Lezhë, Historic municipality in western Albania
Lezhë is a city in western Albania extending across coastal plains with access to the Adriatic Sea through Shëngjin Harbor. Mountains and rivers shape the surrounding landscape and mark the boundaries of the area.
In 1444, Albanian lords gathered here under Skanderbeg's leadership to form a military alliance against the Ottomans. This gathering became a turning point in the struggle for regional independence.
The city holds Catholic and Muslim religious sites that reflect the religious diversity of northern Albania visible throughout daily life. This mixture shapes how people of different faiths share the same neighborhoods and public spaces today.
The central train station connects travelers to larger cities like Durrës and Shkodër, with regular bus services extending to Montenegro as well. Visitors should expect basic infrastructure and plan visits outside the hottest summer months for comfort.
The city has been continuously inhabited for roughly 2,400 years according to archaeological finds, with defensive walls from the 4th century BC still visible. These ancient structures lie partly beneath modern neighborhoods, revealing clues about the region's earliest civilizations.
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