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Fier (; sq-definite, Fieri) is the seventh most populous city of the Republic of Albania and seat of Fier County and Fier Municipality. It is situated on the bank of Gjanica River in the Myzeqe Plain between the Seman in the north, the
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 ...
in the south and the foothills of the Mallakastra Mountains in the southeast. Fier experiences a seasonal Mediterranean climate effected by its proximity to the Adriatic Sea in the west. Fier was founded in the 19th century by the
Vrioni family The Vrioni family ( Ottoman Turkish: ''Viryon Zâdeler'') is one of the great Albanian aristocratic families and one of the biggest landowners of Albania, otherwise known as "Konaqe" or "Oxhaqe", among which the most important are: Vrioni of Berat ...
and officially in 1864 by
Omer Pasha Vrioni II Omer Pasha Vrioni II (1839–1928), also referred as Ymer or Omar, was an Albanian ruler from one of the most powerful Albanian families of the 19th century. He founded the city of Fier. Biography Omer Pasha was a member of the Vrioni landowning ...
who was the father of Kahreman Pasha Vrioni (1889-1955). It is from the ruins of the ancient settlement of Apollonia which was founded in
588 BCE __NOTOC__ Year 588 ( DLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 588 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar e ...
by Ancient Greek colonists from
Corfu Corfu (, ) or Kerkyra ( el, Κέρκυρα, Kérkyra, , ; ; la, Corcyra.) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the margin of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The isl ...
and Corinth, on a site initially occupied by Illyrian tribes. Fier is an important terminus in southwestern Albania and is served by the A2 motorway and SH 4 highway, forming a north–south corridor in Albania and part of the
Adriatic–Ionian motorway Adriatic–Ionian motorway ( sq, Autostrada Adriatiko-Joniane; Bosnian and hr, Jadransko-jonska autocesta; Montenegrin and sr-Cyrl-Latn, Јадранско-јонски ауто-пут, Jadransko-jonski auto-put) or the Blue Corridor, is a f ...
.


Name

The word "Fier" is claimed to derive from the Albanian word '' fier'', which is claimed to mean "fern". Another alternative hypothesis proposes a derivation from the Italian word '' fiera'', translated as ''trade fair''.


History

The history of Fier is bound up with that of the oil, gas and bitumen deposits nearby. The presence of asphalt and burning escapes of natural gas in the vicinity was recorded as early as the 1st century AD. Dioscorides, in Materia Medica, describes lumps of bitumen in the adjacent river Seman, and the concentrated pitch on the banks of the
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 ...
river
Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-sighted that he could see ...
, writing in about AD 17 states:
On the territory of the people of Apolonia in Illyria there is what is called a nymphaeum. It is a rock which emits fire. Below it are springs flowing with hot water and asphalt... the asphalt is dug out of a neighbouring hill: the parts excavated are replaced by fresh earth, which in time is converted to asphalt.
In the 14th and 15th century the location was used by the
Venetian Venetian often means from or related to: * Venice, a city in Italy * Veneto, a region of Italy * Republic of Venice (697–1797), a historical nation in that area Venetian and the like may also refer to: * Venetian language, a Romance language s ...
traders as a marketplace to purchase agricultural products from the Myzeqe lowlands. The settlement took city status in 1864 when Kahreman Pasha Vrioni, the local governor, asked from some
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
architects to project a future city as an artisan and trade centre. During the 1864–1865 period a market for 122 merchants was built along the Gjanica river. The first inhabitants of the city were the servants of Kahreman Pasha Vrioni and members of Aromanian families that had lived in the area since the early 19th century period. Twelve kilometres away from Fier is situated Apollonia, one of the two most important ancient Illyrian colonial settlements in present-day Albania. It was founded in 600 BC on a hill near the sea, and near what was then the course of Vjosë river by Ancient Greek settlers from
Corfu Corfu (, ) or Kerkyra ( el, Κέρκυρα, Kérkyra, , ; ; la, Corcyra.) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the margin of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The isl ...
and Corinth. At the time before the changes in land formation and the
Adriatic The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, 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) ...
coastline caused by an earthquake in the 3rd century AD, the harbour af Apollonia could accommodate as many as 100 ships. The site is thought to be on the southern boundary of a native
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 ...
n settlement, being mentioned in Periplus, a sailor's account of the Adriatic written in the middle of the 4th century BC by a Greek writer. It was near the territory occupied by the Illyrian tribes and close to the Greek tribe of the Chaonians. The colony was said to have been named
Gylaceia Apollonia (Ancient Greek, Koine Greek: Ἀπολλωνία, ἡ; city-ethnic: Ἀπολλωνιάτης, ''Apolloniates''; la, Apollonia; sq, Apollonia or ''Apolonia'') was an Ancient Greek trade colony which developed into an independent polis ...
after its Corinthian founder, Gylax, and later changed its name to that of city of the God Apollo. According to archaeological investigations for 100 years Greek and Illyrian have lived in separate communities. The economic prosperity of Apolonia grew on the basis of trade in slaves, and the local rich pastoral agricultural. In the middle of the 5th century BC, a workshop for minting coins was set up here. Through trade and commercial transactions these coins spread throughout Illyria and beyond its boundaries. In the years 214 BC onwards, the city was involved in the war between the Illyrian Taulantii and Cassander, the king of
Macedonia Macedonia most commonly refers to: * North Macedonia, a country in southeastern Europe, known until 2019 as the Republic of Macedonia * Macedonia (ancient kingdom), a kingdom in Greek antiquity * Macedonia (Greece), a traditional geographic reg ...
, and in 229 BC came under Roman control. In 168 BC, its loyalty to Rome was rewarded. For 200 years, it was of central importance in the Roman effort to colonize the east and may have been an original terminus of the Egnatian Way. It was a vital stronghold for Caesar in the civil war between Pompey and
Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...
. In 45 and 44 BC, Octavian, later to become the Emperor Augustus, studied for 6 months in Apolonia, which had established a high reputation as a center of Greek learning, especially
the art of rhetoric Aristotle's ''Rhetoric'' ( grc, Ῥητορική, Rhētorikḗ; la, Ars Rhetorica) is an ancient Greek treatise on the art of persuasion, dating from the 4th century BCE. The English title varies: typically it is titled ''Rhetoric'', the ''Art ...
. It was noted by Cicero, in the Philippics, as 'magna urbs et gravis' a great and important city. Under the Empire, Apolonia remained a prosperous centre, but began to decline as the Vjosë silted up and the coastline changed after the earthquake. Since the fall of communism the city of Fier has undergone many changes. For one, an important church was constructed that allows people to practice their religion. Construction has also been taking place in the city and today Fier is home to one of the largest malls in the country.


Geography

Fier is located on the bank of Gjanica in the southeast of the Myzeqe Plain between the Seman in the north and
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 ...
in the south of Fier near the Adriatic Sea in southwestern Albania. The municipality of Fier is encompassed in the County of Fier within the Southern Region of Albania and consists of the adjacent administrative units of Cakran,
Dërmenas Dërmenas is a village and a former municipality in the Fier County, southwestern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Fier Fier (; sq-definite, Fieri) is the seventh most populous city of th ...
,
Frakull Frakull is a former municipality in the Fier County, western Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Fier. The population at the 2011 census was 6,820. One of the villages in the municipal unit is F ...
, Levan,
Libofshë Libofshë is a village and a former municipality in the Fier County, southwestern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Fier Fier (; sq-definite, Fieri) is the seventh most populous city of th ...
,
Mbrostar Mbrostar is a village and a former municipality in the Fier County, southwestern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Fier Fier (; sq-definite, Fieri) is the seventh most populous city of the ...
,
Portëz Portëz is a village and a former municipality in the Fier County, southwestern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Fier Fier (; sq-definite, Fieri) is the seventh most populous city of the ...
, Qendër,
Topojë Topojë is a village and a former municipality in the Fier County, southwestern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Fier Fier (; sq-definite, Fieri) is the seventh most populous city of the ...
and Fier as its seat. It stretches from the mouth of Seman within the
Divjakë-Karavasta National Park The Divjakë-Karavasta National Park ( sq, Parku Kombëtar Divjakë-Karavasta) is a national park in western Albania, sprawling across the Myzeqe, Myzeqe Plain in the direct proximity to the Adriatic Sea. The park spans a territory of containing ...
in the northwest across the Albanian Adriatic Sea Coast until it reaches the mouth of Vjosë in the Vjosa-Narta Protected Landscape in the southwest, also forming the southern border of the municipality. The area of the municipality Fier is 619.9 km2.


Climate

Fier has a Mediterranean climate (Csa) under the Köppen climate classification with mild winters and hot, dry summers.


Economy

Fier is an important industrial city and is built by the Gjanica tributary of the
Seman River The Seman is a major river in western Albania. It is formed by the confluence of the rivers Devoll River, Devoll and Osum, a few km west of Kuçovë. It is long ( with its longest source river Devoll) and its drainage basin is . Its average discha ...
, and is surrounded by marshland. With nearby
Patos Patos is a municipality of the state of Paraíba in the Northeast Region of Brazil. It is classified by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics as a sub-regional center A. It is located in the Espinharas River valley, surrounded by ...
town, it is the centre of the oil, bitumen and chemical industries in Albania. Fier is a convenient place to stay to visit the major Classical sites at nearby Byllis and Apollonia. Main roads from the central square lead south to Vlora () and east to the oil and industrial town of Patos (). Also, to the west of the city centre, one will find the picturesque Seman Beach. Fier is also known for its olive trees production (Kalinjioti cultivar) which contributes to the olive oil sector of Albania. Together with Vlora, Berat and Elbasan they provide almost 90% of olive oil production. The city also plays an important economic role in the development of the county since it produces many goods such as sugar, bread and animal products."Fier", ''albania4ever.com/en/fier'' ite blocked on Wikipedia accessed 28 September 2017 The creation of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline raises the economy of Fier and Albania highly. The pipe line will be crossing Fier and a Pumping Station will be built in Fier. This shows an open road to investment and employment of the city and country. The Pipe line has started since 2015 and is expected to be completed in 2020. This will Supply Albania Natural Gas.


Transport

There are Urban Buses available throughout the city. There are also buses at the bus terminal in Fier that can take you throughout places in Albania and
Balkan The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
region. Fier is served by
Fier railway station Fier railway station serves the city of Fier in Fier County, Albania. The station opened in 1968 after an extension from Rrogozhine was completed. It was a terminus until the line was extended southwards to Ballsh in 1975, though passenger serv ...
. There used to be trains during the communism era and till this day there has been no movement of the trains. The SH4 is a state road that takes you from Durres to Fier. The SH8 is also a state road that will take you from Fier to Vlore. There is a project for the Fier and Vlore highway.


Demography

Fier is the seventh most populous city and sixth most populous municipality in Albania. As of the 2011 census, the municipal unit of Fier had an estimated population of 55,845 of whom 27,767 were men and 28,078 women. The municipality of Fier, including its adjacent administrative units, had a total population of 120,655 in 2011. Fier, as other cities of southern Albania, has a religious mixed population, consisting of
Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
s and Orthodox Christians. Data shows that in 1918, after
Albanian independence The Albanian National Awakening ( sq, Rilindja or ), commonly known as the Albanian Renaissance or Albanian Revival, is a period throughout the 19th and 20th century of a cultural, political and social movement in the Albanian history where the ...
from the Ottoman Empire, Fier and its surrounding countryside on the Myzeqe Plain formed a majority Orthodox Christian enclave, in which Muslims constituted roughly 35% of the total population.


Culture

Fier's main sports are
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
and basketball. The main soccer team of Fier is
KF Apolonia KF Apolonia is an Albanian football club based in Fier. The club was founded on 17 June 1925 and took its name from the nearby ruins of the ancient city of Apollonia. The club currently compete in the Kategoria e Parë and they play their hom ...
and plays in the Albanian First Division. There is another team called
KF Çlirimi KF Çlirimi is an Albanian football club based in Fier, 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 ...
which plays in the Albanian Second Division.
KF Apolonia KF Apolonia is an Albanian football club based in Fier. The club was founded on 17 June 1925 and took its name from the nearby ruins of the ancient city of Apollonia. The club currently compete in the Kategoria e Parë and they play their hom ...
home ground is
Loni Papuçiu Stadium Loni Papuçiu Stadium ( sq, Stadiumi Loni Papuçiu) is a multi-use stadium in Fier, Albania which is used as the home ground of local football club Apolonia Fier, Apolonia. It was built in 1958 and has been the Apolonia's home ground ever since. ...
. KF Clirimi plays on Stadiumi Fusha Sportive e Shkolles Bujqesore. The basketball club of Fier is BC Apolonia and plays in the
Albanian Basketball League The Albanian Basketball League is the men's professional basketball league in Albania. It was founded in 1946 shortly after the formation of the Albanian Basketball Association and is now divided into two divisions, the Superliga and First Divi ...
and their home ground is Fier Sports Palace.


Notable people

Notable people born in Fier include: *
Besa Kokëdhima Besa Kokëdhima (born 29 May 1986), also known mononymously as Besa, is an Albanian singer. Biography Kokëdhima was born on 29 May 1986 into an Albanian family in the city of Fier, then part of the People's Socialist Republic and now in ...
* Eleni Foureira * Ermal Meta *
Hasna Xhukiçi Hasna Xhukiçi (born April 13, 1988, Fier) is an Albanian model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Universe Albania 2009 and represented Albania at Miss Universe 2009 in the Bahamas. Miss Universe 2009 Hasna placed as one of ...
* Helena Kadare *
Jani Minga Jani Minga (1 August 1872 – 7 May 1947) was a patriot Albanian teacher and a notable follower of the National Renaissance of Albania. He was one of the signatories of Albanian Declaration of Independence. Life Minga was born in Shënpjetër vill ...
*
Jakov Xoxa Jakov Xoxa (15 April 1923 – 11 November 1979) was an author from Albania of the 20th century. Biography Xoxa had ethnic Aromanian origins from Korçë. He born in the town of Fier, Albania on April 15, 1923 and died on November 11, 1979. H ...
*
Keidi Bare Keidi Bare (born 28 August 1997) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Spanish club Espanyol. Club career Apolonia Born in Fier, Bare started his youth career for Olimpic CF in January 2010 and after 2 and a half ...
*
Liri Gero Liri Gero (1926–1944) was a young Albanian communist activist and resistance member during World War II. Fighting along the partisan forces, she was killed in a skirmish with the Nazis. For her heroism she received the title People's Hero of A ...
*
Odise Roshi Odise Roshi (born 22 May 1991) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a right winger for Turkish club Sakaryaspor and the Albania national team. Roshi started his professional career with his hometown club Apolonia Fier whom he pl ...
*
Qemal Bey Vrioni Kemal Vrioni (1885–1952) was an Albanian political figure of the 1930s and 1940s. Biography Kemal Vrioni was a member of the Vrioni family, a major landowning family from the Ottoman cast. He was the main landowner in the Fier region. Born in ...
*
Rovena Stefa Rovena Stefa (born 27 April 1979, in Fier) is an Albanian 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 ...


International relations

Fier is twinned with: * Cleveland, Ohio, United States Fier also cooperates with: *
Lanzhou Lanzhou (, ; ) is the capital and largest city of Gansu Province in Northwest China. Located on the banks of the Yellow River, it is a key regional transportation hub, connecting areas further west by rail to the eastern half of the country. H ...
,
Gansu Gansu (, ; alternately romanized as Kansu) is a province in Northwest China. Its capital and largest city is Lanzhou, in the southeast part of the province. The seventh-largest administrative district by area at , Gansu lies between the Tibet ...
,
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
*
Peja Peja ( Indefinite Albanian form: ''Pejë'' ) or Peć ( sr-Cyrl, Пећ ) is the fourth largest city of Kosovo and seat of Peja Municipality and Peja District. It is situated in the region of Rugova on the eastern section of the Accursed Mount ...
,
Peja District The District of Peja is one of the seven districts (the higher-level administrative divisions) of the Republic of Kosovo. It has its seat in the city of Peja. Municipalities The district has three municipalities and 118 other settlements ...
, Kosovo


Notes


References


External links


bashkiafier.gov.al
– Official Website {{DEFAULTSORT:Fier Cities in Albania Administrative units of Fier Municipalities in Fier County Aromanian settlements in Albania