Rozafa Castle
| Rozafa Castle Shkodra Castle | |
|---|---|
Kalaja e Rozafës Kalaja e Shkodrës | |
| Shkodër, Northwestern Albania | |
Rozafa Castle | |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Albania |
| Controlled by | Illyrian tribes (Labeates, Ardiaei) Illyrian kingdom Roman Empire Byzantine Empire Duklja First Bulgarian Empire Serbian Grand Principality Kingdom of Serbia Serbian Empire Lordship of Zeta Principality of Zaharia Venetian Albania Ottoman Empire Pashalik of Scutari Kingdom of Montenegro Great Powers Albania |
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 42°02′47″N 19°29′37″E / 42.0465°N 19.4935°E |
| Site history | |
| Built | 4th or early 3rd century BC (earliest detected walls) |
| Materials | Limestone, brick |
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Rozafa Castle (Albanian: Kalaja e Rozafës) or Shkodër Castle (Albanian: Kalaja e Shkodrës) is a castle near the city of Shkodër, in northwestern Albania. It rises imposingly on a rocky hill, 130 metres (430 ft) above sea level, surrounded by the Buna and Drin rivers. Shkodër is the seat of Shkodër County, and is one of Albania's oldest and most historic towns, as well as an important cultural and economic centre.
The hill was settled since the Early Bronze Age. The earliest fortification walls are dated to the 4th-3rd century BCE constituting the citadel of the Illyrian city of Skodra, which together with various sites of the lower city, shows the growing and vibrant nature of the Illyrian capital under the Labeatae, especially during the reign of king Gentius. Nevertheless, the visible walls of the castle are mostly of Venetian construction.