Pogradec

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Pogradec

Municipality

View of Pogradec

Seal
 Pogradec

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Coordinates:  40°54′N 20°39′E

Country Albania

Region Southern Albania

County Korçë

Municipality Pogradec

Government

 • Mayor Ilir Xhakolli[1] (Socialist Party)

Area

[2]
  • Municipality 584.77 km2 (225.78 sq mi)

Elevation 735 m (2,411 ft)

Population

 (2011)[3]

 • Municipality 61,530

 • Unit 20,848

Demonym(s) Pogradecare (f) Pogradecar (m)

Time zone UTC+1 (CET)

 • Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)

Postal code 7301–7303

Area code(s) +355 (0)83

Vehicle registration PG

Website bashkiapogradec.al

Pogradec (Albanian pronunciation: [pɔɡɾaˈdɛt͡s]) is the eleventh most populous city of the Republic

of Albania and the capital of the eponymous municipality. It is located on a narrow
plain between two mountain chains along the southwestern banks of the Lake of Ohrid.
Its climate is profoundly influenced by a seasonal Mediterranean and Continental
climate.
Pogradec and its surroundings were listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site as part
of the natural and cultural heritage of the region of Ohrid.  Nevertheless, the Illyrian
[4]

Royal Tombs in the adjacent unit of Proptisht are on the Albanian tentative list for

becoming a World Heritage Site. [5]

Contents

 1Etymology
 2History
 3Geography
o 3.1Climate
 4Economy
 5Culture
 6Twin towns – sister cities
 7References
 8External links

Etymology[edit]
The name of the town is Eastern South Slavic in origin.  Pogradec comes
[6]

from Po(d) (under/beneath) and Gradec (town, city, castle or fortified settlement) and

means literally "under the city". This is a reference to the ancient Illyrian settlement,
which was situated on a hill above the contemporary region of Pogradec. In the
medieval period during the Ottoman occupation, the town was known as İstarova or
İstarye during Ottoman rule and was bounded to as kaza center in Görice Sanjak
of Manastır Vilayet before Balkan Wars. [7][8]

History[edit]

Beach of Pogradec

From the 8th until the 14th century, Pogradec area was captured by various medieval
states such as the Bulgarian, Byzantine and Serbian Empires as well as by noble
Albanian families such as Gropa. In the middle of 15th century the area became part
of Skanderbeg state and after his death in 1468, it was invaded by the Ottomans who
kept it until Albania's Independence in 1912. During their occupation Pogradec was the
center of the kaza of Starova and was developed as a small town of craftsmen and
fishermen. When the Turkish traveler Evliya Celebi visited the area in 1662 he wrote
that "Pogradec was a sweet city with red roofs, four neighborhoods, four mosques, two
elementary schools, six hundred houses and one hundred and fifty shops".
During the second half of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, Pogradec
area played an important role in the Albanian National Renaissance. In 14 March 1887
the second Albanian language school was started here.

Pogradec along Lake Ohrid

During WWI Pogradec became a battlefield divided between the enemy fronts. From
1914 until 1920 Austro-Hungarian, Serbian, Greek, Bulgarian and French armies,
captured the city replacing each-other from time to time.
During WWII the city was first invaded by the Italian army in 12 April 1939. Italian
occupation of Pogradec was interrupted due to Greco-Italian War and Greek troops
occupied the city between 30 November 1940 and 14 April 1941. After
Italy's capitulation in 1943 the Italians were replaced by the German Nazis who kept the
city until 30 August 1944 when it was liberated by the Albanian partisans.
After the war the town was a favorite summer escape for many communist government
officials and particularly Enver Hoxha. The summer residences and the area around
them were sealed off from the public.

Geography[edit]
Further information: Albanian Ohrid Lake Coast
Pogradec is located at 40°54′N 20°39′E, on the shore of the southwestern corner of
the Lake of Ohrid between two mountain chains located in the north and east.  The [9]

mountain chain of Mali i Thatë in the Prespa National Park rises in the east of the city
and divides the region from the Lake of Prespa.  Defined in an area of
[9]

584.77 km  (226 sq mi), the municipality of Pogradec is encompassed in the county of

2

Korçë within the Southern Region of Albania and consists of the adjacent administrative

units of Buçimas, Çërravë, Dardhas, Proptisht, Trebinjë, Udenisht, Velçan and
Pogradec as its seat. [2][10][11]

Climate[edit]
The climate of the Lake Ohrid is classified as a local-continental type because of a
microclime that is created in that area influenced by Mediterranean climate. The
average annual rainfall in the Lake basin amount to approximately 730 mm. [citation needed]

hideClimate data for Pogradec

Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct N

3 8 13 17 22 27 30 30 25 19
Average high °C (°F)
(37) (46) (55) (63) (72) (81) (86) (86) (77) (66)

−5 −3 1 5 9 12 14 14 10 7
Average low °C (°F)
(23) (27) (34) (41) (48) (54) (57) (57) (50) (45)

40.5 38 34.9 53.1 48.4 29.2 30.8 29.2 38.7 53.4 6

Average precipitation mm (inches)
(1.59) (1.5) (1.37) (2.09) (1.91) (1.15) (1.21) (1.15) (1.52) (2.10) (2

Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) 8 8 8 12 10 7 6 4 7 9

Source: World Weather Online[12]

Economy[edit]
Pogradec is located about 139 km from Tirana, the capital city of Albania, 40 km
from Korça, and 5 km from North Macedonia. Pogradec is the last railway
station: Tirana - Durrës - Elbasan - Librazhd - Pogradec and located along SH3 road
that passes through Devoll and continues to Greece. Translake transport started on 15
June 2014 with a tourist ferry between Pogradec and Ohrid, but the service is sporadic
and unreliable.

Culture[edit]

Writer Statue in Pogradec

The main street of Pogradec

Pogradec is well known for its famous writers and poets such as Lasgush
Poradeci and Mitrush Kuteli, and lately Luan Starova. Their works are a crucial part of
Albanian literature.
The main characters of Luan Starova's cycle of novels, "The Balkan Saga", are the
author's own parents and their family, who fled Pogradec for Macedonia during World
War II. Separated from their old hometown and their relatives by the Albania-Yugoslavia
border during the Enver Hoxha's era, they would often look at Pogradec through a
binocular from the vantage point of Monastery of Saint Naum on the other side of the
lake. [13]

Pogradec is also the home of nationally acclaimed painters like Anastas

Kostandini(Taso), Gjergji Lako, Gentian Zeka, Vangjo Vasili and Ilir Dhima. All kinds of
sports are practiced in town, especially by the youth.
Pogradec has a professional soccer team (currently in the Superliga, the best division in
Albania) which holds the name Pogradeci. There are several varsity soccer teams
mainly composed of high school students. Even volleyball and basketball are played
competitively. During the summer, beach volleyball draws the attention of all the
residents. Many professional volleyball teams from Albania and other Balkanic countries
participate in a championship which lasts about two weeks. Pogradeci team has been
awarded the first prize several times. Other sports to mention are swimming and boxing.
The boxing team, "Dragoi", is one of the top teams in the nation and has always trained
champions.
Pogradec also has a rich folklore. Many songs and dances have been created
throughout the centuries. Their themes are based on the beauty of the lake and a love
for nature.
Some of the main recurring cultural events in the city are:
"Puppet Theater Festival" - Takes place every June. Participants vary from national to
European level.
"Lake Day" - Takes place in 21 June. All the towns surrounding lake Ohrid (Pogradec,
Ohrid and Struga) gather in a festival where local delicacies, including food and culture
are showcased.
"Balkan Film Food Festival" - Takes place in September. Balkan movies, documentaries
and culinary are showcased throughout the days of the festival.
"Wine Fest" - Takes place in December. Pogradec families compete together for the
best homemade wine in the city. The days of the festival are accompanied by great food
and live music.

Drilon Park in Pogradec

Lin village north of Pogradec

Orthodox Church

Pogradec area is very rich in cultural and natural monuments among which can be
mentioned

 Pogradec Castle
 19th and 20th century historical center of the city of Pogradec
 Castle of Blace village
 Castle of Zemçë village
 Fortifications in the village of Slabinjë
 Prehistoric settlement of Zagradie in the village of Lin
 Bridge near the villages Jollë and Llëngë
 Bridge near the village of Golik
 Bridge near the village of Niçë
 Bridge near the village of Çezmë
 Bridge in the village of Zgallë
 Bridge in the village of Servatinë
 Terziu Bridge in the village of Proptisht
 Fortification in the village of Shpellë in Mokra
 St. Marina's Monastery in the village of Llëngë
 Paleo-Christian church and mosaics in the village of Lin
 Byzantine church in the village of Lin
 Mosaic in the village of Tushemisht
 Drilon water sources and swans park near Tushemisht
 Guri i Kamjes in Mokra
 The karstic cave and small lake inside it above the village of Hudenisht

Twin towns – sister cities[edit]

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Albania
Pogradec is twinned with:

  Ohrid, North Macedonia [14]

  Wismar, Germany [15]

References[edit]
1. ^ "Drejtuesit e Bashkise–Kryetari Bashkise" (in Albanian). Bashkia Pogradec. Archived from the original on 10 October 2020.
Retrieved 10 October 2020.
2. ^ Jump up to:a b "Bashkia Pogradec". Albanian Association of Municipalities (AAM). Archived from the original on 10 October 2020.
Retrieved 10 October 2020.
3. ^ "Censusi i popullsisë dhe banesave/ Population and Housing Census–Korçë 2011"  (PDF) (in Albanian). Tirana: Instituti i
Statistikës (INSTAT). p. 86. Archived from the original  (PDF) on 27 March 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
4. ^ "Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid region". United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO). Archived from the original on 10 October 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
5. ^ "Les tombes de la Basse Selca" (in French). United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Archived from the original on 10 October 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
6. ^ Slavistische Forschungen, Volume 24, Böhlau, 1978, p. 259, ISBN 3412012785.

7. ^ "Osmanli Tatarân Teşkilât'i (in Turkish)"  (PDF). Archived from the original  (PDF) on 2012-03-24. Retrieved 2011-05-23.

8. ^ Osman Vilayets (in Turkish)

9. ^ Jump up to:a b Pillati, Arjola (15 January 2013). "E ardhmja e turizmit në qytetin e Pogradecit"  (PDF) (in Albanian). Aleksandër
Moisiu University. Archived from the original  (PDF) on 10 October 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
10. ^ "A new Urban–Rural Classification of Albanian Population"  (PDF). Instituti i Statistikës (INSTAT). May 2014. p. 15. Archived
from the original  (PDF) on 14 November 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
11. ^ "Law nr. 115/2014"  (PDF) (in Albanian). Fletorja Zyrtare e Republikës së Shqipërisë. p. 96–97. Archived from the
original  (PDF) on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
12. ^ World Weather Online

13. ^ The theme repeats e.g. throughout The Museum of Atheism

14. ^ "ПРИЈАТЕЛСКИ И ЗБРАТИМЕНИ ГРАДОВИ - Ohrid.gov.mk" (in Macedonian). Retrieved 2021-09-04.

15. ^ Wismar, Stadt. "Städtepartnerschaften". Hansestadt Wismar. Retrieved 2021-09-04.