Rozafa Castle rises on a rocky hill at the entrance to the city of Shkodra, in a strategic position, controlling the entire territory around it. To the west of the castle you can easily see the meeting point of the Drin, Kir and Buna rivers, which run through the city of Shkodra and as they weave together offer stunning views of the northern city, from where you can take incomparable photographs. Rozafa Castle is of Illyrian origin and its name “Rozafa” comes from the medieval period.
This name is also associated with a legend, which speaks of one of the most sacred virtues of the Albanian, which is “trust – keeping one’s word”. The content of the legend is related to the walling of Rozafa, the bride of the younger brother of the three brothers, who built the walls of the castle during the day and they were destroyed at night. At the entrance to the castle is the bas-relief of Rozafa. The limestone water that flows at the main entrance represents the breast milk, which according to the storyteller, Rozafa was left outside to feed the child. The castle’s current form was given to it by the feudal Balshaj family, during their rule during the 14th century, but today most of the castle belongs to the Venetian period. The Ottoman occupation has also left its mark.
Rozafa is one of the most important forts in Albania and serves as the main tourist attraction of the city of Shkodra. Visitors can learn about the history of the city, various events and important personalities, through engravings, reproductions of archival documents and works of art from different times. By visiting this fort, in addition to the fantastic landscape, you can enjoy the natural phenomenon of the meeting of rivers and touch history with your hands.
