Shkodër Cathedral, Romanesque Revival cathedral in Shkodër, Albania
Shkodër Cathedral is a brick church in the Romanesque Revival style, standing in the center of Shkodër, northern Albania. It measures 74 meters long and 50 meters wide, with a central tower reaching 23 meters high above the surrounding rooftops.
Work on the building started in 1858, after Ottoman authorities gave permission for a large Catholic church in the region, and was completed in 1867. After decades of communist rule, the church was restored and returned to its religious use in the early 1990s.
The cathedral sits at the heart of Catholic life in Shkodër, a city where Muslims and Christians have long lived side by side. During major religious feasts, the nave fills with worshippers from across the region, making it one of the most attended gathering points in the city.
The church is easy to find since the brick tower is visible from many parts of the city center. Visiting outside of service times gives you the chance to walk through the interior without crowds.
Between 1967 and 1990, under communist rule, the building was turned into a sports hall, and all religious activity inside was banned. The brick structure survived that period without major damage, which visitors can appreciate when walking through the restored nave today.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
