Peqin Castle
Encyclopedia
The Peqin Castle is a castle
in Peqin
, Albania
. In the past the city was known by the name of Claudiana, an Illyria
n-inhabited territory. The foundations of the castle are thought to date from the Roman period, the time of the construction of the Via Egnatia
. Its walls at one point had a height of around 12 metres (39.4 ft). The castle was later rebuilt and expanded during the Turkish occupation of Albania, at which time it was passed into the control of the Sipahi
(lord) of the local fief, who added a palace and a harem
. The last resident of the castle was Demir Pasha.
The 17th-century historian Evliya Çelebi
mentioned the fortress in his writings:
The castle was equipped with subterranean tunnels which served as exits several kilometers away from the city in difficult times. Similarly, clay pipes have been found in the walls of the castle, which archaeologists believe is an indication that water was supplied from outside the castle during wartime.
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
in Peqin
Peqin
Peqin is the capital of the Peqin District in central Albania. The town has a population of 10,000.The ancient name of Peqin was Claudiana. The city's modern name derives from the Ottoman form Bekleyin, which means a place of hospitality. During Ottoman rule Peqin belonged to the Sanjak of Elbasan...
, Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
. In the past the city was known by the name of Claudiana, an Illyria
Illyria
In classical antiquity, Illyria was a region in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula inhabited by the Illyrians....
n-inhabited territory. The foundations of the castle are thought to date from the Roman period, the time of the construction of the Via Egnatia
Via Egnatia
The Via Egnatia was a road constructed by the Romans in the 2nd century BC. It crossed the Roman provinces of Illyricum, Macedonia, and Thrace, running through territory that is now part of modern Albania, the Republic of Macedonia, Greece, and European Turkey.Starting at Dyrrachium on the...
. Its walls at one point had a height of around 12 metres (39.4 ft). The castle was later rebuilt and expanded during the Turkish occupation of Albania, at which time it was passed into the control of the Sipahi
Sipahi
Sipahi was the name of several Ottoman cavalry corps...
(lord) of the local fief, who added a palace and a harem
Harem
Harem refers to the sphere of women in what is usually a polygynous household and their enclosed quarters which are forbidden to men...
. The last resident of the castle was Demir Pasha.
The 17th-century historian Evliya Çelebi
Evliya Çelebi
Evliya Çelebi was an Ottoman traveler who journeyed through the territory of the Ottoman Empire and neighboring lands over a period of forty years.- Life :...
mentioned the fortress in his writings:
...the walls of this castle reach about 12 meters in height. Within resides the dizdar, along with 70 soldiers. There are five cannons in the castle, and ten small houses roofed with tiles. There is also a small mosque with no minaret. On the left side of the castle, connected to a wall, is a prayer chapel (namazgja)...
The castle was equipped with subterranean tunnels which served as exits several kilometers away from the city in difficult times. Similarly, clay pipes have been found in the walls of the castle, which archaeologists believe is an indication that water was supplied from outside the castle during wartime.