Lezha castle restored under EU-funded project
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TIRANA, Sept. 17 – The 15th century castle of Lezha has been restored under an EU-funded Adrifortproject, promoting fortified heritage and fortresses as an essential part of the tangible heritage that links Adriatic coasts to the cultural level.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Culture Minister Mirela Kumbaro said the castle of Lezha had not undergone restoration in decades.
“In the castle of Lezha we stopped a project damaging this monument laying the foundations of a political basis protecting cultural heritage and not transforming it based on personal interests” said Kumbaro.
Back in 2014, Albania’s National Restoration Council led by Culture Minister Mirela Kumbaro cancelled a decision on the revitalization of 15th century Lezha castle which envisaged the rent of castle facilities to a private company for recreational purposes over legal violations in the selection process.
The Lezha castle was restored under the ADRIFORT project.
The Castle of Lezha is located in the east side of the city on top of a hill 186 metres high, from where it dominates the whole area.
Its purpose was to protect the inhabitants from the invasions of foreign armies. The castle originates during the Illyrian period and was later reconstructed by the Venetians during medieval times and by the Turkish after their conquest.
Interesting places to visit are the ruins of the Ottoman buildings inside the castle, the mosque, the tower of the south-eastern wall with a Roman arch, and the Illyrian tower on the southern wall. From the castle the view is really interesting where you can see the Lezha fields and the Adriatic Sea.
The castle is a monument of culture and is protected by the state.
