Prrenjas (also written ''Përrenjas'', sq-definite, Përrenjasi) is a town and a municipality in

Elbasan County Elbasan County () is one of the 12 counties of Albania. The population is 232,580 (as of 2023), in an area of 3199 km2. Its capital is the city Elbasan. Administrative divisions Until 2000, Elbasan County was subdivided into four districts: ...

, eastern

Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...

. The municipality was formed at the 2015 local government reform by the merger of the former municipalities Prrenjas, Qukës, Rrajcë and Stravaj, that became municipal units. The seat of the municipality is the town Prrenjas. The total population is 24,906 (2011 census), in a total area of 323.17 km². The population of the former municipality at the 2011 census was 5,847.

History

The history of the creation of the city Prrenjas dates back a long time. In the period of the Ottoman Albanian wars, the area where the city rises was called Torviolli. The native hero, Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg, before heading for battle (the battle is known in history as

Battle of Torvioll The Battle of Torvioll (), also known as the Battle of Lower Dibra, was fought on 29 June 1444 on the Plain of Torvioll, in what is now Albania. Skanderbeg, Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg was an Albania under the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman Albanian g ...

) told to his fighters, that the battle must be won. A significant history has been written here. The name of the town of Prrenjas is closely related to the same battle that the Skanderbeg army won. Many Turkish and Albanian soldiers were killed. There were so many soldiers killed that is believed to have been flowing a river of blood. Prrenjas is also famous for being connected to the

Via Egnatia The Via Egnatia was a road constructed by the Romans in the 2nd century BC. It crossed Illyricum, Macedonia, and Thracia, running through territory that is now part of modern Albania, North Macedonia, Greece, and European Turkey as a contin ...

road that stretched from

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

all the way on to

Durrës Durrës ( , ; sq-definite, Durrësi) is the List of cities and towns in Albania#List, second most populous city of the Albania, Republic of Albania and county seat, seat of Durrës County and Durrës Municipality. It is one of Albania's oldest ...

. The people of Prrenjas also participated in the

Albanian Declaration of Independence The Albanian Declaration of Independence (Albanian language, Albanian: ''Deklarata e Pavarësisë'') was the declaration of independence of Albania from the Ottoman Empire. Independent Albania was proclaimed in Vlorë on 28 November 1912. Six da ...

in the 28 of November 1912.

Historical Places

*Skanderbeg's Table *Domosdova field (where the

took place)

Points of Interest

* Shebenik-Jabllanice National Park *Skanderbeg's Table *Statue of Miners *Abandoned mine of Prrenjas

Transportation

Bus

There are buses in Prrenjas that can take riders in other cities in

and other countries.

Trains

There is no train line that can goes to or from Prrenjas. Elbasan-Pogradec extension has been closed.

Highways

The only main road in Prrenjas is the SH3 (State Road 3) that starts in

Tirana Tirana ( , ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in Albania, largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills, with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest ov ...

and ends in

Korçë Korçë (; sq-definite, Korça) is the List of cities and towns in Albania, eighth most populous city of Albania and the seat of Korçë County and Korçë Municipality. The total population of the city is 51,152 and 75,994 of Korçë municipal ...

and passes by Prrenjas.

Sports

Prrenja's main football team, KF Domozdova, was founded in 1923 and disbanded in 2018 due to financial problems. Following the disbandment of the club, the city stadium was demolished to make way for the construction of the new city center.

Notable people

* Halit Berzeshta, physician and activist of the

Albanian National Awakening The Albanian National Awakening ( or ), commonly known as the Albanian Renaissance or Albanian Revival, is a period throughout the 19th and 20th century of a cultural, political, and social movement in the Albanian history where the Albanian ...

*Qybra Sokoli, partisan during the War of Liberation

References

Municipalities in Elbasan County Administrative units of Prrenjas Towns in Albania {{Elbasan-geo-stub