Durrës, Administrative division in western Albania
Durrës is a coastal city on the Adriatic Sea in western Albania, serving as the country's second-largest urban center. The settlement stretches along a wide bay and connects residential neighborhoods, port facilities, and several nearby towns into a continuous built-up area.
Greeks founded the settlement in the 7th century BC as a trading post, which later became an important port center under Roman rule. After centuries of Byzantine and Ottoman control, the city became part of the independent Albanian state in 1912.
The administrative territory includes multiple urban centers such as Manëz, Shijak, and Sukth, each contributing to the region's demographic composition of 202,971 residents.
A motorway connects the city to the capital Tirana in roughly 30 minutes of driving, making access easier for travelers moving between both locations. Buses and shared taxis run regularly along the coast and provide links to smaller towns in the surrounding area.
The Roman amphitheater from the 2nd century sits in the middle of a residential neighborhood and was only rediscovered in 1966 during construction work. Visitors can walk among the seating rows and underground passages where gladiators once waited before their fights.
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