Danjë Castle

Danjë Castle, locally known as Kalaja e Danjës, lies above the village of Deja, in the county of Shkodër in Albania.

I am not quite sure about the name of this castle. I use the name Danjë because I saw it on an information plaque in the village. But I also have seen it called Dejë, or even Vau i Dejës.

Danjë Castle dates back to the 11th/12th century. It served to control the fertile fields and ancient trade routes around it. It was first mentioned in the 12th century as an important regional episcopal center.

From the late 14th to the early 15th century, Danjë Castle had several rulers, among them the Zaharia family. After a member of a rival family, the Dukagjini, killed Lekë Zaharia over a woman in 1447, his mother handed over the castle, together with all her possessions, to the Venetians out of spite. It remained a Venetian possession until the 1470s, when it was taken by the Ottomans. The Ottomans, however, were not interested in the castle and demolished it instead. It was never rebuilt.

The castle was built on a 120-meter-high rocky hill overlooking the Drin river valley. In 1973, a dam was built, turning the castle hill into a virtual island.

Danjë Castle is freely accessible. There is, however, no clear path to it. I found a trail leading up from the village to it, but it was cut off by ongoing construction for a new restaurant halfway up the hill. From there, I had to find my own way through the shrubs and a flock of goats. The castle is very much ruined, but the views make the hike worth it. The castle chapel in the outer castle was restored in 2011 after it was almost destroyed by the communist regime in 1967.

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