Elbasan, Albania

Elbasan Castle, Albania
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elbasan_Castle_1.JPG
Author: Brams


Elbasan is one of the major cities of Albania. It is located on the Shkumbin river in Central Albania. The city covers 1,290 sq km (498 sq mi) and has a population of around 90,000 people (2011 estimate). It observes the Central European Time, which is an hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+1) and two hours ahead during Daylight Saving Time in summer.

As with many of the cities in Albania, Elbasan has a history going back thousands of years. The medieval part of the city has narrow, cobbled streets, medieval buildings and a large bazaar. Within the castle walls are Christian settlements while in the outskirts of the city are a number of fine mosques.

Elbasan has been settled during the Roman period, when it was known as Mario Scampa. Under the Romans, the city was fortified with a fortress. At that time, it was a trading post on the crossroad of ancient trade routes.

There are a number of churches in the heart of Elbasan. Perhaps the most prominent is the Saint Mary Orthodox Church, built in 1830. It has been a center for religious studies and a cultural center for the Albanian language.

Some 7 km from Elbasan is the old monastery which held the remains of Saint Jovan Vladimir until 1995, when it was transferred to the Orthodox Cathedral in Tirana, and returned to this monastery only during his feast days.

Visiting Elbasan

Take a bus or minivan from Tirana to reach Elbasan.

Places of Interest in Elbasan

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