Tirana Castle

Tirana Castle, locally known as Kalaja e Tiranës, lies in the city of the same name, in the county of Tirana in Albania. The castle is also known as the Fortress of Justinian (Kalaja e Justinianit).

The castle is thought to have been founded sometime during the Early Byzantine Period (4th to 6th century). It might be one of the fortifications built or rebuilt by the 6th century Emperor Justinian I, hence its other name.

In the late 18th century, during Ottoman times, a new castle built on the ruins of its predecessor by Ahmet Pasha Bargjini. The Toptani family from Krujë took the castle in 1798, after which it became the object of a long feud between the two families, during which it switched hands several times. In 1817, it suffered a 5-month-long siege by the Toptanis, which devastated the castle and the town. After their victory, the Toptanis partly rebuilt the castle and intermarried with the Barjinis, in an attempt to secure the peace. In 1832, however, the castle was demolished on the orders of the Ottoman Grand Vizier Reşid Mehmed Pasha.

The castle seems to have had a rectangular plan with round corner towers and square wall towers. Not much is left of it at present, but a stretch of the northern curtain wall and foundations of the northeast corner tower and a wall tower. The castle precinct is now partly used as a residential area and a sort of bazaar-like shopping center.

The remains of Tirana Castle can freely be visited. Not very interesting but still a nice spot right in the center of the city.

Gallery