Lëkurësi Castle

Lëkurësi Castle, locally known as Kalaja e Lëkurësit, lies above the village of Sarandë, in the county of Vlorë in Albania.

Lëkurësi Castle was probably built in 1537 by Suleiman I the Magnificent, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, during his attack on the Venetian-held island of Corfu.

The castle was strategically built on a high hill from which one could overlook the city of Sarandë, the road to Butrint, and the sea with the outlying islands of Ksamil. It had a square ground plan and had 2 round corner towers on diagonally opposite corners.

At the end of the 18th century, it was attacked by Ali Pasha of Ioannina, an Albanian ruler who ruled as a very autonomous Ottoman pasha. It probably lost its military function during the 19th century.

At present, there is a restaurant operating within the castle. There are also several small concrete bunkers in front of the castle, dating back to the communist period in Albania between the 1960s and 1980s.

Lëkurësi Castle is freely accessible.  The castle itself may not be very spectacular, but it offers excellent views.

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