Himara City

The city of Himara lies between Vuno to the northeast, Porto Palermo to the south, the Ionian Sea to the west and the mountains to the east. It resembles an amphitheater when seen from afar. The city, as one of the main summer destinations in the country, is also home to a large part of the Albanian cultural heritage.

The city carries an ancient Albanian culture and an autochthonous population that has been guarding the docks of this area since the early times. It is distinguished especially for songs and “valle” with many voices (polyphonic), for folk dances and traditional clothes in occasions of joy. The old town of Himara, surrounded by canyons, is built on a hill located about 1 km from the Ionian coast.

Himaa Castle belongs to the medieval period and its ruins testify to the presence of local Illyrian-Albanian inhabitants for more than 3500 years. It stands on the Barbaka rock and is considered one of the most beautiful castles in the south. The cliff rises 240 meters above the city in the Vetetima mountains. To the east, the village of Pilur adds to the beauty of the landscape with its oak forests. And to the south you can see the wonderful panorama of Livadh beach.

In antiquity, the city was known as Chimera. The first mention of Himara is dictated by the Roman author Pliny in the 1st century. Surrounded by giant walls and built on stone blocks, Himara's fortifications resumed life in the 8th century BC.

Although it has been restored at different times, its most significant reconstruction took place during the 6th century, under the rule of Justinian, the emperor of the Byzantine Empire. There are still several historic residences inside the castle. As the castle became the center of the bishopric of Himara during the 8th century, many churches were built inside and outside of it, some of which are still preserved today.

The most famous church is the Episcopal one, where a beautiful sculpture of the Albanian symbol of the double-headed eagle appears on one of its gates. At the time, this was the symbol of the Kastriots and Myzakai, the families who owned the land during the second half of the 14th century. This particular church is built on what used to be the temple of Apollo of Illyria. Apart from that, the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, built in the 11th century, is also one of the most beautiful attractions of the Himara castle.

Himara is a very popular tourist destination and frequented by a large number of foreign tourists who spend their vacations in Albania.