Fortress of Justinian | |
---|---|
Native name Albanian: Kalaja e Tiranës | |
![]() Castle of Tirana | |
Location | Tirana |
Coordinates | 41°19′35″N 19°49′19″E / 41.32639°N 19.82194°E |
Height | 6 m |
Current use | Open to the public |
Owner | ![]() |
Website | kalajaetiranes |
Designated | 10 June 1973 |
Fortress of Justinian (Albanian: Kalaja e Justinianit) or simply known as Tirana Castle (Albanian: Kalaja e Tiranës) is a castle in Tirana, Albania. Its history dates back before 1300 and is a remnant from the Byzantine-era. The fortress is the place where the main east–west and north–south roads crossed, and formed the heart of Tirana. The current fortification has three known towers and it is undergoing a process of restoration, for touristic purposes. Inside the fortified walls of the former fortress, there are many buildings that can be visited, including restaurants, hotels, and cultural institutions.[1]
About all that is left of the fortress above ground is a 6-metre (20 ft) high Ottoman-era wall, covered in vines. The recently uncovered wall foundations were incorporated into the pedestrianised Murat Toptani Street, while a mosaic commemorating the 100th Anniversary of Albania's Independence was unveiled near the Albanian Parliament.[2]
The Castle of Tirana was declared a monument of culture of first category on 10 June 1973 and the new tracks of walls of Tirana Castle were declared a cultural monument on 15 May 2008.[3]
Traditional bazaar
[edit]In December 2018, a new traditional bazaar was opened inside Tirana Castle with various traditional hand crafts stores and traditional cuisine restaurants.
-
Tirana Castle
-
Inside the castle
-
Fortress walls
-
Part of the castle's fortification
-
Pedestrian Murat Toptani St nearby fortress
-
Pedestrian Murat Toptani St nearby fortress
-
Explanatory plaque
References
[edit]- ^ "Kalaja (The Fortress of Tirana) | Visit Albania". Archived from the original on 2017-02-02. Retrieved 2016-09-27.
- ^ "Fortress of Justinian". Retrieved 2 November 2010.
- ^ "Castle of Tirana". Archived from the original on 2017-02-02. Retrieved 2016-09-30.