Shkoder

About

Settled since the Bronze age, Shkodër was a local tribal capital from 200BC until almost 200AD, when it was conquered by the Romans and became an important trade and military root. In the centuries that followed, empires fought for control of its strategic location, all the way to the early 1900s. The city’s long history is embodied by Rozafa Castle, a former Illyrian stronghold, renovated under Venetian rule in the 15th century, and has withstood sieges in both the 15th and 20th centuries. The city suffered greatly under communism, with thousands of political prisoners being taken. Today, the Site of Witness and Memory commemorates the victims and educates visitors. One of the city’s most unique attractions is St Stephen's Catholic Cathedral, a colorful, 19th century church that was a sports facility under communist rule.