Shkodra Travel Guide

Shkodra, or the legendary Scutari (as it is called by the Italians), is one of Albania’s most well known cities; it’s also one of the oldest settlements in Europe. Shkodra lies about 80 km from Tirana, and is generally regarded as the centre of the Gheg culture. At one time the site of an Illyrian fortress, Shkodra still contains some imposing reminders of its past. Among the city’s best-known sights are the Rozafa fortress (which lies about two km from the city), the multiple-domed Leaden Mosque, and the Franciscan Church, a symbol of the fact that Shkodra was one of the prominent Christian cities in Albania. The city also has a rather impressive new mosque called the Sheik Zamil Abdullah Al-Zamil Mosque, which stands next to the city’s chief museum, the Muzeo Popullor.