Shkodra I

I went to Shkodra yesterday on an outing sponsored by our Post Language Program. Shkodra is about a two hour drive north of Tirana, and it is very close to the border with Montenegro. Shkodra is the Albanian name. It is also known as Scutari, especially in older books. It was founded sometime around the third century BC by the Illyrians; then was captured by Romans, Byzantines, Venetians, and Ottomans. Nothing much remains from Illyrian times except a large section of wall near the main entrance. Much of what we see today was built by the Venetians and Turks.

This is outside the jail. The jail was not far from the church, both in the second courtyard. I guess really everything in the castle is close, though.

The church was built in the late 13th century. After Shkodra fell to the Ottomans in 1478 the church was converted to a mosque. This is the ruins of the church and the base of the minaret.
Inside the third and last courtyard at the very end of the castle. The stone roof is pretty interesting. This was originally a palace, and now houses a museum. The doorway below the green sign is the entrance to the Rozafa restaurant.
Rozafa castle from the city level.
These two are looking northeast to the Albanian mountains, towards Thethi.