Himarë Castle | |
Native Name: | Albanian: Kalaja e Himarës |
Location: | Himarë, Albania |
Map Type: | Albania |
Map Alt: | Durrës Castle |
Coordinates: | 40.1177°N 19.7317°W |
Map Size: | 180 |
Open To Public: | Yes |
Controlledby: | Chaonians (Epirus) Roman Empire Despotate of Epirus Kingdom of Albania Republic of Venice Albania Italy Albania |
Himarë Castle (Albanian: Kalaja e Himarës), locally also known as Kastro[1] is a castle in Himarë, in southern Albania.
It is one of the main attractions located in the old town of Himara.[2] The Chaonian castle in Himara appears to belong to the set of the earliest Chaonian fortifications.[3] Its ancient walls probably date to the 5th-4th centuries BC.[4] There are also a number of Orthodox churches there such as Panagia Kassopitra where parts of the western side of the ancient wall are preserved inside it.[5] [2]
Another church inside the castle is that of the All Saints. According to a local legend when the Greek Orthodox missionary Kosmas visited Himara in 1779, he proposed to the locals to destroy part of that church in order to build a Greek school with this material.[6]
The church of Saint Michael also inside the castle was erected during the 13th century.[7]
The old mansion of Spyros Spyromilios is also among the main attractions found inside the citadel.[2]