- Type
- Fortress
- Coordinates
- 41.0470°, 19.4967°
History
The fortress's origins are disputed. Some scholars think the Venetians built it in the 15th century, when the coast of central Albania fell within their sphere of influence. Others, such as the French historian Alain Ducellier, believe the Venetians rebuilt an earlier Byzantine fortification of the 6th century, from the age of Justinian. In the Middle Ages the area was a trading harbour through which grain from the fertile Shkumbin valley was shipped; sources and a map of 1574 name the place Breg, Briego or Vrego. Later the fortress passed to the Ottomans, gradually lost its importance and fell into ruin.
What to see
On flat ground among fields stands a rectangular circuit of walls about 9 metres high, enclosing a courtyard of roughly 60 by 90 metres. Round towers survive at the corners, and traces of three gateways can be seen in the walls. The interior is empty and overgrown, which shows the sheer scale of the former depot. The fortress lies a few kilometres from the Adriatic coast, near the village of Vilë-Ballaj.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q65349
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