Kaninë Castle

Kaninë Castle
Kalaja e Kaninës
Kaninë, in southern Albania
Entrance to the Castle
Kaninë Castle
Coordinates	40.443°N 19.52°E / 40.443; 19.52
Site information
Owner	Albania
Controlled by	Byzantine Empire Kingdom of Albania Principality of Valona Republic of Venice Ottoman Empire Albania
Open to the public	Yes
Site history
Built	3rd century BC, Reconstructed by Justinian I in the 6th century AD

Part of the fortification from inland side

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.

The settlement covers an area of 3.6 hectares.

Gallery

Depictions of Kaninë Castle 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

See also

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