Porto Palermo Castle, Himarë, Albania

Porto Palermo Castle was probably built by the Venetians as it could be relieved by sea and it has the same triangular plan with round towers found in the Venetian fort at Butrint. At that time the identity of its builders ought to have been clear, from a plaque above the entrance gate. This plaque is now missing but the weathering of the stones clearly shows that it has not been missing for many decades. Almost certainly this plaque had a carving of the lion of St. Mark. The most plausible explanation of the error found in the guide books is a rewriting of history in the communist period. Re-ascribing a colonial legacy to construction by an Albanian fits a nationalist isolationist agenda.

The castle would have been vulnerable to cannon fire from the hill above and this also suggests an early date for its construction when cannon had not developed the range they had later. In 1662 the Venetians feared the Turks would recondition it. In 1803 Ali Pasha offered the castle and port to the Royal Navy. At which time the fort only had 4 or 5 cannon implying that Ali Pasha did not see the fort as important for him.

References:

panacomp.net

Castles and fortifications in Albania

User Reviews

Caterina Tosi (5 years ago)
A must see place in Albania. Should be better maintained for its conservation and to facilitate the visit

Diol (5 years ago)
Beautiful castle with a very interesting history. The view was amazing. Its only 100 Lek!

Sandra Riffel (5 years ago)
Great view and castle to walk around! Good for a quick stop.

Arminas Zilaitis (5 years ago)
The fortress is an interesting historical artifact, however information inside about the object is limited. The rooms of fortress are hollow, however the views from the top are amazing. Its worth a visit for sure. There is a beach with very food infrastructure, and crystal clear water. Very beautiful place for relaxation and a bit of history learning :)

Gerta Dervishi (5 years ago)
Historical place with a strategic location. Amazing view from the roof. The beach nearby is very nice. I loved spending there a couple of hours.

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