Elbasan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Elbasan
Municipality
From top to bottom, left to right: View of Elbasan, Kisha e Shën Mërisë, Old streets of Elbasan, Clock tower of Elbasan and Elbasan Castle
Flag Emblem
Elbasan Location in Albania
Country	Albania
County	Elbasan
Area
• Municipality	872.03 km2 (336.69 sq mi)
Elevation	133 m (436 ft)
Population  (2011)
• Municipality	141,714
• Municipality density	162.5105/km2 (420.900/sq mi)
• Municipal unit	78,703
Demonym(s)	Albanian: Elbasanas (m), Elbasanase (f) or Elbasanlli (m) Elbasanllie (f)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal Code	3001-3006
Area Code	(0)54

Elbasan is the fourth largest city in Albania. It is the main city of Elbasan County and Elbasan Municipality. The city is located north of the Shkumbin river. It lies between the Skanderbeg Mountains and the Myzeqe Plain in central Albania.

What's in a Name?

The name Elbasan comes from the Ottoman Turkish language. It means "the fortress." This name was given because of the strong castle built there.

A Look Back: Elbasan's History

Elbasan has a very long and interesting history!

Ancient Times

Archaeologists found two ancient Illyrian graves near the castle walls in 2010. This shows people lived here a very long time ago.

Around 200 BC, the Romans had a trading post here called Mansio Scampa. It was near an important Roman road, the Via Egnatia. This road connected the Adriatic coast with a city called Byzantium (now Istanbul). By the 3rd or 4th century AD, Scampa grew into a city with a strong Roman fortress. This fort was about 300 square meters in size.

The city played a part in spreading Christianity. It had a bishop and churches as early as the 5th century. Even after Roman soldiers left, the city survived attacks from groups like the Bulgars and Ostrogoths.

Ottoman Era and Beyond

The city was later rebuilt by Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror in 1466. He built a huge, four-sided castle with a deep moat and three gates. He built it to fight against Skanderbeg, an Albanian hero. Elbasan became an important center of Ottoman culture for over 400 years.

In 1467, many Christians were moved to Elbasan from other cities. In the late 1600s, a traveler noted that most people in Elbasan spoke Albanian. Many also knew Turkish, Persian, and Greek. By the end of the 17th century, about 2,000 people lived there.

By the early 1900s, about 15,000 people lived in Elbasan. Different groups lived together, including Albanians, Turks, Aromanians, and Sephardic Jews.

Modern History

In 1909, an Albanian National Congress was held in Elbasan. People discussed education and culture. They decided to use the Latin alphabet for written Albanian, instead of the Arabic script.

Before World War II, Elbasan was a city with old buildings, narrow streets, and a big market. There were distinct neighborhoods for different communities.

The very first school for training teachers in Albania, the Shkolla Normale e Elbasanit, was started in Elbasan.

During the First Balkan War, Serbian troops occupied Elbasan in 1912. They left in 1913. Between 1915 and 1918, Elbasan was occupied by Serbian, Bulgarian, Austrian, and Italian armies.

Industrial growth began in the 1920s and 30s. Factories for tobacco and alcohol were built.

After World War II, the city grew a lot. Many new industries were built. The biggest project was a huge metallurgical complex (a factory for making metal) built with help from China in the 1970s. This factory was very important for Albania's economy. The Elbasan Railway Station opened in 1950.

In 2014, the city's football stadium, Elbasan Arena, was rebuilt. It is now the home stadium for the Albania national football team.

Where is Elbasan?

Elbasan is located in central Albania. It is north of the Shkumbin river. The city is nestled between the Skanderbeg Mountains and the Myzeqe Plain.

The municipality of Elbasan includes the main city and several smaller areas. It covers an area of 872.03 square kilometers.

Elbasan's Weather

Elbasan has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate. This means it has hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The average yearly temperature is about 13.1 degrees Celsius.

Elbasan's Economy

Elbasan has a history of industrial growth. Factories for tobacco and alcoholic beverages were among the first. The city became very important for heavy industry, especially after a large steel mill was built in 1974. This factory helped make steel for the country.

Today, Elbasan also has a ferrochrome smelter, which processes metals.

Because of all the heavy industries, Elbasan has faced challenges with pollution. Environmentalists are working to help keep the city clean.

How Many People Live Here?

In 2011, the Elbasan municipality had about 141,714 people. Of these, 78,703 lived in the main city area.

Culture and Traditions

Elbasan is a city rich in culture, shaped by its long history and the different groups who have lived there.

Religious Buildings

The Saint Mary Orthodox Church is in the city center. It was built in 1830 on the site of an older church. You can still see beautiful old paintings and frescoes inside. This church was very important for the Albanian language. It served as the first Albanian school in Elbasan, opening in 1909.

There are other old Orthodox churches in the Elbasan area, some built as early as the 16th and 17th centuries. About 7 km from Elbasan, there is an old monastery and Orthodox church.

Elbasan also has a Catholic church.

Museums to Explore

The city has four museums where you can learn more about its past:

• The Ethnographic Museum (opened in 1982) is in an 18th-century building.
• The “Kostandin Kristoforidhi” house (became a museum in 1978).
• The Shkolla Normale Museum.
• The War Museum.

Summer Day Festival

Elbasan is famous for its Summer Day festivities. This is a traditional celebration that marks the end of winter and the arrival of summer. A special cookie called Ballokume, made with butter and cornmeal, is eaten on this day. Since 2004, Summer Day has become a national holiday celebrated all over Albania.

Famous People from Elbasan

Many notable people come from Elbasan:

Elbasan's Friends Around the World

Elbasan has special relationships with other cities:

• It is twinned with:
  • Dunaújváros, Hungary
  • Osijek, Croatia
• It also has cooperation and friendship relationships with:
  • Bar, Montenegro
  • Liège, Belgium

Images for kids

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  Elbasan Castle

• 

  Naziresha Mosque

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  Elbasan Castle

• 

  Elbasan from South

• 

  Main Boulevard in Elbasan

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  Traditional side street

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  Portico and entrance in King Mosque

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  Catholic Church

See also

In Spanish: Elbasan para niños