Korçë (Alb. Korçë, Greek Κορυτσά, Macedonian Goritsa, Arum. Curceaua, Italian Corizza) is a city in South-Eastern Albania with a population of about 76 thousand people (2011). The city is the administrative center of the eponymous district of Korçë and the Korçë region, located at an altitude of 850 m.
Resurrection Cathedral
The Resurrection Cathedral was built in
1992 in the neo-Byzantine style and is the main Orthodox church in
Korcha. The building is very elegant, painted pink, blue and brown.
The interior of the temple is dominated by a huge carved wooden
altar. Also interesting are the Albanian eagles carved on chairs.
Museum of Medieval Art
The Museum of Art dedicated to the
Middle Ages was opened in the city of Korca in 1980. The collection
of the museum includes historical, cultural, artistic objects of the
medieval period, primarily associated with the Christian heritage of
the Byzantine and post-Byzantine era. Icons, stone products, a
collection of items made of precious metals, carved wood, textiles,
paper, etc., are the central exhibits of the museum. In particular,
the museum's iconographic collection includes 6500 images and is one
of the largest in the world.
The museum has a permanent
exhibition hall, where about 200 art objects are exhibited, several
expert laboratories for the preservation and revival of heritage, as
well as special storage facilities with a special microclimate.
Icons of the 13th-14th centuries stand out in the permanent
exhibition. works of masters Nikola Onufri, Simon Ardenits,
Konstantin Hieromonk, David Selyanisi, Katro brothers, Zografos
brothers and their children, other works of authors who lived and
worked in different regions of Albania and beyond.
Museum of
Education
The Museum of Education is located in the building of
the first Albanian school, opened in 1887. The exposition of the
museum is dedicated to the Albanian language and alphabet, books in
Albanian, and the study of languages.
Although the city of Korça was founded in the last V-VI centuries, the Korça area is one of the countries of South-Eastern Europe that was inhabited earlier. Excavations have uncovered Illyrian tombs and fortifications.
The area of Korça is located in the historical land of the Illyrians and has been inhabited since the fourth millennium BC. The Copper Age lasted from the third millennium to the second millennium p.e.s. By the year 650 p.e.s. The Korça plain was ruled by a dynasty of the Illyrian Kingdom, while after 650 it was ruled by a Kaone dynasty. During this period the area was mostly inhabited by the Kaone and Molose tribes. Archaeological excavations around the city of Korça have discovered a coffin of the 2nd century e.s. which shows the engraved figure of two Illyrian blacksmiths working the iron in the anvil. It is worth mentioning the Kamenica Tuma Fact that shows the habitation of this area in the Copper Age. Around Korca there are very early centers such as: Kamenica, Podgoria, Maliqi and Devolli .
The province of Korça fell under the rule of the
Bulgarian emperor Boriz in 853. He formed in this area the
administrative unit called "Kutmicevicë", which in Albanian means
"Newly occupied land". Bulgarian forces remained until 1018.
The earliest written information on the existence of the city of
Korça comes from the chronicle on the history and genealogy of the
Albanian feudal family of Muzakaj, written by Gjon Muzaka in 1510.
The writer when counting the possessions of Andre Muzaka I, who
achieved the title Sebastokrator in 1280- 1281 and became the god of
a vast province that stretched throughout Central Albania to the
Vjosa River in the south, with Berat as its capital and which
included, among others, Myzeqena, Tomorica, Opar, Devolli, Kostur,
and mentions Korça as' Kovica ', which he describes as a city. From
the end of the XIII century until the eve of the Ottoman occupation,
the area of Korça became part of the Principality of Muzakaj who
were originally from Opari.
In 1440 the
Ottomans conquered the area of Korça. The modern city of Korça was
formed in the 15th century when Iljaz bej Mirahori developed Korça
under the order of Sultan Mehmed II. Ilazji had served the sultan in
the siege of Constantinople in 1453. Under Ottoman occupation Korça
under the name "Göricë" was the sanjak of the vilayet of Manastir.
But the mosque was the first construction of Illjaz bej Mirahori,
because the old Korça Bazaar flourished around it. Initially the
shops were built of planks but after three straight lines, traders
began to reinforce the buildings. There were 16 inns in the Bazaar,
today only 4 of them are standing. Goods from Greece, Turkey,
Venice, Trieste, etc. were traded in the bazaar. There you will find
everything from livestock products to expensive jewelry. Korça is
also mentioned during the Veneto-Turkish war (1644-1669), where
Elbasan merchants followed the long road with many stations
Elbasan-Korça-Saranda-Corfu-Venice. In Korça they sold manufactured
products and bought livestock products.
The city began to
flourish after the raid of Voskopoja by the Ottomans in 1788.
Between the years 1769-1789 many families from Voskopoja came to
Korça which gave the city a little of the glory of Voskopoja. In
1783 the city became part of the Pasha of Ali I saw Tepelena.
During the XIX century and the beginning of the XX century Korça
became an important center of the National Renaissance. Thus in 1887
the first primary school in Albanian language was opened by the
Drita Organization, while in Korça, in 1891 the first school for
girls from the Qirjazi family was opened. In 1968 the building was
turned into the Museum of Education.
Ottoman rule over Korça lasted until 1912, the year when Albania declared independence. The Treaty of St. Stephen of 1878 passed Korça and Pogradec to the Bulgarian Principality, while the Treaty of Berlin of the same year returned it to the Ottoman Empire. In 1910 the Orthodox Alliance of Korça led by Mihal Grameno announced the establishment of the Albanian Orthodox Church, but the Ottoman authorities refused to recognize it. Korça's geographical proximity to Greece and the fact that Greece called the Orthodox population "Greek" led to fierce disputes during the Balkan War of 1912-1913. In 1913 Greece claimed Korça and other areas of Albania as part of the so-called "Vorio Epirus".
In October 1914 the city fell under Greek administration. During
the period of the National Schism (in Greece, 1916) a local revolt
broke out which was brought under control by Elefter Venizelos.
However, during the First World War, developments on the Macedonian
Front caused the city to quickly fall under French control
(1916-1920). During this time fourteen representatives of Korça and
Colonel Deskoini signed the protocol announcing the creation of the
Albanian Republic of Korça, under the military protection of the
French army and with president Themistokli Gërmënji. The currency
used was the Franc and the Skënderi of Korça. Eventually, Korça
became part of Albania in 1921, when the International Borders
Commission reaffirmed the 1913 borders.
The country
experienced a difficult economic situation during Zog's reign, and
this forced the population to decline due to emigration from 25,600
inhabitants in 1923 to 21,220 inhabitants in 1938. With the outbreak
of World War II in 1939, Italy occupied Korça and all the rest of
the country. With the outbreak of the Italo-Greek War, Korça fell
under Greek sovereignty in November 1940. This lasted until April
1941, when German troops attacked the Greek army. With the
withdrawal of Italy from the War in 1943, the Germans held the city
occupied until October 24, 1944. Korça was liberated by the
partisans in September 1944.
Staying under fascist and Nazi
occupation, the city became an important center of Communist
resistance. The establishment of the Albanian Labor Party (Communist
Party) was officially announced in Korça in 1941. With the
establishment of the Communist system after the liberation, a
discriminatory policy was pursued against the rich and political
opponents. Thus, immediately after the war, a new wave of emigration
moved to the Albanian-American community in Boston.
In 1990
the New Democratic Party won the elections in Korça. The popular
revolts in February 1991 ended with the fall of the statue of Enver
Hoxha.