Elbasan is a historic city, dating back to ancient times. Its symbol is the Ottoman clock tower and the ruins of a castle built by the Turks.
The city was founded by the Romans at the intersection of trade routes in the 1st century AD under the name Scampa. In Byzantine times, the Castle of Elbasan was built with 26 towers and mighty bastions, many of which have survived to our times. The ruins of a paleo-Christian basilica also come from the early Middle Ages, the size of which proves the importance of this center. The city received its present name in the 15th century from Sultan Muhamad II. It was then that the walls of the fortress were raised and the town became a significant trade center.
During the Turkish rule, the present old town of Elbasan was created, consisting of bazaar streets with numerous shops and workshops. The valuable monuments from this period include the Royal Mosque from the 15th century, one of the oldest in Albania, the Naziresha Mosque, the Church of the Virgin Mary, Turkish baths and the Clock Tower visible from many points in the city.
When visiting Elbasan, you cannot miss the local museums. The most important of them is the Ethnographic Museum in Elbasan, which presents the folk culture of the local population, traditional costumes, home furnishings and crafts. The Archaeological Museum also has an interesting collection, where you can see monuments from Roman and Byzantine times.
