Pogradec Castle
Kodra e Qytetit, në hyrje të qytetit të Pogradecit, Bashkia Pogradec
Pogradec Castle stands to the south-west of Lake Ohrid, above the town of Pogradec, on a hill about 200 m high. The earliest traces of habitation date back to the 5th century BC, when the site was an unfortified settlement. In the 4th century BC it was given defensive walls and began to serve as a small urban centre whose inhabitants lived mainly from farming, fishing and various crafts. This centre also maintained relations with neighbouring settlements. In the second half of the 2nd century BC, during the Illyrian–Roman–Macedonian wars, the settlement was destroyed by a fierce fire, which may have broken out during a battle between the opposing forces. This is confirmed by archaeological excavations, which have revealed a layer of ash within the cultural layer of the 2nd century BC. After the wars the inhabitants rebuilt the settlement but did not surround it with walls again, because during this period – which coincides with the Roman era – the territories conquered by Rome, including the Pogradec region, enjoyed three centuries of peace in which fortification was unnecessary. The onset of the barbarian invasions in the 4th century AD brought the need to raise the encircling walls once more, and they were built on the remains of the ancient wall. This new fortification served the inhabitants until the 9th century AD, when the settlement was destroyed by Slavic invaders and finally abandoned by its people, who went to live at the foot of the hill.
Monument record
- Ownership
- State-owned
- Current use
- Cultural site
- Original use
- Fortified settlement
- Dating
- 4th century BC – 6th century AD
- Declared a monument
- Ministry of Education and Culture, Decision no. 1886, dated 10/06/1973
- Monument category
- I – First
- Current condition
- Only one stretch of wall, about 0.50 m high, survives on the western side of the hilltop.
- Distance from Pogradec city centre
- 700 m to the west.
How to get there
The castle can be reached on foot or by car, but the road climbing the hill is unpaved and driving is difficult. 4x4 vehicles are recommended.
What it offers
- Cultural Monument
