Balibardha Castle, Albania

 

Description of Balibardha Castle

Balibardha Castle is a medieval citadel in Berat County of Albania. Modern location is fairly remote. Little remains from the original structure today. Over a course of several centuries local farmers used medieval stones to construct new buildings. So today it is quiet difficult to find ruins of the medieval citadel. Balibardha Castle played a strategic role until newly emerged technologies didn't make stationary castles obsolete. Local government simply abandoned this strategic location since Albania was part of the greater Ottoman Empire that secured protection of the local lands against any aggression from neigbours.

 

Description

The hill on which the castle Balibardha is located has a dominant position over the village of Janica. In the southwest the castle overlooks the valley of the river Osum, in the west the plain of Myzeqe, in the north the mountains of Sulova, while in the southeast is the massif of Tomorri. Hill fortifications, this because of the difficulties offered by the terrain, mainly dense vegetation. The latter reason also hindered control for surface finds of the fenced fortification territory. The preserved wall line follows the contours of the hilltop. The wall is built with ready-made sand blocks, in isodomic shape with dimensions over 1, 30 m x 0, 80 m x 0, 30 m. The Gradishta (settlement) of Balibardhë was in poor condition due to natural factors, such as rockfall, vegetation but also clandestine excavations of recent years, traces of which can be seen all over the surface of the hilltop. According to the oral sources of the villagers of the area, but also from our preliminary observation, this castle has been subjected to clandestine excavations on its eastern side as well as inside the walls where a pit measuring 3 m x 3 m was identified.