Houses above the river

Citadel of Berat

Berat (Albanian: Berat or Berati, Greek: Βεράτι Verati) is a town located in south-central Albania at 40°42′N 19°57′E. It has a population of around 45,500 people (2003 est). It is the capital of both the District of Berat and the larger County of Berat. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (600x800, 90 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (600x800, 90 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Categories: Albania geography stubs | Districts of Albania ... Categories: Albania geography stubs ...

Berat lies on the right bank of the river Osum, a short distance from the point where it is joined by the Molisht river. It is remarkable Ottoman town, with a wealth of beautiful buildings of the highest architectural and historical interest. The pine forests above the city, on the slopes of the towering Tomori mountains, provide a backdrop of appropriate grandeur. The Osumi river has cut a 915-metre deep gorge through the limestone rock on the west side of the valley to form a precipitous natural fortress, around which the town was built on several river terraces.

According to legend, the Tomorr mountain was originally a giant, who fought with another giant, called Shpirag over a young woman. They killed each other and the girl drowned in her tears, which then became the Osum river.

Mount Shpirag, named after the second giant, is on the left bank of the gorge, above the district of Gorica. Berati is known to Albanians as 'The City of a Thousand Windows' a similar epithet to that sometimes applied to Gjirokastra, The City of Two Thousand Steps, and has a mixture of Orthodox, Muslim and Vlach inhabitants. It was proclaimed a 'Museum City' by the dictator Enver Hoxha in June 1961, and is a UNESCO World Heritage City.

History

The town is thought to be one of the oldest in Albania, with a settlement having existed there since at least the 6th century BC, when it was a fortress-settlement of the Illyrian Dasaretes tribe on the old border between Illyria and Epirus. Known as Antipatrea, it was captured by the Romans in the 2nd century BC. The town became part of the unstable frontier of the Byzantine Empire following the fall of the Roman Empire and, along with much of the rest of the Balkan peninsula, it suffered from repeated invasions by Slavs and other "barbarian" tribes. During the Byzantine period, it was known as Pulcheriopolis. (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium) The 6th century BC started on January 1, 600 BC and ended on December 31, 501 BC. // Monument 1, an Olmec colossal head at La Venta The 5th and 6th centuries BC were a time of empires, but more importantly, a time... Illyria Illyria (disambiguation) Illyria (Anc. ... Epirus (Greek Ήπειρος, Ípiros) is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in south-eastern Europe. ... See also Roman Republic (18th century) and Roman Republic (19th century). ... (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium) The 2nd century BC started on January 1, 200 BC and ended on December 31, 101 BC. // Coin of Antiochus IV. Reverse shows Apollo seated on an omphalos. ... Byzantine Empire at its greatest extent c. ... The Roman Empire is the name given to the city-state of Rome and also the corresponding phase of that civilization, characterized by an autocratic form of government. ... The Balkans is the historic and geographic name used to describe southeastern Europe (see the Definitions and boundaries section below). ... The Slavic peoples are the most numerous ethnic and linguistic body of peoples in Europe. ...

The Bulgarians under Simeon I captured the town in the 9th century but were eventually driven out in the 11th century. During the 13th century, it fell to Michael I Ducas, the ruler of the Despotate of Epirus. It passed to the Serbs in 1345, who renamed it Beligrad or "Beograd" ("white city"), from which the present name is derived. The Ottoman Empire conquered it in 1450 and retained it until 1912. However, it did not retain direct control for the whole of this period – in 1809, the tyrannical Ali Pasha, who was himself of Albanian origins, seized the town and refortified it. In 1867, Berat became a sanjak in Janina (Yanya) vilayet. Simeon the Great (modern painting) Tsar Simeon the Great (Bulgarian: Цар Симеон Велики, Tsar Simeon Veliki) (lived c. ... As a means of recording the passage of time the 9th century was that century that lasted from 801 to 900. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century was that century which lasted from 1001 to 1100. ... (12th century - 13th century - 14th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. ... Michael I Angelus Comnenus Ducas was the founder and first ruler of the Despotate of Epirus from 1205 until his death in 1215. ... The Despotate of Epirus was one of the medieval Greek successor states of the Byzantine Empire, founded in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade in 1204. ... Languages Serbian Religions Predominantly Serbian Orthodox Christian Related ethnic groups Other Slavic peoples, especially South Slavs See Cognate peoples below Serbs (Serbian: Срби or Srbi) are a South Slavic people who live mainly in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and, to a lesser extent, in Croatia and the Republic of Macedonia. ... Events Miracle of the Host Births October 31 - King Fernando I of Portugal (died 1383) Agnès of Valois, daughter of John II of France (died 1349) Eleanor Maltravers, English noblewoman (died 1405) Deaths April 14 - Richard Aungerville, English writer and bishop (born 1287) September 16 - John IV, Duke of... Motto: دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) Anthem: Ottoman imperial anthem Borders in 1680, see: list of territories Capital Söğüt (1299-1326) Bursa (1326-1365) Edirne (1365-1453) Constantinople (Istanbul) (1453-1922) Language(s) Ottoman Turkish Government Monarchy Sultans  - 1281–1326 Osman I  - 1918–1922 Mehmed VI... Events March - French troops under Guy de Richemont besiege the English commander in France, Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, in Caen April 15 - Battle of Formigny. ... 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... 1809 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Engraving of Ali Pasha Ali Pashë Tepelena, commonly known as Ali Pasha, (1741 – January 24, 1822) was the military ruler (pasha) of a large area of the Ottoman Empires European territories. ... 1867 (MDCCCLXVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Sanjak and Sandjak (other variants: sinjaq, sanjaq) are the most common English transliterations of the Turkish word Sancak, which literally means banner. In Arabic the sanjaks were also called liwas. ... Ioannina (Greek: Ιωάννινα, often Γιάννενα Giannena, Yiannena or Γιάννινα Giannina, Yiannina ; Albanian: Janinë or Janina; Aromanian: Ianina, Bulgarian: Янина Janina) is a city in and...

During the period of Ottoman rule, Berat fell into severe decline. By the end of the 16th century it had only 710 houses. It began to recover in the 17th century and became a major craft centre specialising in wood carving. During the 19th century, Berat played an important part in the Albanian national revival. It became a major base of support for the League of Prizren, the late 19th century Albanian nationalist alliance. In November 1944, the communist-controlled Anti-Fascist National Liberation Council of Albania declared in Berat that it was the provisional government of the country, signalling the beginning of the long dictatorship of Enver Hoxha. (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... The League of Prizren (Albanian: Lidhja e Prizrenit) was created on June 10, 1878 in a mosque in Prizren, Kosovo by 300 Albanian nationalist leaders, mostly from Kosovo, Western former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Muslim leaders from Bosnia-Hercegovina and the Sandzak, in order to achieve an autonomous Albanian... Year 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ...  , (IPA , October 16, 1908–April 11, 1985) was the leader of Albania from the end of World War II until his death in 1985, as the First Secretary of the Communist Albanian Party of Labour. ...

Attractions

The Fortress, is built on a rocky hill on the left bank of the river Osum and is accessible only from the south. After being burned down by the Romans in 200 B.C. the walls were strengthened in the fifth century under Byzantine Emperor Theodosius II, and were rebuilt during the 6th century under the Emperor Justinian and again in the 13th century under the Despot of Epirus, Michael Angelus Comnenus, cousin of the Byzantine Emperor. The main entrance, on the north side, is defended by a fortified courtyard and there are three smaller entrances. The fortress of Berat in its present state, even though considerably damaged, remains a magnificent sight. The surface that it encompasses made it possible to house a considerable portion of the cities inhabitants. The buildings inside the fortress were built during the 13th century and because of their characteristic architecture are preserved as cultural monuments. The population of the fortress was Christian, and it had about 20 churches (most built during the 13th century) and only one mosque, for the use of the Turkish garrison, (of which there survives only a few ruins and the base of the minaret). The churches of the fortress were damaged through years and only some have remained.

The Church of St. Mary of Vllaherna dating from the 13th century, has 16th century mural paintings by Nikolla, son of the Albania's most famous medieval painter, Onufri. In a small tree - planted square, on a hillside inside the walls of the fortress, stands the fourteenth century Church of the Holy Trinity. It is built in the form of a Greek cross and has Byzantine murals. Outside the ramparts is the Church of St. Michael (Shen Mehill), Built in the thirteenth century. This church is reached by a steep but perfectly safe path. Near the entrance, after a guardhouse, is the little Church of St. Theodore (Shen Todher), which have wall paintings by Onufri himself. The most interesting is the cathedral of St. Nicholas, which has been well restored and is now a museum dedicated to Onufri. Onufri was the greatest of the 16th century painters in Albania. Not only was he a master of the techniques of fresco and icons, but he was the first to introduce a new colour in painting, pink, which the French called "Onufri's Red". In addition, Onufri introduced a certain realism and a degree of individuality in facial expression.

The first inscription recording Onufri's name was found in 1951, in the Shelqan church. The Kastoria church has a date 23 July 1547 and a reference to Onufri's origin : Une jam Onufri, dhe vij nga qyteti i shkelqyer i Beratit (I am Onufri, and come from the town of Berat). Onufri's style in painting was inherited by his son, Nikolla (Nicholas), though not so successful as his father. In Onufri's museum are to be found works of Onufri, his son, Nikolla and other painters'. There are also numbers of icons and some fine examples of religious silversmith's work (sacred vessels, icon casings, covers of Gospel books, etc). Berat Gospels, which date from the forth century, are copies (the originals are preserved in the National Archives in Tirana). The church itself has a magnificent iconostasis of carved wood, with two very fine icons of Christ and the Virgin Mary. The bishop's throne and the pulpit are also of considerable quality. Near the street running down from the fortress is the Bachelors' Mosque (Xhami e Beqareve), built in 1827. This has a handsome portico and an interesting external decoration of flowers, plants, houses, etc. The 'Bachelors' were the young shop-assistants (in practice generally unmarried), whom the merchants in Berat used as their own private militia. The Sultan's Mosque (Xhamia e Mbretit), the oldest in the town built in the reign of Bayazid II (1481 - 1512), is notable for its fine ceiling.

The Leaden Mosque (Xhamia e Plumbit), built in 1555 and so called from the covering of its cupola. This mosque is the centre of the town. The Tekke of the Helveti (Teqe e Helvetive), of 1790, with a handsome porch and a carved and gilded ceiling. Near of tekke was the grave of Shabbatai Zvi, a Turkish Jew living in Berat who in the 1660 declared himself to be the Messiah and began a movement that led to hundreds of thousands of impoverished European Jews trying to follow him in an attempted emigration to the Holy Land. The Ottoman authorities put him on trial for disrupting the Imperial Peace and imprisoned for a time in Costantinopole. He was forced to convert to Islam and exiled back to Albania . After his death his tomb was taken over as a Bektashi shrine and remained that until 1967

Sights in Berat

The town is still renowned for its historic architecture and scenic beauty and is known as the "Town of a Thousand Windows", due to the many large windows of the old decorated houses overlooking the town. It is unclear whether it really means "Thousand" (një mijë) or "One over Another" (një mbi një) windows. Indeed, the quarter is built in a very steep place and windows seem to be one over another. Same views can be admired also in Gjrokastër (Albania) and Catanzaro (Italy) where once an Albanian minority lived. The Citadel overlooks the river and the modern city as well as the old Christian quarter across the river. It is a well preserved area containing narrow streets, Turkish houses and Orthodox churches.

Modern Berat consists of three parts divided by the Ossum River: Goritsa ("little mountain" in Old Slavonic, Mangalem and Kalaja, the latter being a residential quarter within the old Byzantine citadel that overlooks the town. The town also has a 15th century mosque and a number of churches of the Albanian Orthodox Church, whose autocephaly was proclaimed there in 1922. Several of the churches house works by the renowned 16th century painter Onufri. Old Slavonic may refer to: Old Church Slavonic language Common Slavonic language This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... The Orthodox Authocephalous Church of Albania is one of the newest autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches, having only been established in the 20th century. ... In hierarchical Christian churches, especially Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches, autocephaly is the status of a hierarchical church whose head bishop does not report to any higher-ranking bishop. ... Year 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar). ... Onufri was a famous painter in Albania in the 16th century. ...

Trivia

• The football (soccer) club is KS Tomori Berat.

Football (soccer) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Klubi Sportiv Tomori Berat is a football (soccer) club playing in the city of Berat. ...

See also

• List of cities in Albania
• Tourism in Albania

This is a list of cities in Albania: Apollonia Bajram Curri Ballsh Berat Bilisht Bulqizë Burrel Butrint Cërrik Çorovodë Delvinë Durrës Elbasan Ersekë Fier Fushë-Krujë Gjirokastër Gramsh Has Himarë Kamzë Kavajë Këlcyrë Klos Koplik Korçë Krujë Krumë Kuçovë Kukës Laç Lezhë Librazhd Lushnj... Vlorë Tourism in Albania is still in its infancy. ...

External links

• Photos

Cities in Albania

· Apollonia · Bajram Curri · Ballsh · Berat · Bilisht · Bulqizë · Burrel · Butrint · Cërrik · Çorovodë · Delvinë · Durrës · Elbasan · Ersekë · Fier · Fushë-Krujë · Gjirokastër · Gramsh · Has · Himarë · Kamzë · Kavajë · Këlcyrë · Klos · Konispol · Koplik · Korçë · Krujë · Krumë · Kuçovë · Kukës · Laç · Lezhë · Libohova · Librazhd · Lushnjë · Maliq · Mamurras · Mavrovë · Memaliaj · Patos · Peqin · Peshkopi · Përmet · Pogradec · Poliçan · Pukë · Rrëshen · Rrogozhinë · Roskovec · Sarandë · Selenicë · Shëngjin · Shijak · Shkodër · Tepelenë · Tirana · Tropojë · Valbonë · Vlorë Image File history File links Flag_of_Albania. ... This is a list of cities in Albania: Apollonia Bajram Curri Ballsh Berat Bilisht Bulqizë Burrel Butrint Cërrik Çorovodë Delvinë Durrës Elbasan Ersekë Fier Fushë-Krujë Gjirokastër Gramsh Has Himarë Kamzë Kavajë Këlcyrë Klos Koplik Korçë Krujë Krumë Kuçovë Kukës Laç Lezhë Librazhd Lushnj... Apollonia in Illyria (modern Albania), known as Apollonia (κατ Εριδαμνον or προς Εριδαμνω), was located on the right bank of the Aous, the ruins of which are situated in the Fier region, near the village of Pojan (Pojani), geographically located at 40°43′N 19°28′E. It was founded in 588 BCE by... Bajram Curri is a town in Northern Albania on the border with Kosovo. ... Ballsh (Albanian: Ballsh or Ballshi) is the capital city of the southern Albanian District of Mallakastër. ... Bilisht is a city of about 5,000 people in east Korçë, Albania. ... Burrel (Albanian: Burrel or Burreli; alternate forms Burelë, Mat) is a city in North-West Albania (41. ... Remains of a theatre and part of the agora (Photo by Marc Morell) Remains of the 6th-century baptistery Butrint (Albanian: Butrint or Butrinti) is a city and an archeological site in Albania, close to the Greek border. ... Cërrik is a city in Albania, Elbasan District. ... Corovoda is the main city of Skrapar, Albania. ... Delvinë (also Delvina) is a town in southern Albania, 16 km northeast of Saranda. ... Durrës (Italian: Durazzo; see also different names) is the most ancient and one of the most economically important important cities of Albania. ... Elbasan (Albanian: Elbasan or Elbasani) is a city in central Albania. ... Ersekë is a town in Albania, Korçë District, currently population of 7,500. ... Fier (Albanian: Fier or Fieri) is a city in southwest Albania, in the district and county with the same name. ... Gjirokastër, as seen from the Citadel. ... This redirect page has been listed on Redirects for deletion. ... The District of Has (Albanian: Rrethi i Hasit) is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania. ... Himarë (Albanian: Himarë or Himara, IPA or ; Greek: Χειμάρρα, ) is the name of a town and a region on the Ionian Sea coast of Albania, in the extreme south-west of the country. ... Kavajë (Albanian: Kavajë or Kavaja) is a city in western Albania (41. ... 95. ... Konispol (Albanian: Konispoli) is the southernmost town in Albania. ... Koplik is situated north of Shkodra and is the capital of Malesia e Madhe (Great Highlands) district in the northwestern tip of Albania. ... Korçë (Albanian: Korçë or Korça, Greek: Κορυτσά, Korytsá, Italian: Corizza, South Slavic: Корча, Korcha or Корче, Korče, Aromanian: Curceaua, (Turkish: Görice) is a major city in south-eastern Albania, located at 40°37′N 20°46′E near the border with Greece. ... The castle of Skanderbeg Krujë (Albanian: Krujë or Kruja, Italian: Croia, Turkish: Akçahisar) is a capital city of the District of Krujë in Albania. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The District of Kuçovë (Albanian: Rrethi i Kuçovës) is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania. ... Kukës (Albanian: Kukës or Kukësi) is a town in Albania located at 42. ... Laç or also Laçi is a town in Albania. ... Lezhë (Albanian: Lezhë or Lezha, Turkish: LeÅŸ) is a city in northwest Albania, in the district and county with the same name. ... Libohava, also spelled Libohovë, is a city in Gjirokaster, Albania. ... Librazhd (Albanian: Librazhd or Librazhdi) is a city in Albania with a population of approximately 11,500 located at 41. ... Lushnjë (Albanian: Lushnjë (spelling LushñƏ) or Lushnja. ... Maliq is a small city in the Korçë District of western Albania. ... Mamurras (Albanian:Mamurrasi) is a small city of 7,600 people (2004) in Krujë District of northern Albania. ... Memaliaj in Albania is created from the zones around in 1950. ... Patos (Albanian: Patos or Patosi) is a city in the District of Fier in Albania. ... This page meets Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ... Peshkopi (Albanian: Peshkopi or Peshkopia) is a city in northeast Albania, in the district and county of Dibër. ... -1... Hotel Enkelana (Photo by V. Kulla) Church (Photo by Bernard Cloutier) Pogradec (Albanian: Pogradec or Pogradeci) is one of the southeastern cities of Albania. ... Pukë (Albanian: Puka, Pukë) is the capital of the Pukë District in northern Albania at 42. ... Rrëshen (Rrësheni in Albanian is a small Albanian city and the administrative seat of the Mirditë District, in northern Albania. ... Rrogozhinë is an Albanian town in Kavajë District, Kavajë. His population current is 28,758. ... Roskovec is a small city of 6,400 people in the Fier District (Rrethi i Fierit), in south-central Albania. ... Photo of Sarandë (By Marc Morell) Syri i Kaltër, or the Azure Eye, is a well known natural cold water spring in Sarandë. (By Marc Morell) Sarandë (Albanian: Saranda or Sarandë, IPA or ; Italian: Santa Quaranta, Forty Saints); Greek: Άγιοι Σαράντα or Ágii Saránda ), is the capital of the District... Selenicë is a town in Albania. ... Shëngjin (Albanian for St. ... Shijak is a town of Albania in Durrës District. ... Ãœsküdar, a district of Istanbul, was also known as Scutari. ... The town of Tepelenë is the principal settlement in the eponymous district. ... Skanderbeg Square (Photo by Marc Morell) Tirana (Albanian: Tiranë or Tirana) is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Albania. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Vlorë (Albanian: Vlorë or Vlora;) is the second largest port city of Albania, after Durrës, with a population of about 85,000 (2003 estimate). ...