Shkodra

History of Shkodra

Shkodra is a city in northwestern Albania, one of oldest cities, an important economic and cultural center. It lies next to the Shkodra Lake (Liqeni i Shkodrës), between the rivers Drin and Buna, the mountain of Tarabosh, and the Rozafa Castle.

In former times, Shkodra (pronounced: Shko-drah) was known as Scodra. It was founded around the 4th century B.C. on the hills around the Castle of Shkodra (Rozafa). It was the center of the Illyrian tribe Labeat, and during the rule of Gent it became the capital of the Illyrian kingdom. It was taken by the Romans in the year 168 B.C. In 1040, Shkodra was captured by the Serbs, then during the 14th century it became the center of the Balshaj feudal family. In 1396 it was taken by the Venetians.

Shkodra resisted two major Ottoman attacks, in 1474 and 1478-1479, when the city was entirely surrounded by Ottoman forces. It fell under Turkish rule after a heroic struggle in 1479. After the Turkish occupation the city was devastated, and a large number of the population fled. Around the 17th century, the city began to prosper and it became the center of the ‘sanjak’, Turkish administrative units smaller than ‘vilayets’. It became the economic center of northern Albania, its craftsmen produced fabric, silk, arms, and silver artifacts. Two story stone houses were built, the bazaar, and the Bridge of Mesi (Ura e Mesit) over the Kir river, built during the second half of the 18th century, over 100 meters long, the largest one being 22 meters wide and 12 meters tall.

In the 18th century Shkodra became the center of the pashallek of Shkodra, under the rule of the Bushati family, which ruled from the year 1757 to 1831. It became an important trade center in the second half of the 19th century. It had over 3500 shops, and clothing, leather, tobacco, and gun powder were some of the major products of Shkodra. 

Literary, cultural, and sports associations were formed, such as “Bashkimi” and “Agimi.” The first Albanian newspapers and publications printed in Albania came out of the printing press of Shkodra. The Marubi family of photographers began working in Shkodra, which left behind over 150,000 negatives from the period of the Albanian liberation movement, the rise of the Albanian flag in Vlora, and life in Albanian towns during the end of the 19th and the begining of the 20th century.

In January of 1916, Shkodra was captured by Austria-Hungary and was the center of the zone of their occupation. After World War I, the international military administration of Albania was temporarily located in Shkodra, and in March, 1920, Shkodra was put under the administration of the national government of Tirana. In the second half of 1920, Shkodra resisted another threat, the military intervention of the forces of the Yugoslav kingdom.

Shkodra was the seat of the Catholic archiepiscopacy and had a number of religious schools. The first laic school was opened here in 1913, and the State Gymnasium was opened in 1922. It was the center of many cultural associations, such as “Vllaznia“.

Shkodra is a major cultural center of Albania. The University “Luigj Gurakuqi” has several branches. The main library has over 250,000 titles. The Cultural Center, the branch of the Artists and Writers Association, and the “Migjeni” Theater are other major cultural institutions of Shkodra. The Museum of History, Museum of Education, the House of the Shkodra Branch of the League of Prizren, the Gallery of Arts, are some of the museums of Shkodra.

The city retains its characteristic appearance, with narrow streets with tall stone walls on both sides, and tall gates, 

Castle of Shkodra (Rozafa), the Mosque of Plumbi, and many old houses with an appearance characteristic to Shkodra. The city lies next to the lake and the residents use te beach of Shiroka for recreation.