Spinarica

Spinarica or Spinarizza was a medieval city on the mouth of Vjosa river in southern Albania. It was an important center of trade, a status boosted by its strategic location.^[1] During its existence the city was ruled by the Byzantines, Albanians,^[2] Venetians, Angevins, the Hohenstaufen dynasty and finally by the Ottomans.^[3] The exact reasons for Spinarica's decline are not known, though at the same period several important cities throughout Albania were abandoned due to socioeconomic issues caused by the Ottomans.^[4] The once prosperous city has been located by some scholars in the area of today's Zvërnec north of Vlorë.^[3][5][6][7]