The Fortress of Bashtovë () is a medieval quadrangular fortress located close to the outflow of the Shkumbin River into the

Adriatic Sea 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 Se ...

in central

Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...

. It is part of the tentative list of Albania in order to qualify for inclusion in the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

list. The fortress is built on a fertile flat ground east of the mouth of the Shkumbin River. The ruins are located some from the village of Vilë-Ballaj in

Tirana County Tirana County (), officially the County of Tirana (), is a county in the Central Region of Albania. It is the tenth largest by area and the most populous of the twelve counties, with more than 912,000 people within an area of . The county border ...

. By air, it is north of Fier, northwest of Lushnjë, south of Kavajë and southwest of

Tirana Tirana ( , ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in Albania, 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 ov ...

History

Previously in the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

, the region of Bashtovë was known as a trade harbor and otherwise centre for the export of grains. The origin of the fortress has been for some time a matter of dispute among historians. The initial fortress was constructed during the time when the region was part of the Venetian Empire as according to Gjerak Karaiskaj. However, Alain Ducellier has asserted that the Venetians have built over an existing former structure, which dates back to the 6th century, when the area was under the

Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...

during the

Justinian dynasty The Byzantine Empire under the Justinian dynasty began in 518 AD with the accession of Justin I. Under the Justinian dynasty, particularly the reign of Justinian I, the empire reached its greatest territorial extent since the fall of its Weste ...

. The fortress is a rectangular structure oriented to the north-south direction. There are three entrances, from which there still are well-preserved archaeological traces they were placed at the northern, western and eastern walls. The walls are high and comprise a roughly interior. In the north and east, there stands round towers each of them high. In recent years, interventions have been proposed for the fortress's rehabilitation.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fortress of Bashtovë Castles in Albania Tourist attractions in Albania 6th-century fortifications Tourist attractions in Tirana County Albanian Adriatic Sea Coast

History

See also

References