Durrës Castle, Medieval fortress in Durrës, Albania
Durrës Castle is a fortress in the port city of Durrës with surviving defensive walls and three preserved entrances that span a section of the original fortification. The structure displays different building styles left behind by successive cultures that controlled the site across centuries.
Emperor Anastasius I commissioned construction of the fortress in the 5th century to strengthen Durrës as a fortified settlement on the Adriatic coast. Over centuries, the site was rebuilt and modified by Byzantines, Venetians, and Ottomans, reflecting its ongoing strategic importance to different powers.
The fortress walls display architectural styles from Byzantine, Venetian, and Ottoman periods, each leaving traces from the civilizations that controlled this strategic port. Walking around the ruins, you can observe how different building techniques were layered on top of each other over time.
The site sits close to other historical locations like an amphitheatre and archaeological museum that are easily reached on foot. The best time to visit is early morning or late afternoon, when there are fewer people and you can explore the ruins more comfortably.
The fortress became a defensive position in 1939 when local inhabitants mounted resistance against Italian forces until armored units broke through the port. This moment is embedded in local memory and shows how this location retained military relevance across centuries.
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