Peqin (, sq-definite, Peqini) is a town and municipality in

Elbasan County Elbasan County () is one of the 12 counties of Albania. The population is 266,245 (2021), in an area of 3199 km². Its capital is the city Elbasan. Administrative divisions Until 2000, Elbasan County was subdivided into four districts: Elbas ...

, central

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 share ...

. The municipality was formed at the 2015 local government reform by the merger of the former municipalities

Gjoçaj Gjocaj is a village and a former municipality in the Elbasan County, central Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Peqin Peqin (, sq-definite, Peqini) is a town and municipality in Elbasan Count ...

Karinë Karinë is a village and a former municipality in the Elbasan County, central Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Peqin Peqin (, sq-definite, Peqini) is a town and municipality in Elbasan Coun ...

Pajovë Pajovë is a village and a former municipality in the District, Elbasan County, central Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Peqin Peqin (, sq-definite, Peqini) is a town and municipality in El ...

, Peqin, Përparim and

Shezë Shezë is a former municipality in the Elbasan County, central Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Peqin Peqin (, sq-definite, Peqini) is a town and municipality in Elbasan County, central Alb ...

, that became municipal units. The seat of the municipality is the town Peqin. The total population is 26,136 (2011 census), in a total area of 197.90 km². The population of the former municipality at the 2011 census was 6,353.

History

The city dates back 2000 years, it is mentioned as Illyrian fortress. The ancient name of Peqin was Clodiana. The city's modern name derives from the Ottoman form ''Bekleyin'', which means a place of hospitality. During Ottoman rule Peqin belonged to the

Sanjak of Elbasan The Sanjak of Elbasan ( tr, İlbasan Sancağı) was one of the sanjaks of the Ottoman Empire. Its county town was Elbasan in Albania. Administration Although Halil Inalcik explains that the Sanjak of Elbasan was established as soon as the fort ...

. The Ottoman Peqin Castle still exists, along with some original parts of the mosque of Abdurrahman Pasha, who had been the governor of

Wallachia Wallachia or Walachia (; ro, Țara Românească, lit=The Romanian Land' or 'The Romanian Country, ; archaic: ', Romanian Cyrillic alphabet: ) is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Lower Danube and s ...

and

Moldavia Moldavia ( ro, Moldova, or , literally "The Country of Moldavia"; in Romanian Cyrillic: or ; chu, Землѧ Молдавскаѧ; el, Ἡγεμονία τῆς Μολδαβίας) is a historical region and former principality in Centr ...

(former Bogdania). This castle was also constructed during the

Via Egnatia The Via Egnatia was a road constructed by the Romans in the 2nd century BC. It crossed Illyricum, Macedonia, and Thracia, running through territory that is now part of modern Albania, North Macedonia, Greece, and European Turkey as a con ...

road being made. On the

road Peqin was another stop on the road and a settlement for soldiers and there were Pashas in the castle. The last remaining resident in the castle was Demir Pasha.

Historic places

* Peqin Castle *

*Orthodox church *Protestant church *Moschue of Peqin

Transport

Bus

There are buses available at the center of the city which run to many places in and out of

Train

There is a train station in the city and trains pass by on the

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 ...

- Pogradec line.

Highway

There is the SH7 stateroad on the outer city ring of Peqin and starts in

Rrogozhinë Rrogozhinë ( sq-definite, Rrogozhina) is a town and a municipality in Tirana County, centrally located in the Western Lowlands region of Albania. It was formed at the 2015 local government reform by the merger of the former municipalities Gosë, ...

and ends in Bradashesh,

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 ...

Sports

The football team of Peqin is

KS Shkumbini KF Shkumbini is an Albanian football club based in the city of Peqin. The club's home ground is the Shkumbini Stadium and they compete in the Kategoria e Dytë. History Football was first introduced to the city of Peqin in the early 1920s after ...

. The team was founded in 1951 and its home ground is

Shkumbini Stadium Shkumbini Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Peqin, Albania. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of KS Shkumbini KF Shkumbini is an Albanian football club based in the city of Peqin. The club's home ground is ...

with a capacity of 9,000 spectators. KS Shkumbini currently plays in the

Albanian Second Division Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: **Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language **Albanian culture **Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...

. KS Shkumbini is famous for its fans, called Besnikët, known as Faithful.

Notable people

Mustafa Gjinishi Mustafa Gjinishi (15 January 1912 – 23 August 1944) was an Albanian communist from Peqin, central Albania. He was known for having opposed Enver Hoxha and the Italian invasion of Albania. Mustafa Gjinishi was a known fighting for Albanian pro ...

, activist during National Liberation War *

Hekuran Isai Hekuran Isai (7 May 1933 in Peqin – 26 March 2008 in Tirana) was an Albanian politician of the Albanian Party of Labour (PPSh). Life After joining the Albanian Party of Labour (Alb: ''Partia e Punes së Shqipërisë'') in 1957, he studied in th ...

, post-World War II communist politician *

Gugash Magani Gugash Magani (born 14 March 1965) is an Albanian retired football player and current coach. Club career Magani played the majority of his 22-year professional career with Shkumbini Peqin, while also having stints at other Albanian clubs Besa ...

, football player and manager * Murat Manahasa,

veterinary Veterinary medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, management, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, disorder, and injury in animals. Along with this, it deals with animal rearing, husbandry, breeding, research on nutri ...

researcher and professor * Abdurrahman Pasha, former governor of

and

within Ottoman Empire

References

Municipalities in Elbasan County Administrative units of Peqin Towns in Albania {{Elbasan-geo-stub