name Galičica and declared a National Park) with the ...
in the
Prespa National Park rises in the east of the city and divides the region from the
Lake of Prespa.
Defined in an area of , the
municipality of Pogradec is encompassed in the
county of Korçë within the
Southern Region of Albania and consists of the adjacent administrative units of
Buçimas
Buçimas is an administrative unit in the municipality of Pogradec, Korçë County, Albania. The village of Buçimas is the seat of the eponymous unit and consist of the adjacent villages of Bahçallëk, Gështënjas, Gurras, Peshkëpi, Remenj, T ...
,
Çërravë,
Dardhas
Dardhas is an administrative unit in the municipality of Pogradec, Korçë County, Albania
Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern E ...
,
Proptisht
Proptisht is a village and a former municipality in the Korçë County, southeastern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Pogradec. The population at the 2011 census was 4,785. ,
Trebinjë
Trebinjë is a village and a former municipality in the Korçë County, southeastern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Pogradec. The population at the 2011 census was 2,481. ,
Udenisht,
Velçan and Pogradec as its seat.
Climate
The climate of the Lake Ohrid is classified as a local-continental type because of a microclime that is created in that area influenced by
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...
. The average annual rainfall in the Lake basin amount to approximately 730 mm.
Economy
Pogradec is located about 139 km from
Tirana
Tirana ( , ; aln, Tirona) is the capital and largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest overlooking the Adriatic Sea ...
, the capital city of
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 ...
, 40 km from
Korça, and 5 km from
North Macedonia
North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Socialist Feder ...
.
Pogradec is the last railway station:
Tirana
Tirana ( , ; aln, Tirona) is the capital and largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest overlooking the Adriatic Sea ...
-
Durrës
Durrës ( , ; sq-definite, Durrësi) is the second most populous city of the Republic of Albania and seat of Durrës County and Durrës Municipality. It is located on a flat plain along the Albanian Adriatic Sea Coast between the mouths of ...
-
Elbasan
Elbasan ( ; sq-definite, Elbasani ) is the fourth most populous city of Albania and seat of Elbasan County and Elbasan Municipality. It lies to the north of the river Shkumbin between the Skanderbeg Mountains and the Myzeqe Plain in central Al ...
-
Librazhd
Librazhd ( sq-definite, Librazhdi) is a town and a municipality in Elbasan County, eastern Albania. The municipality was formed at the 2015 local government reform by the merger of the former municipalities Hotolisht, Librazhd, Lunik, Orenjë, Po ...
- Pogradec and located along SH3 road that passes through
Devoll and continues to Greece.
However, the train service now finishes at Elbasan, and parts of the line from there on are derelict. There are some proposals to revive the line and extend it to connect to the Greek railway network.
Translake transport started on 15 June 2014 with a tourist ferry between Pogradec and
Ohrid
Ohrid ( mk, Охрид ) is a city in North Macedonia and is the seat of the Ohrid Municipality. It is the largest city on Lake Ohrid and the List of cities in North Macedonia, eighth-largest city in the country, with the municipality recording ...
, but the service is sporadic and unreliable.
Culture
Pogradec is well known for its famous writers and poets such as
Lasgush Poradeci and
Mitrush Kuteli
Dhimitër Pasko ( ro, Dimitrie Pascu; 13 September 1907 – 4 May 1967) was a well-known Albanian writer, literary critic and translator. Along with Ernest Koliqi he is considered as the founder of modern Albanian prose; in Albanian literature his ...
, and lately
Luan Starova
Luan Arif Starova ( mk, Луан Ариф Старова; 14 August 1941 – 24 February 2022) was an Albanian writer who lived in North Macedonia. He published his works both in Albanian and in Macedonian. He is translated in over 20 languages ...
. Their works are a crucial part of Albanian literature.
The main characters of Luan Starova's cycle of novels, "The Balkan Saga", are the author's own parents and their family, who fled Pogradec for Macedonia during World War II. Separated from their old hometown and their relatives by the Albania-Yugoslavia border during the
Enver Hoxha's era, they would often look at Pogradec through a binocular from the vantage point of
Monastery of Saint Naum on the other side of the lake.
Pogradec is also the home of nationally acclaimed painters like Anastas Kostandini(Taso), Gjergji Lako, Gentian Zeka, Vangjo Vasili and Ilir Dhima. All kinds of sports are practiced in town, especially by the youth.
Pogradec has a professional
soccer
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
team (currently in the Superliga, the best division in Albania) which holds the name ''Pogradeci''. There are several varsity soccer teams mainly composed of high school students. Even
volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...
and
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
are played competitively. During the summer, beach volleyball draws the attention of all the residents. Many professional volleyball teams from
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 ...
and other Balkanic countries participate in a championship which lasts about two weeks. Pogradeci team has been awarded the first prize several times. Other sports to mention are
swimming
Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, or other liquid, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Locomotion is achieved through coordinated movement of the limbs and the body to achieve hydrodynamic thrust that r ...
and
boxing
Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...
. The boxing team, "Dragoi", is one of the top teams in the nation and has always trained champions.
Pogradec also has a rich folklore. Many songs and dances have been created throughout the centuries. Their themes are based on the beauty of the lake and a love for nature.
Some of the main recurring cultural events in the city are:
"Puppet Theater Festival" - Takes place every June. Participants vary from national to European level.
"Lake Day" - Takes place in 21 June. All the towns surrounding lake Ohrid (Pogradec, Ohrid and Struga) gather in a festival where local delicacies, including food and culture are showcased.
"Balkan Film Food Festival" - Takes place in September. Balkan movies, documentaries and culinary are showcased throughout the days of the festival.
"Wine Fest" - Takes place in December. Pogradec families compete together for the best homemade wine in the city. The days of the festival are accompanied by great food and live music.
Pogradec area is very rich in cultural and natural monuments among which can be mentioned
*
Pogradec Castle
*19th and 20th century historical center of the city of Pogradec
*Castle of Blace village
*Castle of
Zemçë village
*Fortifications in the village of
Slabinjë
*Prehistoric settlement of Zagradie in the village of
Lin
Lin or LIN may refer to:
People
*Lin (surname) (normally ), a Chinese surname
*Lin (surname) (normally 蔺), a Chinese surname
* Lin (''The King of Fighters''), Chinese assassin character
*Lin Chow Bang, character in Fat Pizza
Places
*Lin, Iran, ...
*Bridge near the villages
Jollë and
Llëngë
*Bridge near the village of
Golik
*Bridge near the village of
Niçë
*Bridge near the village of
Çezmë
*Bridge in the village of
Zgallë
*Bridge in the village of
Servatinë
*Terziu Bridge in the village of
Proptisht
Proptisht is a village and a former municipality in the Korçë County, southeastern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Pogradec. The population at the 2011 census was 4,785.
*Fortification in the village of Shpellë in
Mokra Mokra may refer to the following places:
* Mokra, Łódź Voivodeship (central Poland)
* Mokra, Silesian Voivodeship (south Poland)
* Mokra, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (south-central Poland)
* Mokra, Greater Poland Voivodeship (west-central Poland ...
*
St. Marina's Monastery in the village of
Llëngë
*Paleo-Christian church and mosaics in the village of
Lin
Lin or LIN may refer to:
People
*Lin (surname) (normally ), a Chinese surname
*Lin (surname) (normally 蔺), a Chinese surname
* Lin (''The King of Fighters''), Chinese assassin character
*Lin Chow Bang, character in Fat Pizza
Places
*Lin, Iran, ...
*Byzantine church in the village of
Lin
Lin or LIN may refer to:
People
*Lin (surname) (normally ), a Chinese surname
*Lin (surname) (normally 蔺), a Chinese surname
* Lin (''The King of Fighters''), Chinese assassin character
*Lin Chow Bang, character in Fat Pizza
Places
*Lin, Iran, ...
*Mosaic in the village of
Tushemisht
Tushemisht is a settlement in the Korçë County, in southeastern Albania, located on the shores of Lake Ohrid. It was part of the former Buçimas municipality. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality Pogradec. The v ...
*
Drilon Drilon is a given name and a surname. Notable persons with that name include:
Persons with the given name
* Drilon Cenaj (born 1997), Kosovan footballer
* Drilon Hajrizi (born 1991), Kosovan basketball player
* Drilon Ibrahimi (born 1988), Kosovan ...
water sources and swans park near Tushemisht
*
Guri i Kamjes in
Mokra Mokra may refer to the following places:
* Mokra, Łódź Voivodeship (central Poland)
* Mokra, Silesian Voivodeship (south Poland)
* Mokra, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (south-central Poland)
* Mokra, Greater Poland Voivodeship (west-central Poland ...
*The karstic cave and small lake inside it above the village of
Hudenisht
Twin towns – sister cities
Pogradec is
twinned with:
*
Ohrid
Ohrid ( mk, Охрид ) is a city in North Macedonia and is the seat of the Ohrid Municipality. It is the largest city on Lake Ohrid and the List of cities in North Macedonia, eighth-largest city in the country, with the municipality recording ...
, North Macedonia
*
Wismar
Wismar (; Low German: ''Wismer''), officially the Hanseatic City of Wismar (''Hansestadt Wismar'') is, with around 43,000 inhabitants, the sixth-largest city of the northeastern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and the fourth-largest city ...
, Germany
References
External links
bashkiapogradec.gov.al– Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pogradec
Cities in Albania
Administrative units of Pogradec
Municipalities in Korçë County
Populated coastal places in Albania
Illyrian Albania
Albanian Ohrid Lake Coast