Durrës
263530
225968641
2008-07-16T06:55:55Z
ArberBorici
314579
removed the name of the city in the other languages, because they are not recognized as official languages in Albania, see the talk page.
{{redirect|Durazzo|the Siege of Durazzo|Battle of Dyrrhachium (1081)}}
<!-- Infobox begins -->
{{Infobox Settlement
|official_name = Durrës
|native_name = Durrësi<!-- for cities whose native name is not in English -->
|settlement_type = <!--For Town or Village (Leave blank for the default City)-->
|motto =
|image_skyline = 07Durres07.jpg
|imagesize =
|image_caption = Durrës Harbor
|image_flag =
|image_seal =
|seal_size =
|image_shield =
|shield_size =
|city_logo =
|citylogo_size =
|image_map =
|mapsize =
|map_caption =
|image_map1 =
|mapsize1 =
|map_caption1 =
|image_dot_map =
|dot_mapsize =
|dot_map_caption =
|dot_x = |dot_y =
|pushpin_map = Albania<!-- the name of a location map as per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Location_map -->
|pushpin_label_position = <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
|pushpin_map_caption =
|pushpin_mapsize =
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = [[Albania]]
|subdivision_type1 = [[Counties of Albania|County]]
|subdivision_name1 = [[Durrës County]]
|subdivision_type2 = [[Districts of Albania|District]]
|subdivision_name2 = [[Durrës District]]
|subdivision_type3 =
|subdivision_name3 =
|subdivision_type4 =
|subdivision_name4 =
|government_footnotes =
|government_type =
|leader_title = Mayor
|leader_name = [[Vangjush Dako]] ([[Socialist Party of Albania|PS]])<ref>http://www.durres.gov.al/content/view/24/2/lang,en/</ref>
|leader_title1 = <!-- for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager -->
|leader_name1 =
|leader_title2 =
|leader_name2 =
|leader_title3 =
|leader_name3 =
|leader_title4 =
|leader_name4 =
|established_title = Founded
|established_date = 627 BC
|established_title2 = <!-- Incorporated (town) -->
|established_date2 =
|established_title3 = <!-- Incorporated (city) -->
|established_date3 =
|area_magnitude =
|unit_pref = Imperial
|area_footnotes =
|area_total_km2 = <!-- ALL fields dealing with a measurements are subject to automatic unit conversion-->
|area_land_km2 = <!--See table @ Template:Infobox Settlement for details on automatic unit conversion-->
|area_water_km2 =
|area_total_sq_mi =
|area_land_sq_mi =
|area_water_sq_mi =
|area_water_percent =
|area_urban_km2 =
|area_urban_sq_mi =
|area_metro_km2 =
|area_metro_sq_mi =
|population_as_of = 2001<ref>Instituti i Statistikës, Tiranë</ref>
|population_footnotes =
|nickname =
|population_total = 99,546
|population_density_km2 =
|population_density_sq_mi =
|population_metro = 245,179
|population_density_metro_km2 =
|population_density_metro_sq_mi =
|population_urban =
|population_density_urban_km2 =
|population_density_urban_sq_mi =
|population_blank1_title =
|population_blank1 =
|population_density_blank1_km2 =
|population_density_blank1_sq_mi =
|timezone = Central European Time
|utc_offset = +1
|timezone_DST =
|utc_offset_DST =
|latd=41 |latm=19 |lats=|latNS=N
|longd=19 |longm=27|longs=|longEW=E
|elevation_footnotes = <!--for references: use <ref> </ref> tags-->
|elevation_m = 0
|elevation_ft =
|postal_code_type = <!-- enter ZIP code, Postcode, Post code, Postal code... -->
|postal_code =
|area_code = 052
|blank_name =
|blank_info =
|blank1_name =
|blank1_info =
|website =
|footnotes =
}} <!-- Infobox ends -->
'''Durrës''' is the second largest city of [[Albania]]. It is the most ancient and one of the most economically important cities of [[Albania]]. It is located on the central Albanian coast at {{coor at dm|41|19|N|19|27|E|type:city(114,000)_region:AL}}, about 33 km (20 miles) west of the capital [[Tirana]]. It is situated at one of the narrower points of the [[Adriatic Sea]], opposite the [[Italy|Italian]] ports of [[Bari]] (300 km away) and [[Brindisi]] (200 km away). It has a population of around 114,000 ([[as of 2003|2003]] estimate). The city of Durrës is home to Albania's newest public university, the [[Aleksander Moisiu University]].
== Name ==
In the past few decades, the [[Albanian language|Albanian]] name of the city, ''Durrës (Durrësi)'', has gradually replaced the widespread use of the [[Italian language|Italian]] name ''Durazzo''.
The city has been known by many other names in different languages due to its varied colorful history, including the Greek names ''Epidamnos'' (Επίδαμνος) and ''Dyrhacchion'' (Δυρράχιον), the Latin ''Dyrrachium'', and the Italian ''Durrazzo''.
''For other names by which Durrës is known see '' [[Names of European cities in different languages#D|other names of Durrës]]''.''
== History ==
The city was founded as ''Epidamnos'' in 627 BC by [[Ancient Greece|Greek]]<ref>Wilkes, J. J. The Illyrians, 1992,ISBN 0631198075,page 96,"From Bouthoe to Epidamnus, a Greek city, the ..."</ref> colonists from [[Corinth]] and [[Corcyra]]. Its geographical position was highly advantageous, being situated around a natural rocky harbour which was surrounded by inland swamps and high cliffs on the seaward side, making the city very difficult to attack from either land or sea. Epidamnos was noted for being a politically advanced society, prompting the ancient philosopher [[Aristotle]] to praise its political system. However, Corinth and Corcyra quarrelled over the city, helping to precipitate the [[Peloponnesian War]] in 431 BC.
=== Roman and Byzantine rule ===
Epidamnos was seized by [[Glaukias]], the king of [[Illyria]], in 312 BC, but after a [[Illyrian Wars|war]] with the [[Roman Republic]] in 229 BC ended in a decisive defeat for the Illyrians the city passed to Roman Rule, following which it was developed as a major Roman military and naval base. The Romans renamed it ''Dyrrachium'' ([[Greek language|Greek]]: Δυρράχιον / ''Dyrrhachion''). They considered the name ''Epidamnos'' to be inauspicious because of its wholly coincidental similarities with the Latin word ''damnum'', meaning "loss" or "harm". The meaning of ''Dyrrachium'' ("bad spine" or "difficult ridge" in Greek) is unclear but it has been suggested that it refers to the imposing cliffs near the city. [[Julius Caesar]]'s rival [[Pompey]] made a stand there in 48 BC before fleeing south to [[Greece]]. Under Roman rule, Dyrrachium prospered; it became the western end of the ''[[Via Egnatia]]'', the great [[Roman road]] that led to [[Thessalonica]] and on to [[Constantinople]]. Another lesser road led south to the city of ''Buthrotum'', the modern [[Butrint]]. The Roman emperor [[Augustus|Caesar Augustus]] made the city a colony for veterans of his [[Roman legion|legions]] following the [[Battle of Actium]], proclaiming it a ''[[civitas libera]]'' (free town).
In the 4th century AD, Dyrrachium was made the capital of the [[Roman province]] of [[Epirus nova]]. It was the birthplace of the emperor [[Anastasius I (emperor)|Anastasius I]] in ''circa'' 430. Some time later that century, Dyrrachium was struck by a powerful earthquake which destroyed the city's defences. Anastasius I rebuilt and strengthened the city walls, thus creating the strongest fortifications in the western Balkans. The 12m (36ft)-high walls were so thick that, according to the Byzantine historian [[Anna Komnene]], four horsemen could ride abreast on them. Significant portions of the ancient city defences still remain, although they have been much reduced over the centuries.
Like much of the rest of the [[Balkans]], Dyrrachium and the surrounding ''Dyrraciensis provinciae'' suffered considerably from [[barbarian]] incursions during the [[Migrations Period]]. It was besieged in 481 by [[Theodoric the Great]], king of the [[Ostrogoth]]s, and in subsequent centuries had to fend off frequent attacks by the [[Bulgarians]]. Following the [[fall of the Roman Empire]], the city passed to the [[Byzantine Empire]] and continued to be an important port and a major link between the empire and western Europe.
[[Image:Durres Bay Spring.JPG|thumb|260px|Durrës]]
[[Image:Durres Old city wall 2.JPG|260px|thumb|Old city wall]]
=== Middle Ages ===
The [[First Bulgarian Empire]] under [[Simeon the Great]] captured the city, together with most of what is today Albania, in the early 10th century, but the Byzantines reconquered it around the middle of the century, when Bulgaria was under [[Peter I of Bulgaria|Peter I]]. The very end of the century saw another period of Bulgarian control, when under [[Samuil of Bulgaria|Samuil]] the empire conquered the city and held it until 1018. Dyrrachium (then known as Драч, ''Drach'' in Bulgarian) remained as one of the last Bulgarian fortresses as the Byzantine Empire subjugated Bulgaria.
Dyrrachium was lost in February 1082 by the emperor [[Alexios I Komnenos]], who was defeated at the hands of the [[Normans]] ([[Robert Guiscard]] and his son [[Bohemund I of Antioch|Bohemund]] (see [[Battle of Dyrrhachium (1081)]]). Byzantine control was restored the following century following the defeat of Bohemund in 1107 but the city was lost again in 1185, this time to the Norman King [[William II of Sicily]]. In 1202, during the [[Fourth Crusade]], the city was transferred to the rule of the [[Republic of Venice]]. It passed into the hands of [[Manfred of Sicily]] and then [[Charles I of Sicily]] (Charles of Anjou) in 1268.
Five years later, in ca. 1273, it was wrecked by a devastating [[earthquake]] (according to [[George Pachymeres]]; R. Elsie, ''Early Albania'' (2003), p. 12), but soon recovered and became an independent [[duchy]] under the rule of Charles' grandson [[John, Duke of Durazzo|John of Anjou]]. It later came under the rule of [[Philip I of Taranto]]. In 1333 it was annexed to the Frankish [[Principality of Achaea]] before falling to the [[Serbia]]n Tsar [[Stefan Uroš IV Dušan of Serbia|Stefan Dušan]] in 1336. When Dušan died in 1355, the city passed into the hands of the Albanian family of Thopias.
The [[Republic of Venice]] regained control in 1392 and retained the city, known as ''Durazzo'' in those years, as part of the ''[[Albania Veneta]]''. It fended off a siege by the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] Sultan [[Mehmed II]] in 1466 but fell to them in 1501.
Durrës became a [[Christianity|Christian]] city quite early on; its [[bishopric]] was created around 58 AD and was raised to the status of an [[archbishopric]] in 449. It is also the seat of a [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Greek Orthodox]] [[metropolitan bishop]]. Under Turkish rule, many of its inhabitants converted to [[Islam]] and many [[mosque]]s were erected. This city was renamed as Dıraç, the city did not prosper under the Ottomans and its importance declined greatly. By the mid-19th century, its population was said to have been only about 1,000 people living in some 200 households. Its decrepitude was noted by foreign observers in the early 20th century: "The walls are dilapidated; plane-trees grow on the gigantic ruins of its old Byzantine citadel; and its harbour, once equally commodious and safe, is gradually becoming silted up."<ref>[http://65.1911encyclopedia.org/D/DU/DURAZZO.htm D/DU/DURAZZO.htm - LoveToKnow 1911<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
=== 20th century ===
[[Image:Palace of king Zog durres.jpg|thumb|250px|The palace of King Zog I in Durrës]]
Durrës was an active city in the Albanian national liberation movement in the periods 1878-1881 and 1910-1912. [[Ismail Qemali]] raised the [[Flag of Albania|Albanian flag]] on [[November 26]], [[1912]] but the city was captured by the [[Serbian people|Serbs]] three days later during the [[First Balkan War]]. The city became [[Albania]]'s first national capital on [[March 7]], 1913 under the brief rule of Prince [[William of Wied]].
During the [[First World War]], the city was occupied by [[Italy]] in 1915 and by [[Austria-Hungary]] in 1916-1918. It was captured by the [[Allies]] in October 1918. Restored to Albanian sovereignty, Durrës became the country's temporary capital between 1918 and March 1920. It experienced an economic boom due to Italian investments and developed into a major seaport under the rule of King [[Zog of Albania|Zog]], with a modern harbour being constructed in 1927.
An earthquake in 1926 damaged some of the city and the rebuilding that followed gave the city its more modern appearance. The [[Second World War]] saw Durrës (called ''Durazzo'' again in italian) and the rest of Albania being annexed to the [[Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)|Kingdom of Italy]] between 1939-1943, then occupied by [[Nazi Germany]] until 1944. Durrës's strategic value as a seaport made it a high-profile military target for both sides. It was the site of the initial Italian landings on [[7 April]] 1939 as well as the launch point for the ill-fated Italian invasion of Greece. The city was heavily damaged by [[Allies|Allied]] bombing during the war and the port installations were blown up by the retreating Germans in 1944.
The [[Communist]] regime of [[Enver Hoxha]] rapidly rebuilt the city following the war, establishing a variety of heavy industries in the area and expanding the port. It became the terminus of Albania's first [[railway]], begun in 1947.
Following the collapse of communist rule in 1990, Durrës became the focus of mass emigrations from Albania with ships being hijacked in the harbour and sailed at gunpoint to Italy. In one month alone, August 1991, over 20,000 people migrated to Italy in this fashion. Italy intervened militarily, putting the port area under its control, and the city became the centre of the [[European Community]]'s "[[Operation Pelican]]", a food-aid programme.
In 1997, Albania slid into anarchy following the collapse of a massive [[pyramid scheme]] which devastated the national economy. An Italian-led peacekeeping force was controversially deployed to Durrës and other Albanian cities to restore order, although there were widespread suggestions that the real purpose of "[[Operation Alba]]" was to prevent economic refugees continuing to use Albania's ports as a route to migrate to Italy.
<!-- Commented out because image was deleted: [[Image:481221224 3f27cb6149 b.jpg|right|thumb|250px|left|The beach of Durrës|{{puic|1=Image:481221224 3f27cb6149 b.jpg|log=2008 March 1}}]] -->
During the 1999 [[Kosovo War]] the city hosted some 110,000 refugees fleeing fighting in [[Kosovo]] and became a base of operations for much of the [[humanitarian aid|refugee response]] by [[aid agencies]] in Albania.
== Economy ==
Durrës is still an important link to [[Western Europe]] due to its port and its proximity to the Italian port cities, notably Bari, to which daily ferries run. As well as the dockyard, it also possess an important shipyard and manufacturing industries, notably producing leather, plastic and tobacco products. The neighbouring district also produces wine and a variety of foodstuffs.
== Sights ==
Some important buildings in Durrës include the main library, the cultural center with the ''[[Aleksander Moisiu]]'' theater, the [[Estrada Theater]], the puppet theater, the philharmonic orchestra, etc. There are also several museums such as the Archaeological Museum and the Museum of History.
The city's beaches are also a popular destination for many foreign and local tourists, with an estimated 600,000 tourists visiting annually. Many Albanians from Tirana spend their summer vacations on the beaches of Durrës.
Due to the recent construction of a modern highway linking Tirana and Durrës, the travel time is only approximately 30 minutes. You can also make the journey by train, for the token charge of 50 leke (about US$ 0.40). There are roughly ten trains a day from Tirana.
As in other parts of Albania, numerous concrete bunkers built under the old dictatorship are situated in and around Durrës. They can be found every 100 to 150 meters along the city's beach. They were built to defend the country from a supposed foreign attack from either the West or the Warsaw Pact which never happened; Albania now has an estimated 700,000 bunkers.
==Climate==
Durrës has a generally [[Mediterranean climate]]. The average temperature varies from a low of 5°C in January to a high of 28°C in July and August. The driest months are June, July and August, each with less than 1cm of precipitation on average, while the rest of the year sees monthly precipitation over 2cm.
{{-}}
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;width:100%;border:0px;text-align:center;line-height:120%;"
! style="background: #99CCCC; color: #000080" height="17" |Month
! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" | Jan
! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" | Feb
! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" | Mar
! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" | Apr
! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" | May
! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" | Jun
! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" | Jul
! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" | Aug
! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" | Sep
! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" | Oct
! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" | Nov
! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" | Dec
|-
! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" |Avg high (°C)
| style="background: #DDDDDD; color:#000000;" | 12
| style="background: #DDDDDD; color:#000000;" | 13
| style="background: #FFFF99; color:#000000;" | 14
| style="background: #FFCC66; color:#000000;" | 18
| style="background: #FFCC66; color:#000000;" | 21
| style="background: #FF8000; color:#000000;" | 25
| style="background: #FF8000; color:#000000;" | 28
| style="background: #FF8000; color:#000000;" | 28
| style="background: #FF8000; color:#000000;" | 25
| style="background: #FFCC66; color:#000000;" | 22
| style="background: #FFCC66; color:#000000;" | 16
| style="background: #DDDDDD; color:#000000;" | 13
|-
! style="background: #99CCCC; color:#000080;" height="16;" |Avg low (°C)
| style="background: #FFFFFF; color: black;" | 5
| style="background: #FFFFFF; color: black;" | 6
| style="background: #FFFFCC; color: black;" | 8
| style="background: #FFFFCC; color: black;" | 11
| style="background: #FFFF99; color: black;" | 15
| style="background: #FFCC66; color: black;" | 19
| style="background: #FFCC66; color: black;" | 21
| style="background: #FFCC66; color: black;" | 21
| style="background: #FFCC66; color: black;" | 18
| style="background: #FFFF99; color: black;" | 14
| style="background: #FFFFCC; color: black;" | 11
| style="background: #FFFFFF; color: black;" | 7
|-
| colspan="14" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;"|''Source: [http://weather.msn.com/monthly_averages.aspx?wealocations=wc:9615 MSN Weather]''
|}
== See also ==
*[[History of Albania]]
*[[Battle of Dyrrhachium]]
*[[List of cities in Albania]]
*[[List of traditional Greek place names]]
{{commons|Durrës|Durrës}}
== References ==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
* [http://mysite.verizon.net/vze7b2yg/id16.html ALBoZONE: Cities of Albania]
* [http://www.progettodurres.unipr.it/ Durres Projet]
* [http://www.wowflutter.com/2006/07/16/phototour-durres-albania/ Phototour and Architectural Overview of Durres, Albania]
{{Cities in Albania}}
[[Category:620s BC establishments]]
[[Category:Ancient Greek cities]]
[[Category:Cities, towns and villages in Albania]]
[[Category:Coastal cities]]
[[Category:Settlements established in the 7th century BC]]
[[Category:Ancient Greek sites in Albania]]
[[ar:دوريس]]
[[be-x-old:Дурэс]]
[[bg:Дуръс]]
[[bs:Drač]]
[[ca:Durrës]]
[[cs:Drač]]
[[cy:Durrës]]
[[da:Durrës]]
[[de:Durrës]]
[[el:Δυρράχιο]]
[[eo:Duraso]]
[[es:Durrës]]
[[et:Durrës]]
[[fi:Durrës]]
[[fr:Durrës]]
[[he:דורס]]
[[hr:Drač]]
[[hu:Durrës]]
[[id:Durres]]
[[it:Durazzo]]
[[ja:ドゥラス]]
[[la:Dyrrhachium]]
[[lt:Duresis]]
[[lv:Durresa]]
[[mk:Драч]]
[[nl:Durrës (stad)]]
[[no:Durras]]
[[pl:Durrës]]
[[pt:Durrës]]
[[ro:Durrës]]
[[ru:Дуррес]]
[[sk:Drač (mesto)]]
[[sl:Drač]]
[[sq:Durrësi]]
[[sr:Драч]]
[[sv:Durrës]]
[[vec:Durazso]]
[[vo:Durrësi]]
[[zh:都拉斯]]