Fortress of Justinian
Historic site in Tirana
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fortress of Justinian (Albanian: Kalaja e Justinianit) or simply known as Tirana Castle (Albanian: Kalaja e Tiranës) is a castle in Tirana, Albania. Its history dates back before 1300 and is a remnant from the Byzantine-era. The fortress is the place where the main east–west and north–south roads crossed, and formed the heart of Tirana. The current fortification has three known towers and it is undergoing a process of restoration, for touristic purposes. Inside the fortified walls of the former fortress, there are many buildings that can be visited, including restaurants, hotels, and cultural institutions.[1]
| Fortress of Justinian | |
|---|---|
| Native name Kalaja e Tiranës (Albanian) | |
Castle of Tirana | |
| Location | Tirana |
| Coordinates | 41°19′35″N 19°49′19″E |
| Height | 6 m |
| Current use | Open to the public |
| Owner |  Albania |
| Website | kalajaetiranes |
| Designated | 10 June 1973 |
.svg)  Location of Fortress of Justinian in Albania | |
About all that is left of the fortress above ground is a 6-metre (20 ft) high Ottoman-era wall, covered in vines. The recently uncovered wall foundations were incorporated into the pedestrianised Murat Toptani Street, while a mosaic commemorating the 100th Anniversary of Albania's Independence was unveiled near the Albanian Parliament.[2]
The Castle of Tirana was declared a monument of culture of first category on 10 June 1973 and the new tracks of walls of Tirana Castle were declared a cultural monument on 15 May 2008.[3]
Traditional bazaar
In December 2018, a new traditional bazaar was opened inside Tirana Castle with various traditional hand crafts stores and traditional cuisine restaurants.[citation needed]
