Location: 33 km to the West from Tirana
Durrës is one of the largest cities in Albania with rich history and plenty of historic sites that date as early as the Antiquity to magnificent, but abandoned palace of the Albanian monarchs of the early 20th century. Durres is located 33 km west of the Albanian capital Tirana. Durres was originally called Epidamnos (Επίδαμνος) and Durrahion (Δυρράχιον), which means "bad rocky shore." This name was given to him by Greek colonists from Corinth and Corcyra in 627 BC. The Greeks found a common language with the local Illyrians and were able to establish friendly and trade relations from which both sides benefited. The city grew and grew rich. Many armies seized and burned it. Gradually, the Greek name Durrahion turned into Slavic Durres or Italian Durazzo. After the liberation of Albania from the Turkish yoke, Durres became the Albanian capital from March 7, 1914 to February 11, 1920.
Shen Lucia Catholic Church (Kisha e
Shën Luçia), Rruga Don Nikoll Kacorri (Center). built in 1907 edit
Shen Gjergji Orthodox Church. built in the 19th century
Church of Sts. Paul and Astia was built on the
initiative and with funds provided by the Archbishop of Tirana,
Durres and all of Albania Anastasius. The cornerstone was laid in
November 1994, and construction work was completed in early 2002. In
November 1999, Orthodox Christians welcomed Ecumenical Patriarch
Bartholomew I to this church on his first visit to Albania. On May
3, 2009, the temple was opened and consecrated; today it is one of
the most impressive and beautiful religious buildings in the
country.
The Apostle Paul and Saint Astius have always been
popular Orthodox saints in the Durres community, and several
churches have been consecrated in their honor. This temple was
erected opposite the place where the church of St. Spyridon was
located (demolished in 1967) and the house of the metropolitan stood
(now in ruins).
The architectural design of the temple was
done by the archdiocese's technical service department, and the
practical work was carried out by a local construction company. The
church is designed as a domed basilica, two-story, with a gallery
surrounding the perimeter. The area of the concrete foundation is
606 square meters, its volume is 6800 cubic meters. The highest of
the domes is 17.75 meters, the height of the electronically
controlled bell tower is 19 meters.
Outside, the church is
lined with white stone, arches made of decorative bricks emphasize
vaults and window openings. The roof is made of Byzantine tiles.
From the inside, the church is adorned with artistic decorative
bowls, pedestals, marble floors, columns and balconies. Part of the
interior and furniture, the iconostasis, the episcopal throne are
handmade by several masters from Pogradec. Some icons and frescoes
were made in the iconographic studio of the Archdiocese, an analogue
of the Psalter - in the Nazareth paper workshop.
On the
ground floor there is a spiritual center for various events. It is
equipped with a modern ventilation system, it includes a library, a
hall, stages, a kitchen bar, an office, a waiting room, Sunday
school rooms, games rooms, etc.
Rruga Xhamia
Fatih Mosque is a significant monument of culture
and history of Albania, located in Durres. It was built in 1502-1503
and named after the Turkish Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror. The Fatih
Mosque is the third largest Muslim temple in Albania. This is the
first cult Islamic structure built in the city during the Ottoman
rule. The mosque is located near the city center, on the shores of
the beautiful Adriatic Sea.
The mosque was closed at one time
by the communist authorities, but assigned the status of a cultural
monument in 1973. Thanks to the unique architecture of the 16th
century, the temple survived, except for the minaret, which was
demolished. In 1991, after the end of the era of the communist
dictatorship, an extensive program of restoration of cultural and
religious monuments was adopted. The mosque was restored, the
restoration of the external and internal decoration took several
months, during which it was closed to visitors. The minaret was
rebuilt according to a simplified project in a more strict style.
Funding for the work was undertaken by the state and private donors.
The Fatih Mosque is one of the oldest and most popular places of
worship in the seaside Durres.
Great Mosque of Durres (Xhamia e
Madhe e Durresit).
New Mosque. built in 1937
Vogel Mosque
(Xhamia e Vogel).
The museum accepts visitors in winter from 8-00 to
14-00, in summer - from 8-00 to 16-00.
The Ethnographic Museum of
Durres is located in the House-Museum of Alexander Moissi, in the
historic center of the city, near the walls of the Byzantine era.
The house was built with two miniature turrets, which are connected
by such an architectural element as the attic gallery. The outer
walls were built of cubic stone.
The museum was opened in
1982 in a building typical of 19th century Durres architecture. In
the halls of the museum, more than 300 various items, clothing and
handicrafts, traditional for the region, are constantly displayed.
Hall number one presents authentic clothes made of wool, silk,
cotton, amazingly elegantly executed. Most of the costumes are
finished with gold embroidery. In two other rooms of the museum, the
stands reveal the life of the family and the creative biography of
Alexander Moissi based on original documents. The room has preserved
the original ceilings, and the works of the artists depict the great
actor in a variety of stage roles. The following rooms showcase
handmade carpets, products made of copper, stone, silk, skillful
carvings on various materials. There is also an exhibition of works
by local artists and sculptors.
Archaeological Museum (Muzeu
Arkeologjik), Rruga Taulantia 32.
Popular Culture Museum, Kavaje
village, Rruga Skuraj (S 18 km).
Alexander Moissi Museum House
(Shtepia e Alexander Mois).
World War II Relics Hall.
Koloseo Art Gallery. showcases some of the best work of local
painters.
Rruga Kalase
The Durres amphitheater, the largest and most
important structure of its kind in Albania and the Balkans, was
built in the late 1st - early 2nd century, during the reign of the
Roman emperor Trajan. It has a special architectural and artistic
value and can be compared with the monuments of this period in the
cities of Pompeii and Capuas in Italy.
The amphitheater is
elliptical with a maximum diameter of 136 meters, and its height is
about 20 meters. Stone galleries for spectators are faced with white
tiles, designed for 16-20 thousand people, the arena was intended
for gladiatorial fights. A public building of typical ancient Roman
architecture was built in the city center, 350 m from the sea. The
base and the arena are located in a horizontal plane at an altitude
of 5.5 m above sea level. The seats (2/3 of the total area) are
located on a hill.
The Durres amphitheater was discovered by
scientists in 1966 during one of the international research
expeditions in the area. Intensive excavations were carried out in
1967-1970, 55 families had to be relocated and 33 buildings were
demolished in order to fully open the ancient building. In 2008,
about $ 5 million was invested in the maintenance of the
amphitheater.
In order to wander around the ruins of an
ancient building, you need to buy tickets at the ticket office at
the entrance. There are also stands with images of the history of
excavations, variants of the original appearance of the building.
Inside, dark tunnels are well preserved, through which the warriors
entered the battle arena. You can sit on the remains of stone
benches and appreciate the genius of ancient architecture - from any
place you can see the arena and everything that happens there. There
are usually few visitors; educational excursions are held for
schoolchildren.
The Byzantine Forum and the Rotunda of the city of
Durres are the most famous and popular historical sites in Albania.
The ruins of these buildings are a part of the ancient period of the
history of this Albanian city.
Durres, in addition to being
the largest port in the country, is the oldest settlement with 2500
years of history. It was founded in 627 BC. Corinthian colonists.
Among the archaeological sites, the rotunda and the Byzantine Forum
are among the oldest. They were built, according to various sources,
in the II or V century A.D. Some evidence suggests that these
structures were built during the time of the ruler Anastasius, the
founder of the city of Durres. The traditional architecture of that
time - the design of urban buildings and squares in the Roman
"square" style, with the obligatory baths, amphitheaters, libraries,
did not pass by this settlement either.
Throughout its long
existence, the city many times passed from hand to hand of the
occupiers, was renamed. Many historical sites have been destroyed in
the endless wars for control of the convenient harbor and port. The
remains of the rotunda and the forum are several columns that have
preserved traces of their former splendor. You can touch the ancient
history and buildings that survived all the rulers by going on an
excursion to this beautiful southern city.
Rotonda, Kalaja
Durres Castle is a 5th century citadel founded by
the supreme ruler of Byzantium Anastasius, who founded the
settlement of Durres itself. The reign of Anastasius in Durres is
marked by the fact that under him this city was one of the most
protected policies in the Adriatic.
The fortress underwent a
large-scale reconstruction in 1273 after a devastating earthquake.
The ancient walls with a height of about 4.6 meters and three arched
passages, as well as several towers, have survived to this day. The
remains of the fort's defensive wall have been preserved for almost
a third of the original length of the fortress city. The main tower
of the castle was reinforced with the arrival of the guard of the
Republic of Venice, it was given a round shape, and during the
domination of the Ottoman Empire in Albania, it was additionally
fortified with walls. It is now called Venetian, now it houses a
youth bar.
On April 7, 1939, the country's patriots fought
under the cover of the castle walls when the Italian fascists
invaded Albania. At that time, the garrison of Fort Durres consisted
of 360 local residents, mainly gendarmes and townspeople, led by the
head of the gendarmerie Abbas and Muyo Ulkianaku, an employee of the
sea service. They tried to stop the Italian advance. Armed only with
rifles and three light machine guns, these heroes held their
positions, but were suppressed by the guns of tanks delivered by
sea. After that, the resistance was broken, the Italians occupied
the city in five hours.
The castle and the Venetian Tower are
popular tourist attractions in Durres.
Durres Ancient City Wall, Rruga Sotir Noka
(Next to the Amphitheater). Medieval Hammam and the Tophane Well
located inside and around the wall.
Shen Mehilli Hill (Kodra e Shen Mehillit). where on
18 October 1801, Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Komnenos confronted
Norman adventurer Robert Guiscard. A basilica built in the 6th
century AD with a beautiful mosaic is found here. edit
Others
Municipality (Bashkia), Sheshi Liria, 15.
King Zog's Villa (Vila
e Zogut), Rruga Kont Urani (located on top of a hill overlooking the
city). This arguably used to be the most luxurious crib in all of
Albania, but it was looted in the 1997 uprising and isn't open to
visitors now. Reportedly prince Leka has plans to renovate the villa
"in the near future", but this has been reported for quite some
time. Endure the steep climb up the hill for one of the most
spectacular views over the city.
Kavaja Rock (Shkembi i Kavajes)
(SE 5 km). is a historic landmark in Golem where once caravans used
to pass along the ancient Via Egnatia. This is where a battle
between Pompey and Julius Caesar is said to have taken place.
Further afield
Lalzit Bay Area (N 27 km). Visit Ishem Castle
and Rrushkull Nature Reserve (Rezervati Rrushkull)
Rodoni Castle
(Kalaje e Rodonit) (Cape of Rodon).
Scanderbeg Castle (Sebastia
s Castle), Rruga e Sebastes, Laç village (N 33km).
Shen Ndout
Church (Kisha e Shna Ndout), Rruga Kisha e Shna Ndout, Laç.
Culture Palace, Bulevardi Dyrrah. Events
Evening walk
(promenade). Go for an evening walk along the sea front promenade or
along the beach where you can see families walking around or even
men with bears on a leash or with snakes entwined around their
necks!
Villa Hill (Kodra e Viles), Rruga Currila. Panoramic view
of Durres seaside at Currilat from top of a newly reclaimed hill
Seaside Large Steps (Shkallet tek Brryli), Intersection between
Rruga Currila and Rruga Taulantia (Brryli area). Sit and admire the
sea from up close on these large steps descending into the water
Lalzit Bay Beach (Gjiri i Lalzit), near Hamallaj
village (25 km north of Durres). Popular weekend retreat and
exclusive wealthy beach area. A small resort can be found here.
Portez Beach (Plazhi Portez), Bishti Palles (13 km north of Durres).
Nice beach, bar, and wooden bungalows north of Currilat
Golem
beach (Plazhi Golemit/Mali i Robit), Golem, Mali Robit, Kavaja Rock
(Shkembi i Kavajes) (Follow SH4 and enter secondary road at Plepat
roundabout (SH56, SH85) or continue along SH4 and exit at Golem/Mali
Robit exit). This is the main seaside resort south of Durres with
long sandy beaches popular among Albanians and foreigners alike.
Tirana inhabitants have their beach houses and villas in the area
for weekend and summer retreats.
Sea Resort of Golem, Xixa Resort, Rruga Kompleksit (S 7 km), ☎ +355 69 378 8696. Take a dip in the Adriatic Sea water in the biggest sea side resort of Golem
Surname
The current city name Durrës or Durrësi is an Albanian
further development of the Italian name Durazzo, which was mainly
used by the Venetians in the Middle Ages. These related to the
Middle Greek Δυρράχιον Dyrráchion, as the city was called by the
Byzantines. Dyrráchion, however, was a further development of the
Latin dyrrhachium. The root Durrës can thus be traced back to this
point. The name Dyrrhachium is first used in the 3rd century BC.
Mentioned when the Romans conquered the city from the Illyrians.
Before the place was called Ἐπίδαμνος Epídamnos, like the Doric
colonists in 627 BC. They named Durrës their new home.
Antiquity
The city of Durrës was founded in 627 BC. Founded as
Epidamnos (ancient Greek Ἐπίδαμνος, Latin Epidamnus) by Doric
colonists from Corinth and Corfu. The surrounding region was called
Epidamnia by the Greeks. Around 436 BC The effects of civil war in
the city were one of the triggers of the Peloponnesian War. In the
4th century BC The city-state (Polis) became in fact part of the
Kingdom of Cassander and Pyrrhos' I of Macedonia. In 312 BC For a
short time the Illyrian Taulantier conquered the city from the
hinterland.
After the Illyrian Wars, Epidamnos came in 229
BC. Under Roman protectorate. Henceforth the Romans called it
Dyrrhachium (Greek Dyrrháchion Δυρράχιον), allegedly because the
word part -damnos in Latin ears promised bad luck. The city became
one of the starting points of the Via Egnatia, which connected the
Adriatic Sea with Byzantium. Another starting point was Apollonia,
65 kilometers to the south, which at that time was still by the sea.
In Brindisi, 150 kilometers away, on the opposite side of the
Adriatic, ended the Via Appia, which connected Rome with the
southeast of the Italian peninsula and continued in the Via Egnatia.
According to the Roman poet Catullus, the city of Durrachium Hadriae
tabernam - "the taberna of the Adriatic" - was one of the resting
places for Romans who sailed on the Adriatic, as Catullus himself
did in 56 BC. Had made.
In 48 BC It came a little south of
the city on the occasion of the Roman civil wars to the battle of
Dyrrhachium between the two opponents Gaius Iulius Caesar and Gnaeus
Pompeius Magnus. Since the citizens of the city had supported
Pompey, they were severely punished after Caesar's victory. Emperor
Augustus made Dyrrhachium around the year 25 BC. To a veterans'
colony called Colonia Iulia Augusta Veneria Dyrrachinorum and
settled here numerous legionnaires who had served him in the civil
war up to the battle of Actium. With that the city lost its Greek
character. Although under provincial administration, the city had
the status of a civitas libera and the ius Italicum during the
imperial period.
Durrës was said to be one of the first
cities on the Balkan Peninsula and in Europe in general to accept a
Christian community. Some Christian families are said to have lived
in the port city as early as 58 AD. Some historians also assume that
the apostle Paul of Tarsus himself visited the city between 53 and
58 AD. The Christian saint Astios is said to have worked in Durrës
around the year 100 and suffered martyrdom under Emperor Trajan.
According to later legends, many Christians fled from Italy to what
is now Albania in his day to escape the persecution of Christians;
However, these reports are considered unhistorical, as there was no
persecution of Christians in Italy at the time in question.
At the end of the 3rd century AD, Dyrrhachium became the capital of
the newly formed province of Epirus nova. Around 430 the city was
the birthplace of the future emperor Anastastius, who ruled Ostrom
between 491 and 518. Anastasius gave the order to expand the
defenses of the city, which had been in a very bad condition since
the invasion of the Goths and a devastating earthquake of 345. After
another earthquake in 518, they were improved by Emperor Justin I
and completed by Emperor Justinian.
Changing rulers in the
Middle Ages
Early middle ages
In the Middle Ages, Durrës (now called Dyrrháchion Δυρράχιον in
Middle Greek) was under the rule of the Byzantine Empire for a long
time, the most important city of which it was on the other side of
the Balkan Peninsula. But throughout the Middle Ages, Durrës was
fiercely contested and was under various foreign rule. At the end of
the 9th century, the Bulgarians under their Tsar Simeon I penetrated
as far as the Adriatic coast and incorporated the city into their
First Empire. Between 1000 and 1018 it was fiercely fought between
the two parties and changed hands several times before it became
Byzantine again for a long time after the defeat of the First
Bulgarian Empire and was declared the capital of the theme of
Dyrrhachion.
High Middle Ages
The Normans tried several
times to seize the city at the end of the 11th century. In 1082
under Robert Guiskard and in 1185 they succeeded in doing this, but
they could only rule over this area for a few years. In 1205 the
city came under the rule of the Republic of Venice, which formed the
Duchy of Durazzo for the first time. In 1213 the city and the duchy
of Michael I Komnenos Dukas Angelos, despot of Epirus, was taken. In
1257 Durrës was occupied by the Sicilian King Manfred from the
imperial dynasty of the Staufer. A short time later, the city was
occupied by the despot of Epirus, Michael II. Komnenos Dukas
Angelos, and remained with the despotate of Epirus until 1259, when
it fell to the Byzantine Empire of Nikaia in the battle of
Pelagonia.
In the 1270s Durrës belonged again to the
despotate of Epirus under Nikephorus I Komnenos Dukas Angelos (son
of Michael II. Komnenos Dukas Angelos). In 1272 the city paid homage
to the King of Sicily, Charles I of the House of Anjou, who on
February 20th confirmed the citizens of their "privilegia antiquorum
Imperatorum Romaniae", the prerogative of the Albanian chiefs
December 1274 were interned in Aversa.
According to Georgios
Pachymeres, Durrës was hit by an earthquake in 1267. According to
Jean Dunbabin, an earthquake in Durazzo caused such a tumult in 1271
that an Angevin army led by Charles of Anjou was able to penetrate
the city and thus gain access to the Via Egnatia, which led from
there to Constantinople. In the same year a group of Albanians
appeared in Naples, worried that they would be absorbed by the
despot of Epirus Nikephorus I and submitted to Charles of Anjou.
On February 21, 1272, Charles of Anjou proclaimed the Regnum
Albaniae with the center of Dyrrachium (Durazzo) by mutual agreement
of the bishops, counts, barons, soldiers and citizens, promising to
protect them and to honor the privileges they had received from the
Byzantine Empire and proclaimed himself Rex Albaniae.
The
earthquake of 1273 devastated much of Durazzo and many residents
were buried under the collapsed houses, while others fled to the
mountains. The city was only established and repopulated under the
Vicar General Anseau de Cayeux, who was sent to Albania in May 1273,
followed by an important mercenary army. Cayeux died in the same
year and the high command temporarily passed to the leader of the
royal troops, Jean de Bussy. In April 1274 the new captain general
and vicar, Norjaud de Toucy, was sent to Durazzo to definitively
settle the affairs of Albania. Paolo (Paulus) Groppa, Herr von Ohrid
and his father-in-law Gjon Muzaka (also: Gjin; German Johannes)
appeared immediately before him as “ambassadors of the Albanians”,
who assured them of the devotion of their compatriots. Nevertheless,
Toucy had the city fortified.
With the Angevin rule,
Catholicism gained ground in Durrës (called Durazzo in Italian at
the time). In 1278 the Dominicans founded their first monastery in
Albania here. A Jewish community is also mentioned for the first
time in 1281.
Late Middle Ages
In 1292 Durrës fell to the
Serbs, but was recaptured by Philip I of Taranto in 1304. In 1317 or
1318 the Serbian Empire conquered the city; from 1320 it was
effectively autonomous. In the spring of 1322 the brothers Philip I
of Taranto, “Despot of Romania and Lord of the Kingdom of Albania”,
and Johann, Count of Gravina, together with Johann's son, Robert,
organized an expedition to Albania to recapture Durrës, which
apparently was not a sustainable success was granted. The Serbs were
able to hold Durrës until 1355, when it passed again to the
Neapolitans and then to the Albanian noble family of Thopia. On
March 28, 1368, Venice received the news that Durrës had been
conquered by Karl Thopia, "Prince of Albania". This ended the
Angevin rule in Epiros.
Under Karl Thopia
In 1385 war broke out and Balša II snatched
Durrës from Karl Thopia for a short time. In the same year there was
the battle of Savra (September 18, 1385) in the Myzeqe on the Vjosa
between Elbasan and Lushnja. Karl Thopia called on the Ottomans for
help and Sultan Murad I sent him an army of 40,000 men from
Macedonia under the Grand Vizier Khaireddin. Balša II was killed and
his head was brought to the Ottoman capital Edirne as a trophy.
Charles tried to consolidate his rule through a close connection
to the Republic of Venice, so that in 1386 he sent Bishop Johann von
Bergana to Venice and offered the Republic to support them with 600
ducats in every war, to deliver grain and to their merchants in his
country protect. In return, Karl asked for a galley to be delivered
to him, to be allowed to recruit shooters for his fortress in
Venice, as well as to intervene if enemies threatened him. On August
17, 1386, Nicolò Foscari, on behalf of the Senate, concluded a
formal agreement with the bishop as procurator of "Karl Thopia,
Prince of Albania and Lord of Durachium", in which all points
concerned were guaranteed. Soon afterwards the Ottomans threatened
Durrës, so that the Gulf captain (Italian: Capitano di Golfo, the
commander in chief of the Venetian fleet in the Adriatic) received
the order with Document No. 407 of March 30, 1387 to protect the
"great Mr. Carolum Topiam" and to ensure that Durrës does not fall
into enemy hands. In April 1387 Karl Thopia received a new galley
for the sole defense against the Ottomans. When Karl died in January
1888, the Venetian consul Antonio de Pieri Pizzoli informed Venice
on January 30th that the Ottomans were at the gates of the city.
Venice responded on February 28, exhorting the inhabitants to obey
and calling on the new prince of Albania, Georg Thopia, son of the
late Karl Thopia, to resist the Ottomans.
Under Georg Thopia
The new prince of Durrës, Georg Thopia (1388-1392), was so
threatened by the Ottomans that he threw himself completely into
Venice's arms as early as 1388. On March 19, 1388, the Senate agreed
to support him with grain and troops (25 ballistarios) and, if he
wished, to take over the city; in the event of his death, Venice had
decided to take over his inheritance. When the Ottomans pushed again
in October, envoy of George and Comita Muzaka (widow of Balša II.)
Appeared in Venice, where they stayed until February 1389.
The golf captain Saraceno Dandolo supplied the prince with new
troops to garrison. At the same time, Venice sought to win a party
in Durazzo that was supposed to ensure that after the death of the
ailing George, the Ottoman neighbors did not settle there, but
instead the banner of St. Mark was raised. The local bishop
Demetrios Resa, the voivode Borilas (the Borla), the captain Ghin
Sguro [Gjin Skura] and his relative Progan Sguro (or Pogon Skura),
as well as Tanuss Thopia (Tanuss), the cousin of Prince Georg
Thopia, proved to be particularly eager .
From the Venetian
document no. 439 of February 27, 1389 it emerges that the
"venerable" Bishop Dimitri, the noble Thanussius Tobia, the captain
Gurenus Schuro, the voivode Borille, Andreas Misachi and Alexius
Ricardi of Marno, "all valuable citizens of Durrazzo, from Doge
Antonio Venier for her services,“ that the city does not fall into
the hands of the Turks ”, should receive 300 ducats annually and
that as long as“ the city was in Venetian hands.
George's
situation became even more critical than the Roman Pope Boniface IX.
He deposed on April 13, 1391, because he would have admitted it with
the antipope Clement VII and Durrës Đurađ II. Balšić transferred.
In addition to the Albanian tribe of the Dukagjini, who had
joined the Ottomans, Konstantin Kastrioti († 1402 beheaded in
Durrës; son of Pal Kastrioti), a vassal of Sultan Bayezids I, wanted
Durrës to be enfeoffed in the event of his death Relatives to get
Georg Thopia. To prevent this, Venice decided on May 2, 1391 to send
troops to the prince under the castellan Paolo da Canale. Marino
Cocco (1391-1393) was appointed rector to the prince's side. As
Georg's condition worsened, however, the golf captain Saraceno
Dandolo was issued a power of attorney to take possession of the
town and castle on March 8, 1392, which he was supposed to obtain in
a peaceful way so that the Ottomans had no reason to interfere. When
Dandolo appeared in front of George, he handed the castle over to
Venice and hoisted the banner of the republic. In return, Georg, in
addition to the castle church, were to remain in the city and its
income for life and only come to Venice after his death. On August
9th, the ambassadors of the “Catholic Prince” Thopia, Archbishop
Johann von Durazzo, the Venetian protovist Philipp Barelli and
Philipp Zaperinis, citizens of Durrës, appeared before the Senate
and asked the Senate, “their lord, who was hard pressed by the Turks
loyal to the Roman Church, solemnly securing the protection promised
by Dandolo ”, ratified on August 18th by Doge Antonio Venier. Venier
promised Thopia protection and mediation towards his neighbors, but
at the same time exhorted him to keep peace with the latter and to
rule as a good, mild and just prince in general. He received
financial support and a new St. Mark's banner was sent to him.
In October 1392 the Venetian consul of Durrës Antonio de Pieri
Pizzoli announced the death of Georg Thopia and that the six most
respected citizens of Durrës had declared themselves to be Venice.
On October 26th, Michele Contarini and Pietro Quirini were appointed
Provveditors of Durrës, who took over the city from the hands of
Castellan Paolo da Canale and Rector Marino Cocco. With Document No.
488 of November 14th, the Venetian Senate ordered, among other
things, the improvement of the port, negotiations with the Ottomans
so that they could stop their raids and trade relations with the
Serbian Sebastokrator Vuk Branković. In addition, the Albanian
chiefs and the faithful in Durrës were to be honored according to
rank and merit. In addition, the estate of George was to be settled
in favor of his two surviving sisters Helena and Voisava and any
claims to Durrës were to be settled.
On February 20, 1393,
Francesco Giorgio was appointed bailo and captain of Durrës for two
years (until 1395). Marino Cocco handed over the city to him. In
April Francesco Giorgo decreed the amnesty of all robberies for all
barons of the Thopia family. The most distinguished citizens of the
city and the Albanian chiefs in the vicinity received gifts and
pensions, according to the Vojvode Borla, Andreas III. Musachi,
Progan Sguro (or Pogon Skura), Andreas Resa (brother of the late
Bishop Demetrios) and Komnenos Spata (father-in-law of Niketa Thopia
(also Niketta or Nicheta), second cousin of Helena Thopia).
Although Gjin III. Muzaka supported the Republic of Venice against
the Neapolitans after the death of Skanderbeg when they threatened
Durrës, the city was sacrificed in 1479 in the Peace Treaty of
Constantinople, which ended the Second Ottoman – Venetian War
(1463–1479), and ascribed to the Ottomans.
Parts of the city
wall and several of its towers are still preserved from the Venetian
period.
Ottoman period: loss of meaning
After the city
fell to the Ottomans in 1497, it was renamed the Turkish Dıraç and
slowly lost its importance.
Many of the residents gradually
converted to Islam (for the reasons for the conversion, see Islam in
Albania) and many mosques were built, one of the first among them
being the still-preserved Fatih Mosque.
In the middle of the
19th century the city still had 1000 inhabitants in 200 households.
A foreign traveler reported in the early 20th century: “The city
walls are in disrepair; Sycamore trees grow on the gigantic ruins of
the Byzantine citadel; and its harbor, once safe and well built, is
gradually silting up. "
Until 1912 Durrës was the center of a
sanjak within the Vilayet Shkodra.
20th and 21st centuries
On March 7, 1914, Durrës was declared the capital of the
Principality of Albania for a short time. The German aristocracy,
Prince Wilhelm zu Wied, ruled the local residence and could only
hold the throne for six months. During the First World War, the city
was occupied by Italy in 1915 and by Austria-Hungary in 1916/17. On
December 15, 1915, a naval battle between warships of the Entente
and Austria-Hungary took place near the city. On October 2, 1918
warships attacked the Entente port and city, causing numerous
destruction.
When Albania's independence was restored after
the war, Tirana was declared the new capital on February 11, 1920.
In 1926 a severe earthquake struck Durrës. As a result, new
buildings were built in the style of the Italian cities of Naples
and Venice, which still characterize the cityscape in the center
today. A villa is enthroned on a hill above the city and served as
the summer residence of the later King Ahmet Zogu.
Even
before the start of World War II, Italian troops landed in the city
on April 7, 1939 and overcame the Albanian resistance in short
battles. Like the rest of the country, Durrës was annexed by the
Kingdom of Italy between 1939 and 1943, followed by the German Reich
in 1944 until the end of the war.
After Enver Hoxha had come
to power in Albania and he had established a dictatorship in the
country that was based on communism, industrialization began in
Durrës. The communists made the coastal city an important location
for Albania's heavy industry and greatly expanded the port. In 1947
the first railway line in Albania was opened between Durrës and
Tirana.
When democratization began in Albania and the
communist regime collapsed in the early 1990s, thousands of refugees
boarded cargo ships in the port that took them to Italy. In August
1991 alone, over 20,000 people emigrated across the Adriatic.
After the collapse of communism in 1991, the city changed a lot.
Durrës attracted many residents from rural areas of Northern Albania
(rural exodus), who settled on the outskirts in underdeveloped
areas. The urban area multiplied within a very short time, which
caused problems and restrictions in the infrastructure. And also
along the coast to the south, mostly illegal hotel complexes,
residential and commercial buildings were built at this time.
From 1997, foreign military troops were stationed on a stretch
of beach on the Bay of Durrës. Initially they had the task of
guaranteeing peace and order in Albania during the lottery uprising.
In 1999, however, the NATO base served as a base during the Kosovo
war, and then KFOR. The NATO headquarters of the Communications
Zones West (COMMZ-W) was directly on the road to the south.
In September and November 2019, Durrës was hit by two powerful
earthquakes. During the earthquake on November 26, 2019, several
houses collapsed in and around Durrës, killing at least a dozen
people.
Get in
By boat
Ferries from the Italian ports of Bari,
Brindisi, Ancona and Trieste go to Durres. Most of the departures
are in Bari - in the summer there are ferries of three companies, a
total of about 30 departures a week, the journey takes 8-9 hours.
By bus
Buses and furgons usually arrive and depart at the bus terminal with
the "DURRES" logo on the outside near the railway station.
From Skopje, Macedonia, buses run through Durrës on their way to
Tirana. A typical Skopje-Tirana ticket costs around €25 return.
From Kumanovo, Macedonia, there is an everyday direct bus line to
Durrës. The cost of tickets is around 20 euros.
From Pristina,
Kosovo, in the summer season there are several buses a day. You
should check the timetables at the Pristina bus station, but in 2013
the timetable was as follows; 4.00, 5.00, 6.00 and 6.30 and then at
14.30, 15.00, 15.30, 16.00 and 23.00. There are at least a couple of
buses going back at 16.00 and 17.00. Return ticket costs about 12€.
The trip takes around 4 to 5,5 hours, depending on whether it goes
via Prizren. Buses depart and arrive at the northern end of Rruga
Pavaresia street running parallel, and very close, to the beach.
By train
Durrës is the founding place of the Albanian
railway. There are several connections to other cities every day.
The railways are in a dilapidated condition. However, Dürres is a
hub in the 2017 timetable, which was greatly reduced.
By car
There is a road between here and Tirana, the SH2, which takes just
over half an hour for the journey. You could fly into Tirana, then
drive or get a taxi to Durrës, with the airport connecting to the
SH2 by the SH60.
Get around
The city centre where the
archaeological sites are located can be toured by foot. Many taxis
are available in Durrës. You can find them parked everywhere on the
streets with a taxi symbol on the top of their car. There are also
Public Buses in orange that can drive you around the city although
much slower