TOURIST ATTRACTOR

SHKODRA #MesuseAurela

PROJECT
Subject: English

School:”……. “
Class : 7
TOPIC: TOURIST ATTRACTOR
SHKODRA

Worked:#MesueseAurela

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SHKODRA

Shkodra is a city located on the shores of Lake Shkodër in northwestern

Albania. It is nearly 100 km from Tirana and 81 km from Tirana International
Airport. Founded around the 4th century BC Shkodra is one of the oldest and
most historic towns in Albania and the only known Illyrian capital. It is also the
gateway to the Albanian Alps. In Shkodra you can visit: The Castle, Leaden
Mosque, Catholic Cathedral, the main street of Italian influence architecture,
Mesi Bridge, Marubi Museum, Archaeological Museum etc.

It is one of the most major cities in the north – western part of the country. It is
situated near the lake sharing the same name and along the road that leads to
Montenegro. It is an ancient city with rich history. One can find old characteristic
houses where wood and other traditional motifs are used. Near the city there is the
castle of Rozafa built on a rocky hill from where you can see attractive and
beautiful views. During your stay you can visit the Historical Museum of the city.
Shkodra is a good point to start your trip to Albanian Alps.

What to see:
- Historic Museum has a number of sections on archaeology, history and
ethnography. It also has its own library with a considerable number of Albanian
and foreign books-about 15,000 titles altogether. The library is a great source for
students of Albanology;
- The Castle of Rozafa rises on a rocky hill to the west of Shkodra. According to the
legend, Rozafa, the wife of the youngest of three brothers, accepted to be buried
alive in the walls of the castle. The brothers had been building the castle in the day
only to find that the walls had collapsed during the night. At the entrance to the
castle one can see the Rozafa bas-relief. According to popular imagination, the
lime water that leaks at the main entrance is the milk running from Rozafa's breast
which was left outside the wall so that she could feed her newborn baby.
- Museum of Rozafa Castle explains the various periods in the life of the castle;

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- The Lead Mosque is a famous cultural monument in the city of Shkodra that was
built in 1773 in the style of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul.
- The Church of Shirgji is located 20 km from the city of Shkodra, close to the
village of Obot. It is built in Romanic-Gothic style. The Shirgji church used to be a
favorite of Albanian and Montenegrin princes and was especially used for
wedding.
- The Mesi Bridge is located about 8 km from Shkodra, on the Kir River. There used
to be three bridges on this river but only this one has survived to this day. The Mesi
Bridge is a unique bridge and considered a 'cultural monument'.
- The Illyrian ruins of Gajtan
- The ruins of medieval city of Sarda are found in an island of the artificial lake of
Vau i Dejës, built in 1971. Among the remains are the defense walls, church ruins
and the gate to the Dukagjini palace. Sarda is a very picturesque location.

On the way from Tirana to Shkodra in the town of Lezha is interesting to visit the
memorial dedicated to burial place of Albanian National Hero, Scanderbeg.

Shkodra (alb. Shkodër), the largest city in the north of Albania (87,500 inhabitants,
2008 estimate), is located on the east side of Shkodra Lake, on the southern part of
the Mbishkodra plain, between the rivers Drini and Buna. The city is one of the
oldest in Albania and it is also an important cultural and economic center.

View to Shkodra from Rozafa Castle

Shkodra has been inhabited continuously since its foundation in the 4th century BC. It
was the chief town of Illyrian tribe of Labeats and later on during the reign of King
Gent and Queen Teuta the chief centre of the Illyrian state. In the year 168 BC, the
city was taken by the Romans and it became an important trade and military route
for them. In 1040 AD, Shkodra was captured by the Serbs and became an
important economic and administrative center. In 1396, the city came under
Venetian rule, forming a coalition against Ottoman Empire. Despite resisting attacks
for some years, Shkodra fell under Turkish rule in 1479. Many inhabitants fled
shortly after the occupation that devastated the city. It did not gain its prosperity

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until about the 17th century.During its long history the city has played important
role in Albanian culture and history. In the southerly part of the city rises the Castle
of Rozafa, and in the surrounding neighbourhood there are prehistoric burial
grounds and both ancient and medieval fortified settlements.
and most famous castles in Albania.
The Rozafa castle has a fascinating
history, that relates to one of the most
beautiful of Albanian Legends.
Archaeological excavations have
yielded finds extending from the early
Bronze Age until the present day.
Within its massive defensive walls
Rozafa Castle stand the Church of St. Stephen,
several Venetian administrative
Today the city and the area around it buildings, a belfry and some medieval
is blessed with numerous different rooms. There is also small museum and
natural and cultural objects. The city traditional restaurant. Open 08:00 -
retains its characteristic appearance 22:00. Admission 200 lek.
with narrow streets with tall stone
walls on both sides and tall gates. St. Stephen's Church - stands in the
After World War II, Shkodra rebuilt principal court of Rozafa Castle. It
with wider streets and new residential was constructed in two phases at the
buildings. These were built in several end of the 13th and in the 14th
new quarters.Apart from being a century, and was later converted into
historic centre, Shkodra has always a mosque.
been a centre of education, culture
Leaden Mosque - stands below
and trade. It has always developed
Rozafa Castle in a medieval quarter,
and maintained links to the West,
once old bazaar area. It was built in
especially to Italy and Austria.
1773 by Mehmet Pasha Bushati on the
Shkodra is also the centre of Albanian
model of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul,
Catholicism as well as a fine example
and is roofed with lead.
of tolerance between religions, with
the city comprising all the major faiths
found in Albania.
What to see
Rozafa Castle (fortress of Shkodra) -
at the entrance of the town, 3km south
of the city centre, located on rocky hill
133m high. It is one of the biggest
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Historical Museum - Ottoman-era
building (1815) with archaeological
and ethnographic collections.
Mesi Bridge
National Photo Gallery "Marubi" - is
located in the centre of the town and
is the richest and most important
photographic archive in Albania. It
contains more than 500,000
negatives, of which the earliest go
back to 1858. Albanian AlpsGurii i Kuq
Catholic Cathedral (Kisha e Madhe) - Mes Bridge (Ura e Mesit) - is 6 km
one of the biggest catholic cathedrals north of Shkodra, near the village of
in Balkans dedicated to St. Stephen. Mesi, builded in 1768, over the Kir
After it's reconstruction in 1991, the river. This is the largest and best
cathedrait was inaugurated by preserved Ottoman bridge in Albania,
Mother Theresa and two years later it built along the ancient trade route
was visited by Pope John Paul II. Inide from Shkodra to Kosovo. The bridge is
of the cathedral is a copy of the Turin 108m long, 3m wide, with 13
Shrout. Free Access. asymmetrical archs. The Kirriver it
crosses has incredibly blue, clear
Al-Zamil Mosque, New Mosque -
mountain water and the bridge is
two mosques in the centre of city.
located in a picturesque landscape.
Shkodra Surroundings
Shkodra Lake - on the border of Montenegro with Albania is in fact a former sea
bay that was cut off from the Adriatic when the sea levels dropped, thousands of
years ago. The lake is the largest in the Balkans at 41km long and with surface
between 370-530 km2. As its depth is up to 60 metres, the bottom of the lake is
well below sea level, making it a so-called cryptodepression. Shkodra Lake is one
of the largest bird reserves in Europe, having some 240 bird species inhabiting its
shores, including some of the last pelicans in Europe, and thus popular with birders.
Albanian Alps - embrace roughly 2240 km2 and lie in the prefectures of Shkodra
and Tropoja. Thirteen peaks exceed 2500 m in height and the principal rivers are
the Valbona, Shala, Cemi and Kiri. There is a great diversity of fauna and flora,
particularly in the Thethi National Park. Centres of Alpine tourism are Boga, Thethi,
Vermosh and Valbona.

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Lezha Castle
Lezha - town 59 km south of Shkodra founded in ancient times. Lezha was the site
where GjergjKastrioti Scanderbeg united the Albanian princes in the fight against
the Ottoman Empire. Skanderbeg is buried in the cathedral of Lezha which is
dedicated to Saint Nicholas. Skanderberg museum has also the outer sector -
archaeological environment with objects from Lezha ancient and medieval period,
found around the museum.To the east of town on top of a 186m high hill is located
Lezha Castle, which bears traces of Illyrian, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman
architecture.

The culture
The culture of the dressing is displaying the rich spiritual world banoreve.terheqese
are plainsman women's dresses with color, cotton, silk or felt, which are associated
with characteristic lace made by zones, with silk Swear, Riza colorful, button
jewelery the amazing ndryshme.e is xhubletamalesore.ajo woman embodies pride
of residents.

Art of cooking
Are also part of the tradition of the best dishes karakteristike.mjedisi provided by
mountain waters, climate fushadhe have made in Shkodra have a culture of nutrition
and an inheritance very early pasur.gjellet are cooked in pots veksh as special or
different bagrazh and containers of bakri.persazemerin is prepared using a large
frying pan with a long tail about 1 meter.

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 characteristic
dishes
 Characteristic
dishes are:
 -Corbe eggs
 meat-stew