Vlorë ( ; ; sq-definite, Vlora) is the third most populous city of

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 ...

and seat of Vlorë County and Vlorë Municipality. Located in southwestern Albania, Vlorë sprawls on the Bay of Vlorë and is surrounded by the foothills of the Ceraunian Mountains along the Albanian Adriatic and Ionian Sea Coasts. It experiences a

Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...

, which is affected by the Ceraunian Mountains and the proximity to the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern Eur ...

. The coastal area of Vlorë was one of the Illyrian sites that had experienced pre-urban activity beginning from the 11th–10th centuries BC. The area was colonized by Ancient Greeks. A large fortified port-town that was inhabited from the 6th century BC to the 2nd century AD is placed, now partially submerged, in Triport, northwest of present-day Vlorë. Substantial port activity in this site occurred from at least the archaic period to the medieval period. It has been suggested that a transfer of the ancient city from the site of Triport to the site of modern Vlorë occurred. The center of the modern city features archaeological remains dating from late antiquity. ''Aulon'', from which the modern city took its name, appears in historical sources starting form the 2nd century AD. It was conquered at different periods throughout history by Romans, Byzantines,

Normans The Normans (Norman language, Norman: ''Normaunds''; ; ) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norsemen, Norse Viking settlers and locals of West Francia. The Norse settlements in West Franc ...

, Venetians and

Ottomans Ottoman may refer to: * Osman I, historically known in English as "Ottoman I", founder of the Ottoman Empire * Osman II, historically known in English as "Ottoman II" * Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empir ...

. Between the 18th and 19th centuries, the

Albanians The Albanians are an ethnic group native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, Albanian culture, culture, Albanian history, history and Albanian language, language. They are the main ethnic group of Albania and Kosovo, ...

gathered both spiritual and intellectual strength for national consciousness, which conclusively led to the Albanian Renaissance. Vlorë played an instrumental role in Albanian Independence as an epicenter for the founders of modern Albania, who signed the

Declaration of Independence A declaration of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another state or failed state, or are breaka ...

on 28 November 1912 at the Assembly of Vlorë. Vlorë is one of the most significant cities of southern Albania and the region of Labëria which is traditionally noted for its culture, traditions and folklore. Vlorë is served by the Port of Vlorë, the SH 8 highway, and the A2 motorway, collectively representing part of the Adriatic–Ionian Corridor and the Pan-European Corridor VIII.

Name

The city took its name from , meaning "channel, glen" that resembles an aulos instrument. It is a typical toponym in the Greek world. The name of the city was first recorded in the 2nd century AD, by two

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek (, ; ) includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the classical antiquity, ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Greek ...

authors,

Lucian Lucian of Samosata (Λουκιανὸς ὁ Σαμοσατεύς, 125 – after 180) was a Hellenized Syrian satirist, rhetorician and pamphleteer who is best known for his characteristic tongue-in-cheek style, with which he frequently ridi ...

and

Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (; , ; ; – 160s/170s AD) was a Greco-Roman mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were important to later Byzantine science, Byzant ...

, the latter calling it "town and sea-port", which confirms that it was founded much earlier. However, Aulon has not been mentioned by earlier Ancient Greek and Roman authors, who on the other hand recorded the nearby town and seaport of Oricum. But in later sources Oricum is less encountered, while the toponym Aulon is more frequently mentioned. ''Vlorë'' developed from the ancient ''Aulon-a'' through the evolution of the phonetic system of the

Albanian language Albanian (Endonym and exonym, endonym: , , or ) is an Indo-European languages, Indo-European language and the only surviving representative of the Albanoid, Albanoid branch, which belongs to the Paleo-Balkan languages, Paleo-Balkan group. It ...

with the rhotacism ''Vlonë'' > ''Vlorë'', which is a pre-Slavic phenomenon in Albanian. The intervocalic has regularly evolved to in Tosk Albanian, while the initial has evolved from unstressed after the disappearance of the initial unstressed . The evolution > should be relatively ancient, preventing the evolution of the following intervocalic to . In Geg Albanian the toponym is pronounced ''Vlonë'', indicating that it has been in use among northern Albanians before the appearance of rhotacism in Tosk Albanian. Also the accent pattern of the name observes Albanian accent rules. The name itself of the inhabitants (sing. ''vlonjat'', pl. ''vlonjatë'') has not undergone the rhotacism affecting the toponym (if it had, it would look something like ''vlorat'' or ''vlorjat''). The medieval and modern Greek name is ''Avlónas'' ( ''Aulṓnas'' , accusative ''Aulṓna'' ), and is the source of the

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

''Aulona'', the Italian ''Valona'' (also used in other languages) and of the obsolete English ''Avlona''."" in the ''Encyclopædia Britannica'', 1878. During the Ottoman era the city of Vlorë was known in Turkish as ''Avlonya''. In

Medieval Latin Medieval Latin was the form of Literary Latin used in Roman Catholic Church, Roman Catholic Western Europe during the Middle Ages. It was also the administrative language in the former Western Roman Empire, Roman Provinces of Mauretania, Numidi ...

sources and in Old Italian records it is mentioned with the forms ''Avalona'', ''Avelona'', ''Lavalona'', ''Lavellona''; and in Old Serbian sources as ''Avlona'' or ''Vavlona'', the latter containing the Slavic preposition ''v'' "in". In Aromanian, the city is known as .

History

Early history

The coastal area of Vlorë was one of those Illyrian sites that had experienced pre-urban activity beginning from the 11th–10th centuries BC. During the period of Euboean colonization of the area (early 8th century BC) the bay of Vlorë was associated with several Heroic traditions and the foundation of several settlements there, as the toponym Aulon suggest which is also known in local Eubean toponimity. Due to its strategic position on 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 ...

, especially the Bay of Vlorë, which forms a natural harbor, Vlorë occupied a significant place in

classical antiquity Classical antiquity, also known as the classical era, classical period, classical age, or simply antiquity, is the period of cultural History of Europe, European history between the 8th century BC and the 5th century AD comprising the inter ...

as a base for trade by many peoples. Vlorë is considered one of the oldest cities in

and the region. In the Archaic era, the area was colonized by Ancient Greeks, who are traditionally believed to have founded Orikos, Thronion and Aulon on these shores. A large fortified port-town that was inhabited from the 6th century BC to the 2nd century AD is placed, now partially submerged, in Triport, northwest of present-day Vlorë. It was delimited by three walls, the first of which dating back to the late 6th century BC. The port activity in this site lasted from at least the archaic period to the medieval period. It has been suggested that a transfer of the ancient city from the site of Triport to the site of modern Vlorë occurred. The center of the modern city features walls dating from the 4th to the 10th centuries AD, as well as a wall, a quadrangular tower and ruins of a huse with ceramics dating back to the 3rd–4th centuries and to the 6th-7th centuries. The archaeological site of Triport has been identified with ancient '' Thronion'' or ''Aulon''. ''Thronion'' was attested by Pausanias (2nd century AD) as a Locrian– Euboean colony, but also by a dedication on a monument erected in Olympia, both accounts reporting that Apollonia conquered the city around 450 BC. ''Aulon'', from which Vlorë took its name, was mentioned for the first time by

(2nd century AD) among the towns of the Illyrian

Taulantii Taulantii or Taulantians ('swallow-men'; Ancient Greek: , or , ; ) were an Illyrians, Illyrian people that lived on the Adriatic coast of southern Illyria (modern Albania). They dominated at various times much of the plain between the rivers Dri ...

. Carl Patsch proposed the first location of ''Aulon'' in Triport being then transferred to the current location of Vlora, and Pierre Cabanes proposed the location of ''Thronion'' in Triport; those identifications are not in contradiction with each other. Other geographical documents, such as the '' Tabula Peutingeriana'' and Hierocles' '' Synecdemus'', also mention Aulon. The city served as an important port of the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...

, when it was part of Epirus Nova. Aulon (''Avlona'') became an

episcopal see An episcopal see is the area of a bishop's ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Phrases concerning actions occurring within or outside an episcopal see are indicative of the geographical significance of the term, making it synonymous with ''diocese'' ...

in the 5th century. Among the known bishops are ''Nazarius'' in 458 and ''Soter'' in 553 ( Daniele Farlati, ''Illyricum sacrum'', VII, 397–401). The diocese at that time belonged to the papal Pentarchy. In 733, it was annexed with the eastern Illyricum, to the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and yet it is not mentioned in any ''

Notitiae Episcopatuum The ''Notitiae Episcopatuum'' (singular: ''Notitia Episcopatuum'') were official documents that furnished for Eastern countries the list and hierarchical rank of the metropolitan and suffragan bishoprics of a church. In the Roman Church (the mos ...

'' of that Church. The bishopric had probably been suppressed for though the Bulgarians had been in possession of this country for some time, Avlona is not mentioned in the "Notitiae episcopatuum" of the Bulgarian Archbishopric of Ohrid. During the Roman period, a Latin see was established and Eubel (''Hierarchia catholica medii aevi'', I, 124) mentions several of its bishops. Aulon, no longer being a residential bishopric, is today listed by the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

as a

titular see A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbi ...

, a

suffragan bishop A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations. In the Catholic Church, a suffragan bishop leads a diocese within an ecclesiastical province other than the principal diocese, the metropolitan archdiocese; the diocese led b ...

of Durrës, being distinguished from a Greek titular see called Aulon by the use for it of the adjective ''Aulonitanus'', while the adjective regarding the Aulon in Euboea (Ionian

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

) is ''Aulonensis''. The diocese was nominally restored as Latin

titular bishop A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese. By definition, a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop, the tradition of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox an ...

ric Aulon, or Valona in Curiate Italian; from 1925 it was (als) named Aulona in Latin and/or Italian, since 1933 it's only Aulon in Latin, Aulona in Italian. It was a bishopric from the fifth century until Bulgarian rule.

Middle Ages

In the 11th and 12th century, Vlorë played an instrumental role in the conflicts between 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 ...

and Norman Kingdom of Sicily. Following Norman occupation, they ruled for only four years and established a Latin church episcopal see in Vlorë. In 1321 the city being under Byzantine control was attacked by a Venetian fleet under Giovanni Michiel as a result costing the lives of many of its Greek inhabitants. Vlorë served as capital of the Principality of Valona, initially a vassal state to the

Serbian empire The Serbian Empire ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Српско царство, Srpsko carstvo, separator=" / ", ) was a medieval Serbian state that emerged from the Kingdom of Serbia. It was established in 1346 by Dušan the Mighty, who significantly expande ...

, and later, independent Christian state from 1346 to 1417. The

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

captured the city in 1417, while in 1432, Albanian rebels freed Vlorë and expelled the Ottomans from the area. As part of the

, Vlorë became a '' sanjak'' centre in Rumelia Eyalet under the name ''Avlonya''. Later it become a Venetian possession in 1690 and the city was restored to the Ottomans in 1691, becoming a kaza of the Sanjak of Avlona in the ''

vilayet A vilayet (, "province"), also known by #Names, various other names, was a first-order administrative division of the later Ottoman Empire. It was introduced in the Vilayet Law of 21 January 1867, part of the Tanzimat reform movement initiated b ...

'' (province) of Janina. At the time the city had about 10,000 inhabitants; there was a Catholic parish, which belonged to the Archdiocese of Durrës. During the early period of Ottoman rule, Vlorë became an international port centered on a high volume of trade between

western Europe Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's extent varies depending on context. The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the Western half of the ancient Mediterranean ...

and the Ottoman state. Valona Pinargenti 1573

In 1426, the Ottomans supported the settlement of a Jewish community involved in mercantile activities. The community underwent population growth in subsequent decades with Jews migrating from

Corfu Corfu ( , ) or Kerkyra (, ) is a Greece, Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands; including its Greek islands, small satellite islands, it forms the margin of Greece's northwestern frontier. The island is part of the Corfu (regio ...

, Venetian ruled lands,

Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, and the

Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula ( ), also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in south-western Europe. Mostly separated from the rest of the European landmass by the Pyrenees, it includes the territories of peninsular Spain and Continental Portugal, comprisin ...

. Around seventy Jewish families from

Valencia Valencia ( , ), formally València (), is the capital of the Province of Valencia, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia (r ...

, including former ''

converso A ''converso'' (; ; feminine form ''conversa''), "convert" (), was a Jew who converted to Catholicism in Spain or Portugal, particularly during the 14th and 15th centuries, or one of their descendants. To safeguard the Old Christian popula ...

s'', settled in Vlorë between 1391 and 1492. Following the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492, the Ottoman state resettled additional Jewish exiles in Vlorë toward the end of the fifteenth century. Ottoman censuses for 1506 and 1520 recorded the Jewish population as consisting of 528 families and some 2,600 people in Vlorë. The Jews of Vlorë were involved in trade and the city imported items from

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

and exported

spices In the culinary arts, a spice is any seed, fruit, root, Bark (botany), bark, or other plant substance in a form primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of pl ...

leather Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning (leather), tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffal ...

, cotton fabrics, velvets, brocades, and mohair from the Ottoman cities of

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

and Bursa. The Vlorë Jewish community took an active role in the welfare of other Jews such as managing to attain the release of war related captives present in Durrës in 1596. After the

Battle of Lepanto The Battle of Lepanto was a naval warfare, naval engagement that took place on 7 October 1571 when a fleet of the Holy League (1571), Holy League, a coalition of Catholic states arranged by Pope Pius V, inflicted a major defeat on the fleet of t ...

(1571) and the deterioration of security along the Ottoman controlled Adriatic and Ionian coasts, the numbers of Jews within Vlorë decreased. Kanina Castle and Vlora Square

Albanian Renaissance

Between the 18th and 19th centuries, cultural developments, widely attributed to

having gathered both spiritual and intellectual strength, conclusively led to the Albanian Renaissance with Vlorë becoming an epicenter of the movement in 1912. In 1833, Vlorë was captured by Albanian rebels forcing the Ottoman government to abolish taxes and comply to rebel requests. In 1851, it suffered severely from an earthquake. The Jewish community of Yanina renewed the Jewish community of Vlorë in the nineteenth century. On November 28, 1912, Ismail Qemali head the Albanian Declaration of Independence in Vlorë, during the

First Balkan War The First Balkan War lasted from October 1912 to May 1913 and involved actions of the Balkan League (the Kingdoms of Kingdom of Bulgaria, Bulgaria, Kingdom of Serbia, Serbia, Kingdom of Greece, Greece and Kingdom of Montenegro, Montenegro) agai ...

. The city became Albania's first capital following its independence. The 1914 Vlorë Raid took place that January, and was a short-lived plot to regain Albania under Ottoman control. The city was invaded by Italy in 1914 during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. The city remained occupied by Italian forces until an Albanian rebellion forced the Italians out of

in 1920. Italy invaded Vlorë again in 1939. The city remained under Italian occupation until Italy surrendered to the allies in 1943. Subsequently,

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...

occupied the city until 1944. The city was liberated in 1944 by communist forces under

Enver Hoxha Enver Halil Hoxha ( , ; ; 16 October 190811 April 1985) was an Albanian communist revolutionary and politician who was the leader of People's Socialist Republic of Albania, Albania from 1944 until his death in 1985. He was the Secretary (titl ...

Communist Albania

During the

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Sazan Island became the site of a German and Italian submarine base and naval installations; these installations were heavily bombed by the Allies. After World War II, with Albania ruled by a Communist Party, the port was leased out to the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

for use as a submarine base. During 1960 and 1961 it served as a theater in the aftermath of the decision of

to denounce Nikita Khrushchev's reforms. In April 1961 the Soviet Union, resenting being pushed out after considerable investment in the naval facilities at nearby Pasha Liman Base, threatened to occupy Vlora with Soviet troops, and cut off all Soviet economic, military and technical aid to Albania. The threat was not carried out, as a result of the simultaneous international developments; most notably the

Cuban Missile Crisis The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the October Crisis () in Cuba, or the Caribbean Crisis (), was a 13-day confrontation between the governments of the United States and the Soviet Union, when American deployments of Nuclear weapons d ...

. Hoxha, realizing the vulnerability of Albania after the 1968

Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia On 20–21 August 1968, the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic was jointly invaded by four fellow Warsaw Pact countries: the Soviet Union, the Polish People's Republic, the People's Republic of Bulgaria, and the Hungarian People's Republic. The ...

, ordered the construction of hundreds of thousands of concrete bunkers. Under Hoxha, Vlorë served as an important recruiting centre for the Sigurimi; the Albanian state security,

intelligence Intelligence has been defined in many ways: the capacity for abstraction, logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, emotional knowledge, reasoning, planning, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. It can be described as t ...

and secret police service. In 1997, Vlorë was the center of the 1997 Albanian civil unrest after the collapse of several fraudulent investment schemes that led to the downfall of the Sali Berisha administration.

Geography

Vlorë is situated on the Bay of Vlorë along the Albanian Adriatic and Ionian Sea Coasts in the eastern part of the Strait of Otranto surrounded by the foothills of the Ceraunian Mountains. Defined in an area of , Vlorë Municipality is encompassed in Vlorë County as part of the Southern Region of Albania and consists of the adjacent administrative units of Novoselë, Orikum, Qendër Vlorë, Shushicë and Vlorë. The municipality stretches from the mouth of Vjosë in the north along the Narta Lagoon to the Llogara Pass in the south. It also encloses the Karaburun Peninsula and Sazan Island in the west with the Shushica-Vlorë River forming its eastern border. Protected areas include the Karaburun-Sazan Marine Park, Llogara National Park and Vjosa Wild River National Park. Valonia oak, the mass name for

acorn The acorn is the nut (fruit), nut of the oaks and their close relatives (genera ''Quercus'', ''Notholithocarpus'' and ''Lithocarpus'', in the family Fagaceae). It usually contains a seedling surrounded by two cotyledons (seedling leaves), en ...

cups obtained in the neighboring oak forests and used by tanners, derives its name from Valona, the ancient name of Vlorë.

Climate

According to the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

, Vlorë falls under the periphery of the hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Csa) zone with an average annual temperature of . Summers in Vlorë are dry and hot while winters experience moderate temperatures and changeable, rainy weather. The warmest month is August with an average temperature rising to . By contrast, the coldest month is January with an average temperature falling to . Vlorë has a sunny climate with an average of 2,745.2 hours of sunshine annually, making it one of the sunniest areas in the

Eastern Mediterranean The Eastern Mediterranean is a loosely delimited region comprising the easternmost portion of the Mediterranean Sea, and well as the adjoining land—often defined as the countries around the Levantine Sea. It includes the southern half of Turkey ...

. July is the sunniest month of the year with an average of about 12 hours of sunshine a day. By contrast, the average hours of sunshine are less than 7 hours per day in January. During the 1961–1990 period, on average per year, there were 82 days with more than of rainfall, 26 days with thunders, five days with

hail Hail is a form of solid Precipitation (meteorology), precipitation. It is distinct from ice pellets (American English "sleet"), though the two are often confused. It consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice, each of which is called a hailsto ...

, and one day of snowfall.

Economy

The city of Vlorë remains a major seaport and commercial centre, with a significant

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...

and industrial sector. The surrounding region produces

petroleum Petroleum, also known as crude oil or simply oil, is a naturally occurring, yellowish-black liquid chemical mixture found in geological formations, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons. The term ''petroleum'' refers both to naturally occurring un ...

natural gas Natural gas (also fossil gas, methane gas, and gas) is a naturally occurring compound of gaseous hydrocarbons, primarily methane (95%), small amounts of higher alkanes, and traces of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide and helium ...

bitumen Bitumen ( , ) is an immensely viscosity, viscous constituent of petroleum. Depending on its exact composition, it can be a sticky, black liquid or an apparently solid mass that behaves as a liquid over very large time scales. In American Engl ...

and

salt In common usage, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl). When used in food, especially in granulated form, it is more formally called table salt. In the form of a natural crystalline mineral, salt is also known as r ...

. The city is also the location of important installations of the Albanian Navy. It has grown in importance as an agricultural center with a very large-scale planting of olive and fruit trees, and as a center of the food processing, oil, and bitumen export industries. Historically, the surrounding district was mainly agricultural and pastoral, producing oats, maize, cotton, olive oil, cattle, sheep, skins, hides, and butter. These commodities are exported. Vlorë is a vibrant coastal city with a well-developed and modern housing infrastructure. The city offers a variety of residential areas ranging from the coast and going inland. Vlorë is divided into three economic zones. The ''Free Economic Zone TEDA'' Vlorë has a strategic location, some away from the capital

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 ...

. The ''Land and Environmental Information'' is located in a flat, saline land, partially covered by ''Soda'' Forest. The area is suitable for industrial and environmentally friendly development. The ''Industrial development inside the zone'' eligible activities that can be developed in ''TEDA'' are: industrial, processing, commercial, goods storage, light industry, electronics, auto parts manufacturing, and port related activities. The ''Labor market'': Official data from 2014 reported the employable labor force in Vlora at 125,954, of which 84,836 are currently employed. 35% of the labor force in Vlora has a high school degree, while 17% has a university degree. According to the

World Bank The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and Grant (money), grants to the governments of Least developed countries, low- and Developing country, middle-income countries for the purposes of economic development ...

, Vlorë has made significant steps in the economy rankings in 2016. Vlorë ranks 7th among 22 cities in

Southeastern Europe Southeast Europe or Southeastern Europe is a geographical sub-region of Europe, consisting primarily of the region of the Balkans, as well as adjacent regions and Archipelago, archipelagos. There are overlapping and conflicting definitions of t ...

in rankings conducted by the

World Bank Group The World Bank Group (WBG) is a family of five international organizations that make leveraged loans to developing countries. It is the largest and best-known development bank in the world and an observer at the United Nations Development Group ...

. ahead of the capital of

, and also

Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

and

Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ), ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'' is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 2 ...

, in

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...

. Tourism which has always been a driving force for the city's economy has become a major industry in recent years, with many hotels, recreational centers, and vast beaches. The city has a good view over the Bay of Vlorë, which is considered the frontier between the

and the Ionian Sea. The Island of Sazan is in front of the city, at the entrance of the bay. Italy is just away. Beaches close to the city include Palasë, Dhermi, Vuno, Himara, Qeparo, and Borsh. In 2019, Vlorë was cited in ''

Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and also published digitally that focuses on business and economic Current affairs (news format), current affairs. Based in London, the paper is owned by a Jap ...

'' 'Five destinations to watch' article that listed new and exciting holiday destinations from around the world. In April 2024, it was reported that Jared Kushner, son-in-law and former aide to US President

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

, planned to build a resort in the city as part of plans of his company, Affinity Partners, to invest in the Balkans.

Infrastructure

Transport

Vlorë lies on the north–south transportation corridor of Albania and is served by a network of motorways and highways connecting the city to other parts of Albania. The preceding SH8 highway, beginning from Fier, links the northern districts of Vlorë with the central and southern districts, continuing along the Albanian Riviera to

Sarandë Sarandë (; sq-definite, Saranda; ) is a List of cities and towns in Albania, city in the Republic of Albania and the seat of Sarandë Municipality. Geographically, the city is located on an open sea gulf of the Ionian Sea within the Mediterrane ...

. The A2 motorway parallelly runs along the SH8 from Fier to Vlorë and terminates after entering the city in the north. Upon completion, the bypass of Vlorë will link the A2 motorway through the suburbs of Vlorë with the SH8 highway. Vlorë is served by the Port of Vlorë, the second busiest port in Albania, located in the northern part of the city's coast. The Vlorë railway station is the southern terminus of the Durrës-Vlorë railway line which connects Vlorë with Durrës and the rest of the Albanian rail network. It opened in 1985 when the railway line was extended from Fier to Vlorë. A very limited service remained in operation until 2015, but currently passenger services no longer run south of Fier. However, a private

railway company A rail transport company is a company active within the rail industry. It can be: * a manufacturing company, * a rail transport operations, railway undertaking providing services through operating rolling stock, * a railway infrastructure manager ...

, Albrail, started operation of freight trains from Fier to Vlorë in 2018. The Vlorë International Airport is a proposed airport development project currently under construction as part of Albania's plan to increase transportation links to destinations in southern Albania. The proposed location for the airport lies at the village of Akërni within the Vjosa-Narta Protected Landscape in the north of Vlorë, which was met with widespread criticism. The construction was officially launched on 28 November 2021, and has a completion target date of April 2024. The airport also has plans to include a marina and an agritourism site.

Landfill

During the period 2020–2024, the city periodically suffered from fires at the local

landfill A landfill is a site for the disposal of waste materials. It is the oldest and most common form of waste disposal, although the systematic burial of waste with daily, intermediate and final covers only began in the 1940s. In the past, waste was ...

. The landfill, which is considered dangerous by the local authorities, was due to close by June 2021, as a new landfill was expected to begin operations. The deadline for the opening of the latter has been postponed repeatedly, and its further construction has stopped.

Education

Vlora is home to the second largest university in Albania. The University of Vlora was founded in 1994 as a technological university. It retains a focus on technology, but has expanded in the areas of economics and finance, education, medicine, and law. There are three journals based in the University of Vlora. There is also a scientific journal published quarterly in Albanian: Buletini Shkencor i Universitetit te Vlorës. Since 2008 it is home to the Academicus International Scientific Journal, a peer-reviewed scientific publication in the English language founded by Arta Musaraj. Besides the state university there are two private universities, namely Universiteti Pavarësia Vlorë and Akademia e Studimeve të Aplikuara "Reald", which started as primary school and high school, and since 2011 operates also as a university.

Demography

As per the Institute of Statistics estimate from the 2011 census, there were 79,513 people residing in Vlorë and 104,827 in the municipality of Vlorë, constituting the third most populous city and fifth most populous municipality of Albania. The estimated population density of Vlorë Municipality was at 169.9 inhabitants per square kilometre. The population of Vlorë had increased from 71,662 in 1989 to 79,513 in 2011, while a decline of the population of Vlorë Municipality from 114,497 to 104,827 was highlighted. The constitution defines Albania as a secular country with no official religion. It guarantees the

freedom of religion Freedom of religion or religious liberty, also known as freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice ...

belief A belief is a subjective Attitude (psychology), attitude that something is truth, true or a State of affairs (philosophy), state of affairs is the case. A subjective attitude is a mental state of having some Life stance, stance, take, or opinion ...

and

conscience A conscience is a Cognition, cognitive process that elicits emotion and rational associations based on an individual's ethics, moral philosophy or value system. Conscience is not an elicited emotion or thought produced by associations based on i ...

and prohibits discrimination on grounds of religious beliefs or practice. Vlorë is religiously diverse and possesses many places of worship catering to its religious population, who are traditionally adherents of

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

, and

Judaism Judaism () is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic, Monotheism, monotheistic, ethnic religion that comprises the collective spiritual, cultural, and legal traditions of the Jews, Jewish people. Religious Jews regard Judaism as their means of o ...

. During the 19th and early 20th century, Albanian-speaking Muslims were the majority population of Vlorë while there was a small number of Greek-speaking families, Albanian Orthodox, Jews, and an even smaller number of Catholics.Kokolakis, Mihalis (2003)
''Το ύστερο Γιαννιώτικο Πασαλίκι: χώρος, διοίκηση και πληθυσμός στην τουρκοκρατούμενη Ηπειρο (1820–1913) [The late Pashalik of Ioannina: Space, administration and population in Ottoman ruled Epirus (1820–1913)]''
EIE-ΚΝΕ. p.52. "β. Ο διεσπαρμένος ελληνόφωνος πληθυσμός περιλάμβανε... και μικρό αριθμό οικογενειών στα αστικά κέντρα του Αργυροκάστρου και της Αυλώνας. . The scattered Greek-speaking population included ... and a small number of families in the cities of Gjirokastra and Vlora.; p. 53. "και την ακόμη ολιγομελέστερη ομάδα των Καθολικών της Αυλώνας nd even group of Catholics in Vlora; p. 54. "Η μουσουλμανική κοινότητα της Ηπείρου, με εξαίρεση τους μικρούς αστικούς πληθυσμούς των νότιων ελληνόφωνων περιοχών, τους οποίους προαναφέραμε, και τις δύο με τρεις χιλιάδες διεσπαρμένους «Τουρκόγυφτους», απαρτιζόταν ολοκληρωτικά από αλβανόφωνους, και στα τέλη της Τουρκοκρατίας κάλυπτε τα ¾ περίπου του πληθυσμού των αλβανόφωνων περιοχών και περισσότερο από το 40% του συνόλου. In 1994 the ethnic Greek community of the city numbered 8,000 people. A Greek school was operating in the city in 1741.

Culture

Vlorë is geographically and culturally encompassed in the historical region of Labëria, extending from the Albanian Adriatic and Ionian Sea Coasts to the mountainous region of southeastern Albania. Labëria is distinguished for its distinct culture, landscapes and traditions and known as the birthplace of Albanian polyphonic music, which has been proclaimed by UNESCO">Albanian iso-polyphony">Albanian polyphonic music, which has been proclaimed by Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Most of the Albanian inhabitants of Vlorë speak the Lab dialect of southern Tosk Albanian that differs from other Lab Albanian dialect">Lab dialect of southern Tosk Albanian that differs from other Albanian dialects. Rruga Justin Godart 2020

Vlorë is home to many cultural and historical sites that also relate to the founding of Albania. The [ Monument of Independence is located on the Flag's Square">ndependence Monument (Albania)">Monument of Independence is located on the Flag's Square and commemorates the Albanian independence from the

. Museum of Independence is housed in a 19th-century building, where the founding fathers of Albania signed the Declaration of Independence. Its balcony is considered a symbol of freedom, victory and resilience of the Albanians to prevent the occupation of their motherland. Located in a 19th-century mansion, the Ethnographic Museum close to the Museum of Independence displays the ethnographic heritage of Vlorë and its surrounding region. The History Museum at the Perlat Rexhepi Street is another museum exhibiting among others artefacts from the nearby List of archaeological sites in Albania">archaeological sites of the Illyrians and Ancient Greeks. A museum dedicated to the historical Jewish population of Vlorë is planned to open in the historical center of Vlorë. Among the most outstanding religious sites in Vlorë are the Muradie Mosque built in the 16th century at the Sadik Zotaj Street and the Saint Aloysius Gonzaga and Mary Church from the 19th century at the Kristoforidhi Street. Notable cultural sites in Vlorë Municipality include the Castle of Kaninë, Church of Marmiroi, Island of Sazan, Island of Zvërnec, Lagoon of Narta as well as the archaeological sites of Amantia and Oricum. The oldest and most popular first division team based in Vlorë is the football club KS Flamurtari Vlorë. Flamurtari plays at Flamurtari Stadium in the center of Vlorë near the Independence Square.

International relations

Vlorë is twinned with: *

Hollywood, Florida Hollywood is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. It is a suburb in the Miami metropolitan area. The population of Hollywood was 153,067 as of 2020, making it the Broward County#Communities, third-largest city in Broward County, th ...

, United States * Yangzhou, China

Gallery

File:Vlorë, Albania December 2022 - Modern High-rise.jpg, A typical street in Vlorë showing high rise buildings in the city File:Vlorë, Albania December 2022 - Bayside street with Christmas Tree.jpg, A typical street in Vlorë showing some palm trees and the Christmas tree File:Old Town Vlorë, Albania, December 2022 - Clock Tower.jpg, The old town of Vlorë File:Vlora panorama.jpg, The panorama of Vlorë File:Vlora Bay.jpg, The bay of Vlorë

Notes

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * *

External links

vlora.gov.al
– official website {{DEFAULTSORT:Vlore Cities in Albania Administrative units of Vlorë Municipalities in Vlorë County Populated coastal places in Albania Populated places established in the 6th century BC Mediterranean port cities and towns in Albania Labëria Albanian Adriatic Sea Coast Albanian Ionian Sea Coast Illyrian Albania Cities in ancient Illyria Greek colonies in Illyria Ancient Greek archaeological sites in Albania Hellenistic Albania