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"Durrėsi, the main harbor in Albania" a Durres Travel Page by JLBG

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"Durrėsi, the main harbor in Albania" a Durres Travel Page by JLBG

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JLBG     
Blessed is the tourist that has seen everything before the arrival of tourists (B. Arcand)


Real Name: Jean-Louis
Lives In: Grenoble, FR
Member Since: Jan 22, 2004
VT Rank: 2

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Page Views: 5,304            Last Visit to Durres: May, 2007      

Durrėsi, the main harbor in Albania

by JLBG - last update: Oct 20, 2007

Durresi, monument atthe harbor.
Durrėsi is one of the oldest cities of Albania. It was founded by Epidamnos, king of the Taulants, an Illyrian tribe. He gave the city his name. In 627 BC, Illyrian invaders from Corynth and Corfu took control of the region and rebuilt the city as Durrakhion. In 229 BC, the Romans took control and changed the name to Dyrrachium which gave later the name of Durrazzo in Italian, Durrės in Albanian and Drač in Croat.
Albania
For the Romans, Dyrrachium was highly strategic: it was the cross road between the marine route from Brindidi and the inland route that led to Thessaloniki and Byzance, the Via Egnatia. The city kept its strategic importance along the centuries. It explains why it is very difficult to dig for ancient buildings: the ancient city is underneath the modern town.
Durrėsi is 33 km from the capital, Tirana. It is the first harbor and the second most important city in the country. It has now more than 200,000 inhabitants.

I had built a Durrėsi page from my 1988 travel in Albania. Instead of mixing 1988 and 2007, I have preferred to build a new 2007 page. I have transferred my 1988 page to Rrethi i Durrėsit.

This is an entirely new page!
Durrėsi

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Comments for JLBG about Durres
volopolo Mon Aug 17, 2009 11:39 UTC
 I like the picture and the tip from Durrėsi, the galeries of the amphitheater
LoriPori Wed Dec 17, 2008 11:19 UTC
 Such a contrast between the old - Byzantine era - and the new - modern structures.
trvlrtom Mon Oct 27, 2008 05:25 UTC
 Interesting - I didn't know there were Roman ruins to see in Albania. Another reason to visit this less touristed place.
Sula_G Mon May 26, 2008 10:35 UTC
 Mujo Ulqinaku- the first Albanian hero of the WWII. His last name is Ulqinaku, which means "from Ulcin" (a city in Montenegro, mostly inhabited by Albanians), meaning that his ancestors came from that city, hence the last name.
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