Ishmi Castle

Ishmi Castle, an ancient and important monument in the history of Durrës and Albania, rises to a dominant point. In this position, all roads and terrain are seen as if in the palm of the hand, a strategic position that has served for centuries as a defensive building of the city.

The river Ishmi, which was once navigable, flows below this castle and has followed the history of the city. At its mouth, in the medieval period, a sea pier was erected, where local ships and those from other countries were processed. This fact shows the importance of the sea and trade connections of the city in the past.

The castle was built in 1572 and completed two years later, in 1574, at a time when the high gate was disturbed by developments in the villas and decided that a defensive structure should be built. The goal was not only to protect the vilayet from peasant movements, but also to stop smuggling with Venice, a problem that had taken on alarming proportions.

The walls of the fort have a thickness ranging from 1.2 m to 1.5 m and a height of up to 7 m. It has a special architectural plan, including a Turkish military garrison of 410 soldiers after the completion of construction. The thickness and structure of the walls indicate the engineering skills and defensive tactics used in the construction of this fort.

Until 1990, the castle had the status of a Cultural Monument and had a guide prepared to explain its history and that of the city of Ishmi. However, after this year, things changed, and the castle was left to the mercy of fate. The explanatory plaques and the cicerone unit were removed, causing this monument to lose official protection.

Nowadays, the castle is facing major conservation and restoration challenges. Its walls are gradually melting, suffering damage from the lack of institutional care and the illegal use of the surrounding environment. Although still an interesting place to visit and an important testament to the history of Durrës, this ancient monument is being overtaken by an unpleasant fate.