Shkodra (or Shkodër) is the cultural capital of northern Albania and the main gateway to the Albanian Alps. With a history spanning thousands of years, it is one of the oldest and most historically rich cities in the country.

Due to its strategic location—linking Albania with Montenegro and the rest of the Balkans—Shkodra has long been a vital cultural and political center.

The city’s main attraction is Rozafa Castle, perched on a rocky hill at the confluence of the Buna and Drin rivers.

According to legend, the castle was built by three brothers, and the youngest’s wife, Rozafa, was buried alive within the walls to keep them standing.

In antiquity, Shkodra became the capital of the Illyrian Kingdom, ruled by the tribes of the Ardiaei and Labeatae.

During the breakup of the Serbian Empire, it was taken by the Balsha family, who handed it over to Venice in 1396 for protection against the Ottomans.

The city resisted a major Ottoman siege in 1478–79, but eventually fell. Many defenders emigrated to Venice, while locals retreated into the mountains.

In 1831, after a long siege, Mustafa Pasha Bushatlliu’s rebellion was suppressed by Ottoman forces.

Shkodra also played a pivotal role in the League of Prizren (1878), the Albanian liberation movement, and resisted Montenegrin and Serbian forces during the Balkan Wars.

After a prolonged siege, Esad Pasha surrendered the city to Montenegro in April 1913, but it was soon handed over to international forces in May of the same year.

Shkodra has long been a symbol of art, culture, religious tolerance, and resistance. I

n the early 1990s, it again became a center of activism—this time leading the democratic movement that helped topple the communist regime.

The city is only an hour’s drive from Ulqin (Ulcinj) in Montenegro, making it easily accessible for regional travel.