Albania - The Castle of Bashtova

Not more that 30 km from Durrës, in western-central Albania, is located the impressive Castle of Bashtova; to the mouth of Shkumbini River, 4 km from the Adriatic shoreline, which has been considered as a very strategic point at the time of its construction. It controled a very large area to the Adriatic coast to the west, and the same area to the field from the east. It was exactly at the Shkumbin river valley where passed the ancient “Via Egnatia” Road, which connected east and west better than anywhere else. The castle has always attracted the attention of the travelers and scholars who have shared their notes, maps and drawings about it. According to the Turkish traveler Evliya Çelebi , the castle was founded by the Venetians and was conquered by the Turks at the time when Fatih Sultan was directed toward the Albanian Skenderi (Shkodra).