Berat Castle

Berat, Albania

Berat Castle dates mainly from the 13th century and contains many Byzantine churches in the area and Ottoman mosques. It is built on a rocky hill on the left bank of the river Osum and is accessible only from the south.

After being burned down by the Romans in 200 B.C., the walls were strengthened in the 5th century under Roman Emperor Theodosius II to protect from Barbarian incursions into the Balkans. They were subsequently rebuilt during the 6th century under the Emperor Justinian I and again in the 13th century under the Despot of Epirus, Michael I Komnenos Doukas, cousin of the Byzantine Emperor. This last phase can be seen as a Monogram formed by red bricks set in a wall of the castle. The castle was under the rule of John Komnenos Asen in the mid-14th century The main entrance, on the north side, is defended by a fortified courtyard and there are three smaller entrances.

The fortress of Berat in its present state, even though considerably damaged, remains a magnificent sight. The surface that it encompasses made it possible to house a considerable portion of the cities inhabitants. The buildings inside the fortress were built during the 13th century and because of their characteristic architecture are preserved as cultural monuments. The population of the fortress was Christian, and it had about 20 churches (most built during the 13th century) and only one mosque, for the use of the Turkish garrison (of which there survives only a few ruins and the base of the minaret). The churches of the fortress were damaged through years and only some have remained.

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Details

Founded: 13th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in Albania

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

binu remanan (4 months ago)
This is an amazing historic site to visit. You need to walk around 30 minutes to go from the city center to the top of the castle but when you arrive, you will see an amazing castle with a super view to the city. You can drive up to the top and free parking there. There are many places here to take pictures . They have restaurants, coffee shops and even hotel and souvenir shops. It was the most important and beautiful site of the city that I visit in Berat.
Arnaud Doyon (5 months ago)
A beautiful castle with an amazing view of the area. We didn't have to pay to enter. The climb from Berat is pretty steep but there's small cafes along the way where you can stop. Otherwise I recommend taking your car to the top. The visit of the castle can take about 1h/2h. You can see a lot of monuments and even enter. Just be careful, there are not a lot of barriers to make the castle safe so check your steps and look where your child is going .
Sabia Ali (5 months ago)
The castle is an interesting combination of past and present but on the whole, nothing overly awe-inspiring. It is worth visiting if only for the panoramic views of the surrounding towns and villages and the natural scenery but not so much the castle itself. The houses that exist today are quirky and cute and the architecture intriguing. Definitely a testimony of Ottoman craftsmanship where local people still live within the castle compound and mainly making a living by selling artisan products to tourists. We were there in late May, probably before the main tourist season and so the crowds weren’t too big. There was no need to buy tickets to enter the castle. A few casual restaurants exist where you can stop for a rest and food. Prices are designed to target tourists so be warned.
Olaf Vens (5 months ago)
Beautiful castle and not yet too touristy. This does not mean you will be alone, not at all, there will be plenty tourist around. But you have the ability to fully discover the castle, its squares and all it has to hide with limited restrictions.
Ingmar Kurg (6 months ago)
We enjoyed the castle. The walk up there was a good workout. Most people drove their cars up there. It is more like a small village, a lot to discover. The panoramic view (360 degrees) was awesome. Toilet is 0,50€ and privately owned. There is a restaurant as well (we didn’t visit).
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