Shiroka (

Gheg Albanian Gheg or Geg (Gheg Albanian: ''gegnisht'', Standard ) is one of the two major varieties of Albanian, the other being Tosk. The geographic dividing line between the two varieties is the Shkumbin River, which winds its way through central Alba ...

: Shirokë) is a village located about 5 kilometers west of

Shkodër Shkodër ( , ; sq-definite, Shkodra; historically known as Scodra or Scutari) is the List of cities and towns in Albania, fifth-most-populous city of Albania and the seat of Shkodër County and Shkodër Municipality. Shkodër has been List of o ...

in northern Albania. It is located in the shores of

Lake Skadar Lake Skadar or Lake Scutari (, ; cnr-Cyrl-Latn, Скадарско језеро, Skadarsko jezero, )also called Lake Shkodra (and ''Lake Shkodër'')lies on the border of Albania and Montenegro, and is the largest lake in Southern Europe. It is n ...

and 5 kilometers from the

border Borders are generally defined as geography, geographical boundaries, imposed either by features such as oceans and terrain, or by polity, political entities such as governments, sovereign states, federated states, and other administrative divisio ...

with

Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...

. The village is located in the northern slopes of Tarabosh Mountain and had 1,300 inhabitants in 2006.

Location and tourism

Shiroka is separated from the city of Shkodra by Buna, which is an outflow from Lake Skadar. Another almost five kilometers further west is the village of Zogaj, which is significantly smaller. The villages belong to the Administrative Administrative Zone No. 1 of the city of Shkodra, thus are considered a neighborhood ''(lagja)'' of the

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

of Shkodra. The national road SH24 goes along the shore of the lake - but a border crossing to Montenegro does not exist yet as of 2025. Shiroka and the neighboring village of Zogaj form a popular vacationing zones on the lake, that offers relaxation to its visitors. In Shiroka there are various restaurants and accommodations. It is also possible to swim in the lake or hike on the mountains close by. The tourism sector has significantly expanded during 2010s. Fishing has a long tradition in the village, while local women are known for the carpets they make.

History

The oldest mention of the village dates back to the 15th century. A road to Shkodra was built in 1909 and 1910. Shiroka occasionally served as a port for

steamship A steamship, often referred to as a steamer, is a type of steam-powered vessel, typically ocean-faring and seaworthy, that is propelled by one or more steam engines that typically move (turn) propellers or paddlewheels. The first steamships ...

traffic from Virpazar in

Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...

to Shkodra. In Shiroka on the slope above the historic village center stands Zogu's Villa, a hardly ever used residence of the Albanian king Ahmet Zog from the 1920s, allegedly built by Kolë Idromeno with money from merchants from Shkodra. The

communists Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, d ...

used the building as a holiday home for pioneers. From the village comes the well-known

Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent Religious institute, religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor bei ...

, politician and writer Anton Harapi (1888-1946), who fell victim to the communist regime.

Location and tourism

History

References

External links

People from Shiroka