Shëngjin is a coastal town and a former municipality in
Lezhë County
Lezhë County ( sq, Qarku i Lezhës) is one of the 12 counties of Albania. The population as of 2021 was 120,678, in an area of 1620 km². , northwestern
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 ...
. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality of
Lezhë
Lezhë (, sq-definite, Lezha) is a city in the Republic of Albania and seat of Lezhë County and Lezhë Municipality.
One of the main strongholds of the Labeatai, the earliest of the fortification walls of Lezhë are of typical Illyrian const ...
. The population at the 2011 census was 8,091.
[2011 census results]
Shëngjin is a growing tourist destination, well known for its beaches and resort accommodations. Shëngjin is one of many cities within the District of Lezhë and is home to one of Albania's entry ports, Port of Shëngjin.
History
The area of Shëngjin has been identified with the site of the ancient harbour of
Nymphaeum
A ''nymphaeum'' or ''nymphaion'' ( grc, νυμφαῖον), in ancient Greece and Rome, was a monument consecrated to the nymphs, especially those of springs.
These monuments were originally natural grottoes, which tradition assigned as habit ...
on the coast of
Illyria
In classical antiquity, Illyria (; grc, Ἰλλυρία, ''Illyría'' or , ''Illyrís''; la, Illyria, ''Illyricum'') was a region in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula inhabited by numerous tribes of people collectively known as the Illyr ...
, three miles to the north of
Lissus Lissus or Lissos ( el, Λίσσος) could be:
* Lissus (Crete), an ancient Greek city in Crete
* Lissos (Illyria), an ancient city in Illyria, the present day city of Lezhë in Albania
* Lissus, a river in Thrace
Thrace (; el, Θράκη ...
. In the vicinity of Shëngjin the
League of Lezhë
The League of Lezhë ( sq, Lidhja e Lezhës), also commonly referred to as the Albanian League ( sq, Lidhja Arbërore), was a military and diplomatic alliance of the Albanian aristocracy, created in the city of Lezhë on 2 March 1444. The Leag ...
was stipulated by Skanderbeg uniting the Albanian princes in the fight against the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
in the 15th century. Skanderbeg is recognized as a national hero for his efforts to unite the region against the Turks.
Shëngjin's coastline has always provided a key geographic asset to the area for over a thousand years. The town operated as the main port for the interior city of
Scutari. It was repeated occupied and/or attacked by the
Venetians during their many wars with the Ottoman Turks. Before
World War I
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 ...
,
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...
maintained a consulate to serve its small business interests in the region.
The town was known as ''Şingin'' during the Ottoman period. It was loyal to the Ottomans during the
Albanian revolt of 1911
The Albanian revolt of 1911 or the Malësori uprising of 1911 was one of many Albanian revolts in the Ottoman Empire and lasted from 24 March 1911 until 4 August 1911 in the region of Malësia.
Background
The main headquarters of the rebels ...
due to the presence of Turkish soldiers in the fortress of Scutari. It was captured by the
Serbian and
Montenegrin armies in November 1912 when the latter put Scutari under siege. Shëngjin was claimed by Montenegro, but both armies were forced to evacuate by the Great Powers. Serbia reoccupied the town in summer 1915, and held it until driven out by the advancing
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army (, literally "Ground Forces of the Austro-Hungarians"; , literally "Imperial and Royal Army") was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint arm ...
in January 1916. The Austrians evacuated in November 1918, and were replaced by
Italian troops for several months until the frontier with the new
Yugoslavian State was settled.
In 1924, the Albanian government renamed ''Shengjin'' as ''Wilson'', in honor of American President
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...
for backing Albania's independence in 1919, when proposals for Albania's partition were circulated among the Great Powers but strongly opposed by the President. In April 1939, the Italian Army landed at Shëngjin in order to occupy Scutari and northern Albania. The town's name was officially changed to the old Italian ''San Giovanni di Medua'' during
World War II
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 ...
. After the war, the town's name reverted once more to ''Shëngjin''.
The Municipal Unit implements national legislation and local ordinances, while trying to promote the general welfare of its citizens. Over the past years, Shengjin has become an important tourist destination in Albania. Shëngjin's former ''Komuna'' has had the privilege of welcoming national leaders as well as foreign dignitaries to the city.
Geography
![Sh%C3%ABngjin](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/Sh%C3%ABngjin.jpg)
Shëngjin is located approximately 100 meters away from the waters of the
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) to t ...
, and below a mountain side called Rrenci that is approximately 159 meters in height. Shëngjin is also located approximately 60 km from the Tirana Mother Teresa International Airport.
Shëngjin offers a wide arrange of environmentally friendly activities. To the south of the city, the protected area of
Kunë-Vain-Tale Nature Park is located, which offers a beautiful and undisturbed place to enjoy the natural surroundings of wetlands and seafront. Similarly, just north of city center, "Rana e Hedhun" in Gheg Albanian or "Rera e Hedhur" in standard Albanian coastal dune is located, which also offers a wonderful experience of rural and undeveloped sand dunes along the coastline.
According to EssentialAlbania.com, "Being an ecological city, Shengjin in Albania offers some of the best fishing grounds that ensure that there is a balance between the rate of fishing and the frequent of fishing so that to ensure that there is no too much loss of fish from the sea. They respect the fact that the fish need to breed in order to maintain their population."
Economy
Shëngjn's economy is focused around two major industries: seaport and tourism. The
Port of Shëngjin
The Port of Shëngjin or Shëngjin Harbor ( sq, Porti i Shëngjinit) is a port of Albania in the city of Shëngjin, Albania.http://www.infoarkiv.com/kerko/kerkimithjeshte/termi/Porti+Detar+Shengjin
See also
*Port of Durrës
* Port of Vlorë
*Port ...
, or Shëngjin Harbor, is the northernmost seaport in Albania and is frequently accessed by cargo and fishing vessels. The Port of Shëngjin provides the area with a strong industrial foundation. Shëngjin has the third largest port in Albania and the Harbor's access point is located on the northwest part of the city. The port is protected by lengthy rock walls that extend into the sea. Shëngjin has approximately 3 km of beach front.
In 2019, electronic music festival UNUM took place in Rana e Hedhun, the first such event to be organized on the
Adriatic Sea Coast of Albania rivaling similar events along the
Albanian Riviera
The Albanian Riviera ( sq, Riviera shqiptare, ), also popularly known as Bregu, is a coastline along the Northeastern Ionian Sea in the Mediterranean Sea encompassing the districts of Sarandë and Vlorë in Southwestern Albania. It forms an impo ...
.
Climate
Shëngjin has a mild climate that is typical of the region, with temperatures during the day ranging from 9.5 °C (49.1 °F) to 30.1 °C (86.2 °F) from January and August respectively. Night temperatures range from 3.0 °C (37.4 °F) to 20.2 °C (68.4 °F) from January (low) and July (high).
Its hottest months are May–September, with average day temperatures from 24 °C (75.2 °F) in May to 30 °C (86 °F) in July and August.
Sister towns
*
Viareggio
Viareggio () is a city and ''comune'' in northern Tuscany, Italy, on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea. With a population of over 62,000, it is the second largest city within the province of Lucca, after Lucca.
It is known as a seaside resort as ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
*
San Filippo del Mela
San Filippo del Mela ( Sicilian: ''San Filippu'') is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Messina in the Italian region Sicily, located about east of Palermo and about west of Messina.
San Filippo del Mela borders the followi ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
*
Sterling Heights
Sterling Heights is a city in Macomb County of the U.S. state of Michigan, and one of Detroit's core suburbs. As of the 2020 Census, the city had a total population of 134,346. It is the second largest suburb in Metro Detroit, and the fourth la ...
,
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
Gallery
See also
*
Velipoja
*
Zef Pllumi
Zef Pllumi (28 August 1924 – 25 September 2007) was an Albanian Franciscan priest and memoirist. After 26 years in communist prisons he wrote the non-fiction works Live to tell, a true story of religious persecution in Albania ( sq, Rrno vetë ...
*
Durres
*
Albanian Adriatic Sea Coast
The Albanian Adriatic Sea Coast ( — ) stretches in the Southeastern Adriatic Sea beginning at the Gulf of Drin in the north, across the port cities of Shëngjin, Durrës and Vlorë, to the Bay of Vlorë in the south, where the Albanian Rivie ...
*
Albanian Riviera
The Albanian Riviera ( sq, Riviera shqiptare, ), also popularly known as Bregu, is a coastline along the Northeastern Ionian Sea in the Mediterranean Sea encompassing the districts of Sarandë and Vlorë in Southwestern Albania. It forms an impo ...
*
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 ...
References
External links
Shëngjin Travel GuideLezha Online NewsLezha Travel and TourismShëngjin Port
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shengjin
Mediterranean port cities and towns in Albania
Populated coastal places in Albania
Administrative units of Lezhë
Former municipalities in Lezhë County
Towns in Albania