Margëlliçi Castle is located on the top of a hill at an altitude of 321m in the village of the same name, near the city of Patos. The ruins of the castle were declared a cultural monument in 1948. Archaeological discoveries made during the last century have shown that Margëlliçi was formed as a fortified center in the late Bronze Age. It was part of the satellite defense system of the ancient city of Bylis. The former ancient city, whose name has not yet been identified, served to control the entrance from the Myzeqe plain to the Argias (Gjanica) river valley.
The Margëlliçi Hill met all the conditions for a fortified port-urban settlement. The wall of this building is aligned with the image of a quadrangle on the meeting surface with stone blocks. In this Illyrian settlement, in addition to the used vessels of the time, ornaments, weapons, tools, etc. have also been found. One of the most valuable works extracted from the ruins of the castle is the Terracotta of Aphrodite, found during the excavation of a dwelling.
Coins found in the ruins of the castle clearly demonstrate its importance as a center of production and exchange. The inhabitants traded with Apollonia, Dyrrachium, Bylis, Argos, Ambracia and Macedonia. It is believed that the Illyrian city of Margëllić was abandoned sometime during the early Middle Ages and continued its life as a rural settlement.
This object was approved as a cultural monument in 1948 by the Ministry of Culture. Currently, the castle does not have wide access as a public good, but it is one of the undisputed historical and cultural values that should not be missed.
