Elbasan travel guide — Elbasan tourism and travel information

Elbasan travel guide

about Elbasan

Elbasan (Albanian: Elbasan or Elbasani) is a city in central Albania. It is located in the District of Elbasan and the County of Elbasan at 41.12°N, 20.09°E. It is one of the largest cities in Albania with a population of around 100,000 (2003 estimate) and an area of 1,290 square km. The city gained prominence after the Chinese built a steel mill there in 1974. There were also other industries operating in the city during the communist regime and as a result the city now suffers from pollution. It is now a rather non-descript city in any other way.

Elbasan was founded by the Turks in the 15th century on the site of the ancient city of Masio Scampa built by the Romans around the 1st century AD. It featured strong stone walls. In the 4th century, 26 towers were added to protect it against invading barbarians. In the 3rd and 4th centuries it became known as Hiskampis and it became an important trade center near the junction of two branches of the Via Egnatia coming from Apollonia and Dyrrachium. Hiskampis was destroyed by the Bulgars and Ostrogoths during the Slav invasions of the Balkans. The city was rebuilt in 1466, after becoming a military base, by Sultan Mehmed II who renamed it El Basan or the Fortress. The city had 2000 inhabitants by the end of the 17th century. The fortress was dismantled by Reshit Pasha in 1832.

Elbasan remained a center of Islam in Albania even after the Ottoman occupation. After the 1908 Congress of Manastir (in modern Bitola, Republic of Macedonia) decided to use the Latin alphabet for the written Albanian language, muslim clerics influenced by the Young Turks held various demonstrations in favor of the Arabic script in Elbasan. The muslim majority also opposed the installation of Prince William of Wied in 1914.

Elbasan has been occupied by several different groups, including the Serbs, Bulgarians, Austrians and Italians. Industrial development began during the Zog regime with the production of tobacco and alcoholic beverages, and culminated during the communist regime.

Near cities to Elbasan

• Librazhd travel guide 22 km
• Tirane travel guide 33 km
• Lushnje travel guide 37 km
• Kavaje travel guide 46 km
• Berat travel guide 46 km
• Struga travel guide 50 km
• Pogradec travel guide 52 km
• Burrel travel guide 58 km
• Ohrid travel guide 59 km
• Durres travel guide 59 km

Near webcams to Elbasan

• Tirana webcam 33 km
• Skopje webcam 150 km
• Dubrovnik webcam 230 km
• Dubrovnik - airport webcam 240 km
• Thessaloniki webcam 250 km
• Thessaloniki webcam 250 km
• Santo Spirito webcam 280 km
• Split webcam 400 km
• Belgrade webcam 410 km
• Vrsac webcam 460 km

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Elbasan travel services

cheap flights to Elbasan

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Elbasan real estate

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City Travel Guide comes with Elbasan real estate guide with several tips on home valuation, realtors comparison, secrets on finding the "right" home, loans guide and other helpful real estate advices. Our partners also maintain Elbasan property for sale and rental listings, real estate laws and reviews. We will try to help you with buying property in Albania, choosing real estate agents, property finders, relocation help, and information for English speakers wanting to buy real estate in Elbasan.

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Elbasan travel books

Elbasan travel guide books

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Elbasan maps and atlases

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