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101-527: Scutari may refer to: Shkodër , in Albania; also known as Scutari in Italian and traditional English usage Sanjak of Scutari , Ottoman province centred on the city Pashalik of Scutari , a semi-independent Albanian state during Ottoman rule Lake Skadar , on the border of Albania and Montenegro, also known as Lake Scutari Üsküdar (formerly Scutari),

202-641: A */h-/ , and not */ʃk-/ , and o is morphed into a , not preserved. However, the phonetic changes sk > h and o > a occurred at an early stage of Proto-Albanian, because they regularly do not involve early Greek and Latin loanwords. Contacts of Albanian with Greek date back as early as the 7th century BCE since the foundation of the Greek colonies on the Adriatic coast of Albania, hence those phonetic changes in Proto-Albanian certainly predate

303-639: A 130 m (430 ft) hill strategically located in the outflow of Lake Shkodër into the Buna. The Romans annexed the city after the third Illyrian War in 168 BCE, when the Illyrian king Gentius was defeated by the Roman force of Anicius Gallus . In the 3rd century CE, Shkodër became the capital of Praevalitana , due to the administrative reform of the Roman Emperor Diocletian . With

404-668: A brief moment of an autonomous administration where local tax was collected into Albanian coffers. Calls for an autonomous united Albania made sultan Abdul Hamid II suppress the League of Prizren movement, especially after Gheg Albanians revolted in 1881 and posed a military challenge to Ottoman authority. Large parts of Gegënia posed a security problem for the Ottoman Empire, due to the tribalism of Gheg society and limited state control. Gheg freedoms were tolerated by Abdul Hamid II and he enlisted them in his palace guard, integrated

505-743: A classification of Roman gladiators that used scutum shields See also [ edit ] Skoutari (disambiguation) , various places in Greece Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Scutari . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Scutari&oldid=1046013540 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Place name disambiguation pages Disambiguation pages with surname-holder lists Hidden categories: Short description

606-467: A distinctive dialect of northwestern Gheg Albanian that differs from other Albanian dialects . Shkodër has also a long tradition in the development of the urban music of Albania, marked by a characteristic use of instrumentation and a style of composition. Rozafa Castle has played an instrumental role in Shkodër's history as the residence of Illyrian monarchs and a military stronghold. Located in

707-594: A municipality of Istanbul, Turkey on the Anatolian side of the city Scutari Barracks , a former hospital in Üsküdar where Florence Nightingale worked Shtit , a village in Svilengrad municipality, Haskovo Province, Bulgaria, known among its former Greek inhabitants as Scutari Scutari, a village in Mileanca Commune, Botoşani County, Romania Nicholas Scutari , American politician Scutari,

808-550: A significant pressure and influencing the linguistic forms of the local toponyms in Albanian. Similar cases of this process can be seen in the old Albanian toponym Trieshtë , which evolved regularly through Albanian phonetic changes from Trieste , but which was recently replaced in Albanian under strong pressure from Italian into the current name Trieste ; and the old Albanian toponym Gjenòvë , which evolved regularly through Albanian phonetic changes form Genova , also featuring

909-408: A single carriageway down to Milot and contains some uncontrolled and dangerous entry and exit points. The SH5 starts from Shkodër to Morinë. Shkodër is the fourth-most-populous city and fifth-most-populous municipality in Albania. As of the 2011 census , the municipal unit of Shkodër had an estimated population of 77,075 of whom 37,630 were men and 39,445 women. The population of the municipality

1010-455: A slightly different dialect of the language, and are often taller and thinner than Tosks, but these traditional differences (often exaggerated in vulgar anthropology) have been much diminished by population movement in the post-communist period." There was a distinction between Ghegs and Tosks before the Ottomans appeared in Albania at the end of the 14th century. The Ghegs remained out of

1111-590: Is twinned with: The main activities of the processing industry in Shkodra were the processing of tobacco and manufacture of cigarettes, production of preserved foods, sugar-based foods, soft and alcoholic drinks, and pasta, bread, rice and vegetable oil. The main activities of the textile industry were focused on garments and silk products. The city also had a wood-processing and paper-production plant. The most important mechanical engineering industries concerned wire manufacturing, elevator manufacturing, bus assembly and

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1212-751: Is about 1,500 mm (59.1 in), which makes the area one of the wettest in Europe . Shkodër is a municipality governed by a mayor–council system with the mayor of Shkodër and the members of Shkodër Municipal Council responsible for the administration of Shkodër Municipality. The municipality is encompassed in Shkodër County within the Northern Region of Albania and consists of the administrative units of Ana e Malit , Bërdicë , Dajç , Guri i Zi , Postribë , Pult , Rrethinat , Shalë , Shosh , Velipojë and Shkodër as its seat. Shkodër

1313-590: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Shkod%C3%ABr An urban settlement called Skodra was founded by the Illyrian tribe of Labeatae in the 4th century BCE. It became the capital of the Illyrian kingdom under the Ardiaei and Labeatae and was one of the most important cities of the Balkans in ancient times. It has historically developed on

1414-622: Is known as Skadar ( Serbo-Croatian Cyrillic : Скадар ), and in Turkish as İşkodra . The earliest signs of human activity in the lands of Shkodër can be traced back to the Middle Paleolithic (120,000–30,000 years ago). Artifacts and faunal remains provide evidence that the first inhabitants of the area of Shkodër were Pleistocene hunter-gatherers. Presence of Neolithic farmers is also testified by artifacts. The Copper and Early Bronze Ages constitute an important watershed for

1515-545: Is situated on a naturally protected hill and every attempted assault resulted in considerable casualties for the attackers. A truce became an option for both parties. On January 25 an agreement between the Venetians and the Ottoman Empire ended the siege, permitting the citizens to leave unharmed, and the Ottomans to take over the deserted city. After Ottoman domination was secure, much of the population fled. Around

1616-774: Is sometimes considered illogical because the self-ethnonym Shqiptare seems to have been developed by Ghegs. According to the Austrian-Czech linguist Julius Pokorny , it derived from ( Attic ) Greek "γίγας" (giant). From the Homeric mythology the giants of the Acroceraunian mountains and probably denoting originally warlike invading tribes descending from Epirus . Cognate to Arbëresh ë (dialectal and archaic) "glatë" (tall, long) (Standard Albanian "gjatë", Gheg "gat"); Albanian "gatë" (heron) and Latin "gigas" (giant). In Albania, Ghegs predominantly live north of

1717-414: The fis (clan) was headed by the oldest male and formed the basic unit of tribal society. A political and territorial equivalent consisting of several clans was the bajrak (standard). The leader of a bajrak, whose position was hereditary, was referred to as bajraktar (standard bearer). Several bajraks composed a tribe, which was led by a man from a notable family, while major issues were decided by

1818-576: The Adriatic and with the Italian ports, but also with land-routes to the other important Ottoman centre, namely Prizren . The city was an important meeting place of diverse cultures from other parts of the Empire, as well as influences coming westwards, by Italian merchants. It was a centre of Islam in the region, producing many ulama , poets and administrators, particularly from the Bushati family. In

1919-550: The Kingdom of Montenegro . The Ottoman forces led by Hasan Riza Pasha and Esad Pasha had resisted for seven months the siege of the town by Montenegrin forces and their Serbian allies. Esad (Hasan had previously been mysteriously killed by Essad Toptani in an ambush inside the town) finally surrendered to Montenegro in April 1913, after Montenegro suffered a high death toll with more than 10,000 casualties. Edith Durham also notes

2020-505: The London Conference of Ambassadors. During World War I , Montenegrin forces again occupied Shkodër on 27 June 1915. In January 1916, Shkodër was taken over by Austria-Hungary and was the centre of the zone of their occupation. When the war ended on 11 November 1918, French forces occupied Shkodër as well as other regions with sizable Albanian populations. After World War I, the international military administration of Albania

2121-545: The Malësia region of southeastern Montenegro , in both of which they form of a majority of population, while they have a thinner distribution in central Albania and northeastern Albania and Kosovo. There are also Ghegs who practice Orthodox Christianity, mainly living in the southwest of the Gheg-speaking region, especially Durrës (where they formed 36% of the population in 1918) and Elbasan (where they formed 17% of

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2222-501: The Shkumbin river along its right bank and extends up to modern border between Mat and Mirdita , where Leknia begins. Leknia itself is bordered to the north by Malësia . None of these regions overlap with one another and each has its own self-identification. This is reflected in the fact that only the people of proper Gegnia call themselves Gegë , while moving northwards it is not a form of regional self-identification. For example,

2323-455: The Shkumbin river and in areas of the mountainous north. This region is widely referred to by Albanians as Gegënia or Gegnia and as Gegëria. The Ottoman Turkish term, used during the times when Albania and the wider area was included in the empire, was Gegalık, meaning land of the Ghegs. During the late Ottoman period apart from the term Arnavudluk (Albania) being used for Albanian regions,

2424-579: The Tosks ). They are differentiated by minor cultural , dialectal , social and religious characteristics. The Ghegs live in Albania (north of the Shkumbin river), Kosovo , North Macedonia , Serbia and Montenegro . The Ghegs speak Gheg Albanian , one of the two main dialects of Albanian language . The social organization of the Ghegs was traditionally tribal , with several distinct tribal groups of Ghegs. The Ottoman Empire annexed and ruled

2525-499: The northern Albanian tribes because they were more useful to them as a stable source of mercenaries. The Ottomans implemented the bayraktar system within northern Albanian tribes, and granted some privileges to the bayraktars (banner chiefs) in exchange for their obligation to mobilize local fighters to support military actions of the Ottoman forces . During the late Ottoman period Ghegs often lacked education and integration within

2626-451: The northern Albanian tribes of Ghegs because they were more useful to them as a stable source of mercenaries. Instead, they implemented the bayraktar system, and granted some privileges to the bayraktars (banner chiefs) in exchange for their obligation to mobilize local fighters to support military actions of the Ottoman forces . Proper Gegnia (the land of the Gegë ) is located north of

2727-569: The 17th century, the city began to prosper as the centre of the Sanjak of Scutari ( sanjak was an Ottoman administrative unit smaller than a vilayet ). It became the economic centre of northern Albania, its craftsmen producing fabric, silk, arms and silver artifacts. Construction included two-storey stone houses, the souk , and the Central or Middle Bridge ( Ura e Mesit ) over the Kir river, built during

2828-514: The 1880s estimated the population of Shkodër as numbering 37,000 inhabitants that consisted of three quarters being Muslims and the rest Christians made up of mostly Catholics and a few hundred Orthodox. In 1900, Shkodër vilayet was split into Shkodër and Durrës sanjaks. Shkodër played an important role during the League of Prizren , the Albanian liberation movement. The people of Shkodër participated in battles to protect Albanian land. The branch of

2929-447: The 18th century Shkodër became the centre of the ( pashaluk ) of Shkodër, under the rule of the Bushati family, which ruled from 1757 to 1831. Shkodër's importance as a trade centre in the second half of the 19th century was owed to the fact that it was the centre of the vilayet of Shkodër , and an important trading centre for the entire Balkan peninsula. It had over 3,500 shops, and clothing, leather, tobacco and gunpowder were some of

3030-498: The 19th century. Following the rebellion of Mustafa Pasha Bushatlliu Shkodër was sieged by the Ottomans for more than six months who finally managed to break the Albanian resistance on 10 November 1831. In 1833 around 4,000 Albanian rebels seized the town again holding off the Ottoman forces between April and December and even sending a delegation to Istanbul until the Ottoman government finally gave in to their terms giving an end to

3131-597: The Adriatic . Shkodër is trapped on three sides by Kir in the east, Drin in the south and Buna in the west. Rising from the Lake of Shkodër, Buna flows into the Adriatic Sea, forming the border with Montenegro . The river joins the Drin for approximately 2 km (1.2 mi) southwest of the city. In the east, Shkodër is bordered by Kir, which originates from the north flowing also into the Drin, that surrounds Shkodër in

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3232-634: The Byzantines by 1042. Stefan Vojislav set up Shkodër, as his capital. Constantine Bodin accepted the crusaders of the Crusade of 1101 in Shkodër. After the dynastic struggles in the 12th century, Shkodër became an integral part of the Serbian Nemanjić Zeta province. In 1214 the city was briefly annexed to Despotate of Epirus under Michael I Komnenos Doukas . In 1330, Stefan Dečanski , King of Serbia, appointed his son Stefan Dušan as

3333-631: The Drini Plant. According to the World Bank, Shkodër has had significant steps of improving the economy in recent years. In 2016, Shkodër ranked 8 among 22 cities in southeastern Europe. As the largest city in northern Albania , the city is the main road connection between the Albanian capital, Tirana and Montenegrin capital Podgorica . The SH1 leads to the Albanian–Montenegrin border at Han i Hotit border crossing. From Tirana at

3434-711: The Ghegs blossomed at the beginning of 20th century. Gjergj Fishta and the Scutarine Catholic School of Letters led by Fishta significantly contributed to this blossoming. The Ghegs are known for their epic poetry . The revival of Catholicism among Albanians gave a new and important impulse to the rise of Gheg culture. The Ghegs have been described as an immensely tall people, with an average male height ranging from 183 to 187 cm, with round, hyper- brachycephalic heads , long faces, broad chests, robust builds, convex-shaped noses, and flat skulls. According to Pettifer & Vickers in 2007, "Ghegs speak

3535-568: The Ghegs. Although Albanian writers in former Yugoslavia were almost all Ghegs, they chose to write in Tosk for political reasons. This change of literary language has significant political and cultural consequences because the language is the main criterion for Albanian self-identification. The social organization of the Ghegs was traditionally tribal . The Ghegs of Northern Albania are one of only two tribal societies which survived in Europe until

3636-536: The Kamza Bypass northward, it passes through Fushë-Kruja , Milot, Lezha , Shkodra and Koplik. The road segment between Hani i Hotit at the Montenegrin border and Shkodra was completed in 2013 as a single carriageway standard. Shkodër Bypass started after the 2010 Albania floods. It was planned to incorporate a defensive dam against Shkodër Lake but works were abandoned a few years later. The road continues as

3737-664: The Latin rite and Catholic missions in central Albania in the 12th century fortified the Catholic Church against Orthodoxy, while local leaders found an ally in Catholicism against Slavic Orthodox states. During the Ottoman period in the history of Albania (1385–1912), the majority of Albanians converted to Islam. Today, the majority of Ghegs are Sunni Muslims , with a large minority being Catholic. Catholic Albanians are most heavily concentrated in northwestern Albania and

3838-569: The League of Prizren for Shkodër, which had its own armed unit, fought for the protection of Plav , Gusinje , Hoti and Gruda , and the war for the protection of Ulcinj. The Bushati Library, built during the 1840s, served as a centre for the League of Prizren's branch for Shkodër. Many books were collected in libraries of Catholic missionaries working in Shkodër. Literary, cultural and sports associations were formed, such as Bashkimi ("The Union") and Agimi ("The Dawn") . The first Albanian newspapers and publications printed in Albania came out of

3939-652: The Metropolitan Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Shkodër-Pult (Scutari-Pulati) in Shkodër Cathedral , with the current seat of the prelacy. Shkodër is referred to as the capital and cultural cradle of northern Albania , also known as Gegëria , for having been the birthplace and home of notable individuals , who among others contributed to the Albanian Renaissance . Most of the inhabitants of Shkodër speak

4040-666: The Ottoman government: the rights of Albanian ethnicity and rights for the highlander population during the Albanian revolt of 1912 . The Ghegs were dominant in the political life of Albania in the pre-communist period. During World War II Nazi Germany recruited Ghegs from the northern territory of the Albanian Kingdom into the 21st Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Skanderbeg (1st Albanian) . This recruitment

4141-424: The Ottoman system, while they had autonomy and military capabilities. Those factors gave the area of Gegënia an importance within the empire that differed from Toskëria. Still many Ottoman officers thought that Ghegs, in particular the highlanders were often a liability instead of an asset for the state being commonly referred to as "wild" ( Turkish : vahşi ). In areas of Albania were Malësors (highlanders) lived,

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4242-608: The Tosk-inhabited south at the beginning of the 15th century, while the territory populated by Ghegs remained out of the reach of the regular Ottoman civil administration until the beginning of the 20th century. As a consequence, the Ghegs evolved isolated from the Tosks. Similarly, the Islamization of the Ghegs was incomplete, with a large area of northwestern Albania remaining Catholic. The Ottomans never completely subdued

4343-482: The castle museum). Nevertheless, the city resisted. Mehmed left the field and had his commanders continue the siege. By the winter the Ottomans had captured one after the other all adjacent castles: Lezhë , Drisht and Žabljak Crnojevića . This, together with famine and constant bombardment lowered the morale of defenders. On the other hand, the Ottomans were already frustrated by the stubborn resistance. The castle

4444-460: The characteristic Albanian accent rule. Nevertheless, the Albanian toponym Shkodër certainly predates the end of the ancient Roman period. In modern times, the term was adapted to Italian as Scodra ( Italian pronunciation: [ˈskɔːdra] ) and Scutari ( [ˈskuːtari] ); in this form it was also in wide use in English until the 20th century. In Serbo-Croatian , Shkodër

4545-638: The city was captured by the Romans and became an important trade and military route. The Romans colonized the town. Scodra remained in the province of Illyricum and, later, Dalmatia . By it 395 CE, it was part of the Diocese of Dacia , within Praevalitana . After the split of the Roman Empire, Shkodra was taken by the Byzantines. In the early 11th century, Jovan Vladimir ruled Duklja amidst

4646-488: The city's high degree of religious diversity and tolerance. Shkodër was home to many influential personalities , who among others, helped to shape the Albanian Renaissance . The city was first attested in classical sources as the capital of the Illyrian kingdom with the name Skodra ( Ancient Greek : Σκόδρα; genitive Σκοδρινῶν "of the Skodrians", appearing on 2nd c. BCE coins) and Scodra ( Latin form). Although

4747-415: The communist takeover was accompanied by the transfer of political power from the Ghegs to the Tosks. The Ghegs were consistently persecuted by the predominantly Tosk regime, which saw them as traditionalist and less developed. After Enver Hoxha died in 1985, he was succeeded by Ramiz Alia , who was one of the few Ghegs among the leaders of the country. He took cautious steps towards changing direction on

4848-480: The contention between Tosks and Ghegs. In 1998 Berisha exploited the traditional Gheg—Tosk rivalry when he encouraged armed anti-Government protesters in Shkodër in actions that forced the resignation of prime minister Fatos Nano . During the Kosovo War , rivalry between Ghegs and Tosks faded, and a huge number of refugees from Kosovo were catered for with no internal conflict, despite unavoidable grumbles about

4949-497: The cruelties suffered at the hand of Montenegrins in the wake of October 1913: "Thousands of refugees arriving from Djakovo and neighbourhood. Victims of Montenegro. My position was indescribably painful, for I had no funds left, and women came to me crying: 'If you will not feed my child, throw it in the river. I cannot see it starve.'" Montenegro was compelled to leave the city to the new country of Albania in May 1913, in accordance with

5050-639: The culture of the Eastern Adriatic coast and its hinterland, like the Cetina culture , and it also has connections with the Early Bronze Age culture of Maliq in southeastern Albania. During the developed Early Bronze Age the new practice of tumulus burials appears, which may be associated to Indo-European migrations from the steppes. During the Middle and Late Bronze Age the settlements in

5151-558: The designation Gegalık was also used in documents by Ottomans. Gegëni or Gegalık encompassed the İșkodra , Kosovo , and a small area of the Monastir vilayets. In the 1880s, Albanians defined the wider region of Gegalık (Ghegland) as encompassing the Ottoman administrative units of İșkodra (Shkodër) and Duraç (Durrës) sanjaks that composed İșkodra vilayet (province), the sanjaks of Yenipazar (Novi Pazar), İpek (Pejë), Priștine (Prishtinë), Prizren , Üsküp (Skopje) of Kosovo vilayet and

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5252-500: The development from Illyrian Σκόδρα Skodra to Albanian Shkodra/Shkodër as evidence of regular development within the Albanian language. Others have argued that Albanian Shkodra/Shkodër fails to display certain known phonological changes that would have to have happened if the name had been continually in use in Proto-Albanian since pre-Roman times, based on the fact that */sk-/ consonant clusters are usually morphed into

5353-403: The early 1990s, Shkodër was once again a major centre, this time of the democratic movement that finally brought to an end the communist regime established by Enver Hoxha . In the later 2000s (decade), the city experiences a rebirth as main streets are being paved, buildings painted and streets renamed. In December 2010, Shkodër and the surrounding region was hit by probably the worst flooding in

5454-454: The early 20th century. Marriage was basically an economic and political deal arranged among the members of the tribe, while those who got married had no say in the matter. Sworn virginity was occasionally practised among the Ghegs. Child betrothal was also practised by the Ghegs, sometimes even before birth. Christianity in Albania was under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome until

5555-553: The eighth century. Then, dioceses in Albania were transferred to the patriarchate of Constantinople . In 1054 after the schism, the north became identified with the Roman Catholic Church . Since that time all churches north of the Shkumbin river were Catholic and under the jurisdiction of the Pope. Various reasons have been put forward for the spread of Catholicism among northern Albanians. Traditional affiliation with

5656-509: The empire only posted Ottoman officers who had prior experience of service in other tribal regions of the state like Kurdistan or Yemen that could bridge cultural divides with Gheg tribesmen. The Great Eastern Crisis resulted in Albanian resistance to partition by neighbouring powers with the formation of the Prizren League (1878) which issued a Kararname (memorandum) that declared both Ghegs and Tosks had made an oath to defend

5757-421: The end of the next century there were more than 200 Muslim ones compared to the 27 Christian ones, respectively. Military manoeuvres in 1478 by the Ottomans meant that the city was again entirely surrounded by Ottoman forces. Mehmed II personally laid the siege . About ten heavy cannons were cast on site. Balls as heavy as 380 kg (838 lb) were fired on the citadel (such balls are still on display on

5858-438: The fall of the communist regime, religion was again the major factor which determined social identity, and rivalry between Ghegs and Tosks re-emerged. The new political leaders of post-communist Albania appointed by Gheg Sali Berisha were almost all Ghegs from northern Albania. The administration of Sali Berisha was identified as northern nationalist Gheg in opposition to southern Socialist Tosk, which additionally increased

5959-454: The foundation of Skodra (4th century BCE) and the usage of its name. On the other hand, the o in Shkodër would postdate first contacts with Latin, because in the earliest Latin loanwords in Albanian the ŏ is rendered as u . The preservation of ŏ in the Albanian form is to be explained probably because Latin was the predominant language of the Adriatic coastal areas, naturally exercising

6060-624: The governor of Zeta with its seat in Shkodër. In the same year Dušan and his father entered the conflict which resulted with campaign of Dečanski who destroyed Dušan's court on Drin River near Shkodër in January 1331. In April 1331, they made a truce, but in August 1331 Dušan went from Shkodër to Nerodimlje and overthrew his father. During the disintegration of the Serbian Empire , Shkodër

6161-517: The highlanders of the Dibra region known as the "Tigers of Dibra". Western Kosovo during the late Ottoman period was dominated by the Albanian tribal system, while parts of Albanian society within wider Kosovo were also part of the urban-professional and landowning classes of major towns. The Ghegs, particularly those who lived in the north-eastern area, were the most faithful supporters of the set of traditional laws ( Kanun ), traditional hospitality , and blood feud . Among Gheg Malësors (highlanders)

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6262-635: The house of Oso Kuka . The expanded Marubi National Museum of Photography located on the Kolë Idromeno Street displays an extensive visual collection of Albanian social, cultural and political life beginning from 1850 on its galleries. Shkodër's architecture and urban development are historically and culturally significant for northern Albania. It was and is inhabited by many people of different cultures and religions with many of them leaving mark of their cultural heritage. The Ebu Beker Mosque , Fatih Sultan Mehmet Mosque , Franciscan Church , Lead Mosque , Nativity Cathedral and St. Stephen's Cathedral are

6363-414: The lake is the largest lake in Southern Europe and an important habitat for various animal and plant species. Further, the Albanian section has been designated as a nature reserve . In 1996, it also has been recognised as a wetland of international importance by designation under the Ramsar Convention . Buna connects the lake with the Adriatic Sea, while the Drin provides a link with Lake Ohrid in

6464-412: The last 100 years. In 2011, a new swing bridge over the Buna was constructed, thus replacing the old bridge nearby. Shkodër extends strategically on the Mbishkodra Plain between the Lake of Shkodër and the foothills of the Albanian Alps , which forms the southern continuation of the Dinaric Alps . The northeast of the city is dominated by Mount Maranaj standing at 1,576 m (5,171 ft) above

6565-399: The major products of Shkodër. A special administration was established to handle trade, a trade court, and a directorate of postage services with other countries. Other countries had opened consulates in Shkodër ever since 1718. Obot and Ulcinj served as ports for Shkodër, and, later on, Shëngjin ( San Giovanni di Medua ). The Jesuit seminary and the Franciscan committee were opened in

6666-443: The majority of votes for the Constitutional Assembly, and on 31 May 1924, the democratic forces took over the town and from Shkodër headed to Tirana. From 1924 to 1939, Shkodër had a slow industrial development, small factories that produced food, textile and cement were opened. From 43 of such in 1924, the number rose to 70 in 1938. In 1924, Shkodër had 20,000 inhabitants, the number grew to 29,000 in 1938. During September 1928, Albania

6767-441: The majority there. After the Black Death killed most of the inhabitants Albanians and Slavs formed the majority in the city. Venetians built the St. Stephen's Church (later converted into the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Mosque by the Ottomans) and the Rozafa Castle . In 1478-79 Mehmed the conqueror laid siege on Shkodër. In 1479 the city fell to the Ottomans and the defenders of the citadel emigrated to Venice, while many Albanians from

6868-495: The middle of the 20th century (the other being the Montenegrin highlanders in Montenegro and southern Serbia ). The tribal organization was based on the clan system of loyalties, and the dispersed settlement pattern of separate, scattered, mostly fortified homesteads. There are several distinct tribal groups of Ghegs which include Mirëdita , Kelmendi , Palabardhi , Kuqi , Vasajt , Hoti , Kastrati , Berisha , Krasniqi and Shala . Other important tribal groupings include

6969-429: The most eminent religious buildings of Shkodër. Other major monuments include the Drisht Castle , Mesi Bridge and ruins of Shurdhah Island . The Vllaznia club is a professional Albanian football team dedicated to Shkoder. It is one of the most well-known teams in Albania. Ghegs The Ghegs (also spelled as Gegs ; Albanian : Gegët ) are one of two major ethnic subgroups of Albanians (the other being

7070-424: The national identity issue by gradually assuming the cause of the Ghegs from Kosovo . This change was accompanied by a long-lasting fear that the introduction of "too-liberal" Albanians from Kosovo might disturb the fragile balance between the Tosk and Gheg sub-ethnic groups. Absorbing Yugoslav Ghegs, who were almost as numerous as all Albanians from Albania, could have ruined the predominantly Tosk regime. After

7171-450: The new Young Turk government resulted in four years of local revolts by Ghegs who fought to keep tribal privileges and the defense system of kulas (tower houses). Ghegs from the Shkodër region supported the Greçë Memorandum that called for Albanian sociopolitical rights within the Ottoman Empire during the Albanian revolt of 1911 . On the eve of the Balkan Wars (1912-1913) Gheg and Tosk Albanians managed to secure two concessions from

7272-536: The people of the Dukagjin highlands when asked about their regional appellation would reply na nuk jemi gegë, gegët janë përtej maleve (we are not Gheghs, the Ghegs live beyond the mountains). The popular perception in non-Albanian literature of all northern Albanians as Ghegs is a product of identifying major dialect groups with all corresponding regional groupings. Likewise, only the people of certain regions in southern Albania identify as Tosks. The etymology of

7373-568: The population in 1918). Orthodox Ghegs were traditionally also heavily concentrated in the region of Upper Reka (Reka e Epërme) in North Macedonia. There are also some groups of Ghegs who practice Bektashism , living in areas such as Kruja and Bulqiza . Additionally, as is the case with all Albanians as a legacy of the Enver Hoxha regime, many people don't identify with any faith, and a large number of people do not usually attend

7474-537: The printing press of Shkodër. The Marubi family of photographers began working in Shkodër, which left behind over 150,000 negatives from the period of the Albanian liberation movement, the rise of the Albanian flag in Vlorë , and life in Albanian towns during the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. During the Balkan Wars , Shkodër went from one occupation to another, when the Ottomans were defeated by

7575-439: The reach of the regular Ottoman civil administration until the end of Ottoman rule. In areas where Ghegs were still tribesmen they followed their own laws and lived an autonomous existence. The fact that the tribes of northern Albania were not completely subdued by the Ottomans is raised to the level of orthodoxy among the members of the tribes. A possible explanation is that the Ottomans did not have any real interest in subduing

7676-509: The rebellion. Before 1867 Shkodër (İşkodra) was a sanjak of Rumelia Eyalet in Ottoman Empire . In 1867, Shkodër sanjak merged with Skopje (Üsküp) sanjak and became Shkodër vilayet . Shkodër vilayet was split into Shkodër, Prizren and Dibra sanjaks. In 1877, Prizren passed to Kosovo vilayet and Debar passed to Monastir vilayet , while Durrës township became a sanjak. In 1878 Bar and Podgorica townships belonged to Montenegro . Ottoman-Albanian intellectual Sami Frashëri during

7777-581: The region and extraregional interactions apparently increased. In the Late Bronze Age the inhabitants of Shkodra basin had contacts with Italy or northwest Greece. By the end of the Bronze Age and the beginning of the Iron Age ( c. 1100–800 BCE), the formation of a large, cohesive, and quite homogeneous cultural group had already occurred in a well defined territory of the Shkodra region, which

7878-548: The region retreated into the mountains. On the other hand the upper classes of the city, aided by the Jonima family settled in the cities of Ravena , Venice and Treviso . The city then became a seat of a newly established Ottoman sanjak, the Sanjak of Scutari. With two sieges , Shkodër became secure as an Ottoman territory. It became the centre of the sanjak and by 1485 there were 27 Muslim and 70 Christian hearths, although by

7979-562: The sanjak of Debre (Debar) in Monastir vilayet. Little more than half of ethnic Albanians from Albania are Ghegs. Except for a Tosk population in north-western Greece and around lake Prespa as well as southern North Macedonia, the ethnic Albanians in the Balkans who live in Kosovo, North Macedonia (mostly) and Montenegro are Ghegs. The Ghegs speak Gheg Albanian, one of the two main Albanian dialects. The Albanian communist regime based

8080-425: The second half of the 18th century, over 100 m (330 ft) long, with 13 arcs of stone, the largest one being 22 m (72 ft) wide and 12 m (39 ft) tall. Shkodër was a major city under Ottoman rule in southeast Europe. It retained its importance up until the end of the empire's rule in the Balkans in the early 20th century. This is due to its geo-strategic position that connects it directly with

8181-476: The services of any religion. After the Tanzimat reforms in the second half of the 19th century, aiming to gain influence over Catholic Albanians, Austria-Hungary , with Ottoman approval, opened and financed many schools in the Albanian language, and Franciscan seminaries and hospitals, and trained native clergy, which all resulted in the development of literature in the Albanian language . The culture of

8282-495: The social evolution on the territories of the eastern Adriatic coast, including Shkodër, with the formation of new cultures and the beginning of new complex historical, ethnogenetic and cultural processes. This period represents for Shkodër the first step of a process of occupation and development. The inhabitants of the intensively settled Shkodër basin produced pottery, practiced agriculture, and manufactured metal tools. Shkodra's Early Bronze Age culture bears many similarities with

8383-604: The sons of local notables from urban areas into the bureaucracy and co-opted leaders like Isa Boletini into the Ottoman system. During the Young Turk Revolution (1908) some Ghegs were one group in Albanian society that gave its support for the restoration of the Ottoman constitution of 1876 to end the Hamidian regime. Subsequent centralising policies and militarism toward the Albanian Question by

8484-425: The south of Shkodër, its foundations are associated with a legend about a woman who sacrificed herself so the castle could be constructed. Historical Museum of Shkodër is the most important museum in Shkodër and was founded to protect artefacts from all over the region of Shkodër, thus displaying their cultural and historical value. It is housed inside a monumental mansion from the 19th century, collectively known as

8585-406: The south. The area of the municipality of Shkodër is 872.71 km (336.96 sq mi); the area of the municipal unit of Shkodër (the city proper) is 16.46 km (6.36 sq mi). Lake Shkodër lies in the west of the city and forms the frontier of Albania and Montenegro . The lake became the symbol of the stable and consistent economic and social divide of the city. Although,

8686-499: The southeast of Albania. It is a cryptodepression , filled by the river Morača and drained into the Adriatic by the 41-kilometre-long (25 mi) Buna. Shköder has a borderline hot-summer Mediterranean ( Köppen : Csa ) and humid subtropical ( Köppen : Cfa ) climate. Mean monthly temperature ranges between 1.8 °C (35.2 °F) to 10.3 °C (50.5 °F) in January and 20.2 °C (68.4 °F) to 33.6 °C (92.5 °F) in August. The average yearly precipitation

8787-561: The spread of Christianity in the 4th century CE, the Archdiocese of Scodra was founded and was assumed in 535 by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I . Shkodër is regarded as the traditional capital of northern Albania , also referred to as Gegëria , and is noted for its arts, culture, religious diversity, and turbulent history among the Albanians . The architecture of Shkodër is particularly dominated by mosques and churches reflecting

8888-433: The standard Albanian language mostly on Tosk Albanian . This practice has been criticized, notably by Arshi Pipa , who claimed that this decision deprived the Albanian language of its richness at the expense of the Ghegs, and referred to the literary Albanian language as a "monstrosity" produced by the Tosk communist leadership which conquered anti-Communist north Albania militarily, and imposed their Tosk Albanian dialect on

8989-479: The state and homeland in the name of Islam. During the crisis Ghegs and Tosks made besas (pledges of honor) to arm themselves and shed blood to defend their rights. Better armed than its southern Tosk counterpart, Gheg society was in a more effective position to resist the redrawing of borders in the region. Ottoman officials initially assisted Gheg Albanians in their efforts to resist incorporation of their lands into Serbia, Montenegro or Bulgaria. Ghegs experienced

9090-427: The term Gheg is not completely clear. According to the writer Arshi Pipa , the term Gegë was initially used for confessional denotation, being used in pre-Ottoman Albania by its Orthodox population when referring to their Catholic neighbors. Some theories say that the term Gegë is derived from the onomatopoeic word for "babbling", in contrast to Shqiptare which is the Albanian word for those who speak clearly. This

9191-648: The tribe assembly whose members were male members of the tribe. The organization of once predominantly herder Gheg tribes was traditionally based on patrilineality (a system in which an individual belongs to his or her father's lineage), and on exogamy (a social arrangement where marriage is allowed only outside of a social group). The land belongs to the clan, and families are traditionally extended, consisting of smaller families of many brothers who all live in one extended ménage ( Albanian : shtëpi . Gheg Albanian: shpi). Girls were married without their consent, while bride stealing still existed to some extent until

9292-473: The ultimate origin of the toponym Σκόδρα Scodra is uncertain, the name is certainly pre- Roman . A Paleo-Balkan origin has been suggested, relating it to the Albanian : kodër ( definite form: kodra ) 'hill', and Romanian : codru '(wooded) mountain, forest', with the same root as the ancient toponym Codrio/Kodrion . The further development of the name has been a subject of discussion in Albanian historical linguistics. Some linguists treat

9393-500: The war between Basil II and Samuel. Vladimir allegedly retreated into Koplik when Samuel invaded Duklja and was subsequently forced to accept Bulgarian vassalage. He was later slain by the Bulgarians. Shingjon (feast of Jovan Vladimir) has since been celebrated by Albanian Orthodox Christians. In the 1030s, Stefan Vojislav from Travunija , then part of Medieval Serbia , expelled the last strategos and successfully defeated

9494-472: Was 135,612 in 2011. The city of Shkodër was one of the most important centres for Islamic scholars and cultural and literary activity in Albania. Here stands the site of the only institution in Albania which provides high-level education in Arabic, Turkish and Islamic Studies. Shkodër is the centre of Roman Catholicism in Albania . The Roman Catholic Church is represented in Shkodër by the episcopal seat of

9595-552: Was also supported by some anthropological research which considered Ghegs an Aryan race . At the end of World War II , communist forces predominantly composed of Tosks captured Albania after the retreat of the Wehrmacht . That was perceived by many Ghegs as the Tosk takeover of Gheg lands. Most members of the post-war communist regime and three quarters of the Communist Party of Albania members were Tosks. Therefore,

9696-527: Was inhabited by the Illyrian tribes of the Labeates and Ardiaei , which ruled over a large territory between modern Albania up to Croatia. King Agron , Queen Teuta and King Gentius , were among the most famous personalities of the Ardiaei . The city was first mentioned during antiquity as the site of the Illyrian Labeates in which they minted coins and that of Queen Teuta. In 168 BCE,

9797-508: Was proclaimed a monarchy by King Zog I . He was a self-made Muslim monarch and the king of all Albanians until 1939 when Italy invaded Albania, Shkoder resisted under the lead of Mehmet Ullagaj but fell soon afterwards. After 1939, Zog went into exile and Victor Emmanuel III became the king of the Albanians. Shortly after World War II, Emmanuel was formally abdicated in 1946. In 1945, Enver Hoxha established communism in Albania. Shkodër

9898-516: Was referred in historical sources to as 'the tribe of the Labeatae ' in later times. The favorable conditions on the fertile plain , around the lake , have brought people here in early antiquity. Artefacts and inscriptions, discovered in the Rozafa Castle , are assumed to be the earliest examples of symbolic behaviour in humans in the city. Although, it was known under the name Scodra and

9999-726: Was taken by the Albanian Balshaj family , who surrendered the city to the Republic of Venice in 1396, in order to form a protection zone from the Ottoman Empire . During the Venetian rule the city adopted the Statutes of Scutari , a civic law written in Venetian . The Statutes of Scutari mention Albanian and Slavic presence in the city, but under Venetian rule many Dalmatians were brought to Shkodra and as such formed

10100-617: Was temporarily located in Shkodër, and in March 1920, Shkodër was put under the administration of the national government of Tirana. In the second half of 1920, during the Serbian-Albanian War , Shkodër resisted the Serbian invasion under the lead of Sylço Bushati and financial aid provided by notable figures such as Musa Juka . Shkodër was the centre of democratic movements of the years 1921–1924. The democratic opposition won

10201-467: Was the seat of a Catholic archbishopric and had a number of religious schools. The first laic school was opened here in 1913, and the State Gymnasium was opened in 1922. It was the centre of many cultural associations. In sports Shkodër was the first city in Albania to constitute a sports association, the "Vllaznia" (brotherhood). Vllaznia Shkodër is the oldest sport club in Albania. During

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