| Lezhë Castle | |
|---|---|
| Albanian: Kalaja e Lezhës | |
| Lezhë, in northern Albania | |
 Lezhë Castle in 1995 | |
.svg)  Lezhë Castle | |
| Coordinates | 41°47′01″N 19°38′59″E / 41.783611°N 19.649722°E / 41.783611; 19.649722 |
| Site information | |
| Owner |  Albania |
| Controlled by | Illyrian tribes  Roman Empire  Byzantine Empire  Principality of Dukagjini  Republic of Venice  Ottoman Empire Albania |
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Site history | |
| Built | Unknown foundation date, castle rebuilt by Venetians in 1440, and Ottomans 1522 |
The Lezhë Castle (Albanian: Kalaja e Lezhës) is a castle dominating the city of Lezhë, northern Albania. Its highest point is 186 metres (610 ft). Lezhë Castle is at an elevation of 322 metres (1,056 ft). Lezhë Castle began as a Illyrian fortification. It was rebuilt by the Venetians in the 1440s and the Ottomans in 1522. In the late Middle Ages, the castle belonged to the Dukagjini family. The two brothers Tanush Dukagjini and Progon Dukagjini (sons of Lekë I) through an agreement which preserved their trade rights and estates around the castle placed the city and the castle under Venetian control in 1393 as a means to defend it against Ottoman expansion. The Venetians formally ceded the castle to the Ottomans in 1506.
See also
References
Sources
- Malaj, Edmond (2016). "The Noble Dukagjinis during the Middle Ages. Their Territories and some Characteristics". Studime Historike. 1–2: 10.
- Galaty, Michael; Lafe, Ols; Lee, Wayne; Tafilica, Zamir (2013). Light and Shadow: Isolation and Interaction in the Shala Valley of Northern Albania. The Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press. ISBN 978-1931745710.
External links
41°47′1″N 19°38′59″E / 41.78361°N 19.64972°E / 41.78361; 19.64972
| Castles in Albania | |
|---|---|
| Northern Albania | |
| Central Albania | |
| Southern Albania | |
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