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Rozafa Castle, Shkoder

4.5

#1 of 18 in Things to do in Shkoder

Castle Tourist Spot Must See

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Soak in history along with views of Lake Shkodra and the city of Shkoder at Rozafa Castle. The castle dates back to antiquity, founded by the Illyrians, conquered by the Romans in 167 BC, and rebuilt by both the Venetians and the Turks. Legend has it that when the castle was being built, an old man advised three brothers to sacrifice someone so that the walls would stand. The brothers decided to sacrifice whichever of their wives brought them lunch the next day and agreed not to tell their wives of the plan. However, the two older brothers informed their wives that evening, while the youngest brother did not. Thus, when the youngest brother's wife, Rozafa, brought him lunch the next day, she was chosen for sacrifice. Keep an eye out for the sculpture of Rozafa near the castle museum's entrance. You can reach the castle via town bus, taxi, or bicycle, which numerous hotels offer for rent. Plan to see Rozafa Castle and other attractions that appeal to you using our Shkoder trip builder .

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Rozafa Castle Reviews

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TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

787 reviews

Google

4.6

• By al-dasol

  تحظى القلعة باهتمام كبير من حيث الحجم والتاريخ. تم بناء التحصينات لعدة قرون وتحسينها من قبل كل من أراد السيطرة على المنطقة. لقد كان للحكام العثمانيين دورًا كبيرًا في بناء القلعة الإيليرية والرومانية و...  more »

  The castle is of great interest in size and history. The fortifications were built for centuries and improved by everyone who wanted to take control of the area. The Ottoman rulers played a major role in the construction of the Ilirean, Roman, Venetian and Albanian castle, and the resulting castle, even in ruin, looked luxurious, and if there was money to repair, this would be the most exciting scene not only for Schkoder, but also for the entire region.
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• By MikeLondonSE

  18/9/19 We three British middle aged guys were in Shkodra a few days in mid September. This was on our itinerary as we like crumblies/castles! We were staying in the Hotel Shkodra and chatting to the ...  more »

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Google

• By Георги Коев

  Arrange a guide if you want to know the history behind as information labels don't offer much. Plan to go early morning (opens at 9am) as it can get really hot there.

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• By Jeroen Witte

  The castle is in a decent state and has information in English at several points. The views are rather good, especially at sunset. Closing times might just be a suggestion, as we got in half an hour after official closing time. Oh.. and beware of the spiders.

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