Kaninë Castle

40°26′35″N 19°31′12″E / 40.443°N 19.52°E / 40.443; 19.52Site informationOwner AlbaniaControlled by Byzantine Empire
Kingdom of Albania
Principality of Valona
 Republic of Venice
 Ottoman Empire
 AlbaniaOpen to
the publicYesSite historyBuilt3rd century BC, Reconstructed by Justinian I in the 6th century AD

Kaninë Castle (Albanian: Kalaja e Kaninës) is a castle in the village Kaninë near Vlorë, in southwestern Albania.

History

Kaninë Castle was built in the village with the same name which is located about 6 kilometres (4 mi) from Vlorë. The castle rises on the side of the Shushicë Mountain, about 380 metres (1,250 ft) above sea level. It was built on the site of an ancient settlement, one of the oldest in the Vlora region. The castle is believed to have been erected in the 3rd century B.C. In the 4th century A.D. the castle was transformed into a fortress town. In the 6th century A.D. the castle was reconstructed by Justinian I. The castle was the center of the Principality of Valona in the 14th century.^[1][2]

The settlement covers an area of 3.6 hectares.

Gallery

Drawings made by Vincenzo Coronelli

• 
  Kaninë Castle from the south.
• 
  Kaninë Castle from the west.
• 
  Floor plan of Kaninë Castle, showing the positions of the Venetian army during the siege of 1690, and when Venice took the fortress from the Ottomans.
• 
  Drawings of the fortifications of Vlorë Castle and Kaninë Castle on the Bottom Right.
• 
  (Top) Kaninë Castle and (Bottom) Vlorë Castle with Coat of Arms.

40°26′35″N 19°31′12″E / 40.443°N 19.520°E / 40.443; 19.520

See also

• Vlore
• List of castles in Albania
• Tourism in Albania

References

Sources