Pukë ( sq-definite, Puka) is a town and municipality in northern Albania. It was formed at the 2015 local government reform by the merger of the former municipalities

Gjegjan Gjegjan is a village and a former municipality in the Shkodër County, northern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Pukë Pukë ( sq-definite, Puka) is a town and municipality in northern Alb ...

, Pukë,

Qelëz Qelëz is a village and a former municipality in the Shkodër County, northern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Pukë Pukë ( sq-definite, Puka) is a town and municipality in northern Alba ...

, Qerret and

Rrapë Rrapë is a village and a former municipality in the Shkodër County, northern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Pukë. The population at the 2011 census was 1,337.

, that became municipal units. The seat of the municipality is the town Pukë. The total population is 11,069 (2011 census), in a total area of 505.83 km². The population of the former municipality at the 2011 census was 3,607. At 838 metres above sea level, the town is one of the highest in elevation in Albania and a well-known ski area. It is 150 km from Albania's capital, Tirana.

Etymology

The toponym may derive from Latin ''via publica'' ("public road") as it was located on an old trade route.

History

The settlement is inhabited by the tribe of Puka, itself one of the "seven tribes of Puka" ( sq, shtatë bajrakët e Pukës). According to tradition, collected by in the mid-19th century, the settlement of Puka had been founded by a Paolo Zenta, who according to Marin Barletius was a relative of Lekë Dukagjini. The region also has its own Kanun, a set of traditional Albanian laws, and is known as ( en, Canon of Pukë) and used mainly in Northern Albania and Kosovo. In the 20th century, Pukë was expanded as a military base and a centre of Catholic education. The distinguished Albanian poet Migjeni taught in the town from 1936 to 1937. Pukë is surrounded by a 400-hectare (1.5 sq mi) pine-coated massif. As in other parts of Europe, climate change has extended and consolidated the range of the

pine processionary The pine processionary (''Thaumetopoea pityocampa'') is a moth of the subfamily Thaumetopoeinae in the family Notodontidae, known for the irritating hairs of its caterpillars, their processions, and the economic damage they cause in coniferous ...

moths, who defoliate pines, including in the pinelands of northern Albania.

Economy

The hotel standing in the town square has been upgraded and now boasts a microbrewery producing Puka Beer, which is a lager in draught form. The local

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

club is KF Tërbuni Pukë.

Mayors

Notable people

* Etilda Gjonaj - Albanian politician, lawyer, and professor. She is currently the Minister of Justice of Albania *

Altin Lala Altin Dodë Lala (born 18 November 1975) is an Albanian former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder and former manager. He spent his entire playing career in Germany and represented the Albania national football team. ...

- Former captain of Albania national football team and

Hannover 96 Hannoverscher Sportverein von 1896, commonly referred to as Hannover 96 (), Hannover, HSV or simply 96, is a German professional football club based in the city of Hanover, Lower Saxony. They played in the Bundesliga for a total of 30 years betwe ...

* Kristjan Sokoli -

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...

player *

Xhovalin Delia Xhovalin Delia is an Albanian painter, publicist and film director from Pukë, Albania who was born on 29 April 1959 and lives in Florence Italy. Career Xhovalin Delia was formed as an artist and received a degree in Painting at the Fine Arts ...

- Painter * Fabio Gjonikaj - footballer *

Taulant Marku Taulant Marku (born 14 June 1994 in Pukë) is an Albanian football player who currently plays for Korabi in the Albanian First Division Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: **Albanians, an ethnic gr ...

- footballer * Sebino Plaku - footballer *

Flavio Prendi Flavio Prendi (born 12 October 1995 in Pukë) is an Albanian professional footballer who currently plays for Dinamo Tirana Futboll Club Dinamo Tirana is an Albanian professional football club based in the country's capital Tirana. They play in t ...

- footballer *

Shtjefën Gjeçovi Shtjefën Konstantin Gjeçov-Kryeziu (12 July 1874 – 14 October 1929) was an Albanian Roman Catholicism, Catholic priest, ethnologist, and folklorist. He is regarded as the father of Albanian folklore studies. Life Gjeçovi was born on 12 Jul ...

- Catholic priest, folklorist and the collector and writer of

Kanuni i Lekë Dukagjinit The Kanun (also aln, Kanû/-ja, other names include sq, doke, zakon, venom, usull, itifatk, adet, sharte, udhë, rrugë) is a set of Albanians, Albanian traditional customary laws, which has directed all the aspects of the Albanian tribes, Alba ...

/ Kanun (Albania) *

Ndoc Mark Gega Ndoc Mark Gega (c. 1830 – 1908?) or Noc Mark Deda is an Albanian patriot who attained legendary status for his heroic resistance against Turkish and Serb invading forces, according to local lore. Gega was born in Berishë, Pukë Pukë ( sq ...

- Patriot * Millosh Gjergj Nikolla - Teacher, poet and writer

Twin towns – sister cities

Pukë is

twinned Twinning (making a twin of) may refer to: * In biology and agriculture, producing two offspring (i.e., twins) at a time, or having a tendency to do so; * Twin towns and sister cities, towns and cities involved in town twinning * Twinning inst ...

with: *

Signa Signa () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about west of Florence. Signa borders the following municipalities: Campi Bisenzio, Carmignano, Lastra a Signa, Poggio a Caiano, ...

, Italy

References

Sources

* * Through The Embers of Chaos (2002), Dervla Murphy The author refers to processionary disease in Pukë on a cycle trip through Albania, including a stay in the town, described on page 213

External links

Official websiteHotel Turizem Puka Official WebsitePukë
A Web page dedicated to Pukë and the surrounding area
Puka Tourist Guide
{{DEFAULTSORT:Puke Municipalities in Shkodër County Ski areas and resorts in Albania Administrative units of Pukë Towns in Albania