BeratFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBerat

Municipality

View of Berat fromBerat Castle

Berat

Coordinates:4042N1957ECoordinates:4042N1957E

CountryAlbania

CountyBerat

Government

MayorFadil Nasufi(PS)

Area

Municipality379.98km2(146.71sqmi)

Elevation58m (190ft)

Population(2011)

Municipality60,031

Municipality density160/km2(410/sqmi)

Municipal unit32,606

Time zoneCET(UTC+1)

Summer (DST)CEST(UTC+2)

Postal code5001-5006

Area code32

Vehicle registrationBR

Websitebashkiaberat.gov.al/en/

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Historic Centres of Berat and Gjirokastra

Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List

Citadel of Berat

TypeCultural

Criteriaiii, iv

Reference569

UNESCO regionEurope and North America

Inscription history

Inscription2005(29thSession)

Extensions2008

Beratis a city and amunicipalitylocated in south-centralAlbania, and the capital of theCounty of Berat. In July 2008, the old town (Mangalem district) was inscribed on the UNESCOWorld Heritage List. The municipality was formed at the 2015 local government reform by the merger of the former municipalities Berat,Otllak,Roshnik,SinjandVelabisht, that became municipal units. The seat of the municipality is the city Berat.[1]The total population is 60,031 (2011 census), in a total area of 379.98 km2.[2]The population of the former municipality at the 2011 census was 32,606.[3]Contents[hide] 1Name 2Geography 3History 3.1Ancient 3.2Medieval 3.3Modern 4Economy 5Landmarks 5.1Sights 6Climate 7Twin towns sister cities 8Notable people 9Sports 10See also 11References 12External linksName[edit]The name of the city in Albanian is Berat or Berati, which is probably derived from theOld Bulgarian orBel(i)grad(, meaning "white city" in theSouth Slavic languages), under which name it was known in Greek, Bulgarian, Latin and Slavic documents during the High and Late Middle Ages. That name was rendered asBellegrada() in Greek. It is believed to have been the site of anAncient Macedonianstronghold,Antipatreia(AncientGreek:"city ofAntipater") orAntipatreainLatin, while during the earlyByzantine Empirethe name of the town wasPulcheriopolis(Greek:, "city ofPulcheria").[4][5]In theRepublic of Venicethe city was known asBelgrad di Romania, while in theOttoman Empireit was also known asBelgrad-i Arnavud(Albanian Belgrade) to distinguish it fromBelgrade.[4]Geography[edit]

The river Osum, flowing through Berat, with the hill of the citadel on the leftBerat lies on the right bank of the riverOsum, a short distance from the point where it is joined by theMolishtriver. It has a wealth of beautiful buildings of high architectural and historical interest. The pine forests above the city, on the slopes of the toweringTomorrmountains, provide a backdrop of appropriate grandeur. The Osumi river has cut a 915-metre deep gorge through the limestone rock on the west side of the valley to form a precipitous natural fortress, around which the town was built on several river terraces.According to an Albanian legend, the Tomorr mountain was originally a giant, who fought with another giant, called Shpirag over a young woman. They killed each other and the girl drowned in her tears, which then became the Osum river.Mount Shpirag, named after the second giant, is on the left bank of the gorge, above the district of Gorica. Berat is known to Albanians as the city of "One above another Windows(a similar epithet is sometimes applied toGjirokastra), orThe City of Two Thousand Steps. It was proclaimed a 'Museum City' by the dictatorEnver Hoxhain June 1961.History[edit]Ancient[edit]

Berat in 1813

The entrance of the citadel of Berat, with the 13th-century Byzantine church of the Holy Trinity

Antipatrea in the antiquityThe earliest recorded inhabitants of the city (6th century BC) were the Greek tribe of theDassaretaeor Dexarioi, the northernmost subgroup of theChaonians, and the region was known asDessaretisafter them.[5][6]Modern Berat occupies the site ofAntipatreia(AncientGreek:), which originally was a settlement of the Dexarioi[7]and later aMacedonianstronghold in southernIllyria.[5][8]The founding date is unknown, although ifCassanderis the founder it has been suggested that Antipatreia was founded after he took control of the region around 314 BC.[8]In 200 BC it was captured by theRomanlegatusLucius Apustius, who razed the walls and massacred the male population of the city.[9][10]Medieval[edit]The town became part of the unstable frontier of theByzantine Empirefollowing the fall of theRoman Empireand, along with much of the rest of theBalkan peninsula, it suffered from repeated invasions bySlavs. During the Roman and early Byzantine period, the city was known asPulcheriopolis.TheFirst Bulgarian EmpireunderPresian Icaptured the town in the 9th century, and the city received the Slavic nameBel[i]grad("White City"), Belegrada () in Greek, which persisted throughout the medieval period, changing toBeratunder Ottoman rule. The town became one of the most important towns in the Bulgarian regionKutmichevitsa. The Bulgarian governorElemagsurrendered the city to the emperorBasil IIin 1018, and the city remained in Byzantine hands until theSecond Bulgarian Empireretook the city in 1203 during the rule ofKaloyan. During the 13th century, it fell toMichael I Ducas, the ruler of theDespotate of Epirus.Byzantine EmperorMichael VIII Palaiologossent letters to the Albanian leaders of Berat andDurrsin 1272 asking them to abandon their alliance withCharles I of Naples, leader of theKingdom of Albania, who had captured and incorporated it at the same period in the Kingdom of Albania.[11][12][13]However, they sent the letters to Charles as a sign of their loyalty.[14]In 1274 Michael VIII recaptured Berat and after being joined by Albanians who supported the Byzantine Empire, marched unsuccessfully against the Angevin capital of Durrs.[15]In 1280-1281 the Sicilian forces underHugh the Red of Sullylaid siegeto Berat. In March 1281 a relief force fromConstantinopleunder the command ofMichael Tarchaneioteswas able to drive off the besieging Sicilian army.[16]Later in the 13th century Berat again fell under the control of the Byzantine Empire. In 1335 Albanians fromEpirus Novainvaded the area of Berat and appeared in Epirus for the first time,[17][18]while in 1345 the town passed to theSerbs. During the second half of the 14th century the noble Albanian family of Muzaka and became the capital of thePrincipality of Berat.[19]In 1417 it was captured by theOttoman Empire, while in 1455Skanderbegunsuccessfully tried tocapture the city.Modern[edit]During the 18th century Berat was one of the most important Albanian cities of the Ottoman Empire.[20]In the early modern era the city was the capital of thePashalik of Beratfounded byAhmet Kurt Pasha. Berat was incorporated in thePashalik of YaninaafterIbrahim Pasha of Beratwas defeated byAli Pashain 1809. In 1867, Berat became asanjakinYannina(Yanya) vilayet.During the early period of Ottoman rule, Berat fell into severe decline. By the end of the 16th century it had only 710 houses. However it began to recover by the 17th century and became a major craft centre specializing in wood carving. During the 19th century, Berat played an important part in the Albanian national revival. A Greek school was operating in the city already from 1835.[21]It became a major base of support for theLeague of Prizren, the late 19th century Albanian nationalist alliance, while the city was also represented in the formation of southern branch of the league inGjirokastr.[22]From 23 to 30 October 1944, the second session of the Council of National Liberation of Albania was held in Berat, where theNational Liberation Movement-controlled Anti-Fascist National Liberation Committee became theProvisional Democratic Government of Albania, withEnver Hoxhaas its prime minister and minister of defence.[23]Economy[edit]By the 18th century the economy and society of Berat was closely connected to the city's craft guilds partly related to various tax exemptions that existed since the late Middle Ages. By 1750 there were twenty-two guilds, the most important of which were the tanners', the cobblers' and other leather-working guilds. Other guilds included metal-working, silver-smithing and silk-making ones.[20]Landmarks[edit]

Panorama of Berat from the CastleThe coexistence of religious and cultural communities over several centuries, beginning in the 4th century BC into the 18th century is apparent in Berat. The town also bears testimony to the architectural excellence of traditionalBalkanhousing construction, which date to the late 18th and the 19th centuries. Some of the landmarks of that historical period could be seen in the Berat Castle, churches of the Byzantine era such as the Church of St. Mary of Blaherna (13th century), the Bachelors' Mosque, the National Ethnographic Museum, the Sultan's Mosque (built between 1481 and 1512), Leaden Mosque (built in 1555) and the Gorica Bridge.[24][25][26][27]

Traditional living house in the castle of BeratBerat Castleis built on a rocky hill on the right bank of the riverOsumand is accessible only from the south. After being burned down by the Romans in 200 BC the walls were strengthened in the 5th century under ByzantineEmperor Theodosius II, and were rebuilt during the 6th century under the EmperorJustinian Iand again in the 13th century under the Despot of Epirus,Michael Komnenos Doukas, cousin of the Byzantine Emperor. The main entrance, on the north side, is defended by a fortified courtyard and there are three smaller entrances. The fortress of Berat in its present state, even though considerably damaged, remains a magnificent sight. The surface that it encompasses made it possible to house a considerable portion of the town's inhabitants. The buildings inside the fortress were built during the 13th century and because of their characteristic architecture are preserved as cultural monuments. The population of the fortress was Christian, and it had about 20 churches (most built during the 13th century) and only one mosque, for the use of the Muslim garrison, (of which there survives only a few ruins and the base of the minaret). The churches of the fortress have been damaged through the years and only some remain.

Gorica Neighborhood as seen from the CastleTheChurch of St. Mary of Blachernaedating from the 13th century, has 16th century mural paintings by Nikoll Onufri, son of the most important post-medieval Albanian painter,Onufri. In a small tree - planted square, on a hillside inside the walls of the fortress, stands the 14th century Church of the Holy Trinity. It is built in the form of a cross and has Byzantine murals. Outside the ramparts is the Church of St. Michael (Shn Mehill), built in the 13th century. This church is reached by a steep but perfectly safe path. Near the entrance, after a guardhouse, is the little Church of St. Theodore (Shen Todher), which have wall paintings by Onufri himself. The most interesting is the cathedral of St. Nicholas, which has been well restored and is now a museum dedicated to Onufri. Onufri was the greatest of the 16th century painters in Albania. Not only was he a master of the techniques of fresco and icons, but he was the first to introduce a new colour in painting, shiny red, which the French called "Onufri's Red". In addition, Onufri introduced a certain realism and a degree of individuality in facial expression.[28]

Tomorri Mountain in the distanceThe first inscription recording Onufri's name was found in 1951, in the Shelqan church. The Kastoria church has a date 23 July 1547 and a reference to Onufri's origin:I am Onufri, and come from the town of Berat. Onufri's style in painting was inherited by his son, Nikolla (Nicholas), though not so successful as his father. In Onufri's museum can be found works of Onufri, his son, Nikolla and other painters'. There are also numbers of icons and some fine examples of religious silversmith's work (sacred vessels, icon casings, covers of Gospel books, etc.). Berat Gospels, which date from the 4th century, are copies (the originals are preserved in the National Archives in Tirana). The church itself has a magnificent iconostasis of carved wood, with two very fine icons of Christ and the Virgin Mary. The bishop's throne and the pulpit are also of considerable quality.

The Lead MosqueNear the street running down from the fortress is the Bachelors' Mosque (Xhami e Beqareve), built in 1827. This has a handsome portico and an interesting external decoration of flowers, plants, houses, etc. The 'Bachelors' were the young shop-assistants (in practice generally unmarried), whom the merchants in Berat used as their own private militia. TheKing Mosque(Albanian:Xhamia e Mbretit), the oldest in the town built in the reign ofBayazid II(14811512), is notable for its fine ceiling.TheLead Mosque(Xhamia e Plumbit), built in 1555 and so called from the covering of its cupola. This mosque is the centre of the town.[29]

Typical side street in Berat.TheHalveti Tekke(Teqe e Helvetive) is thought to have been built in the 15th century. It was rebuilt byAhmet Kurt Pashain 1782. It belongs to theKhalwati Sufi order. It is composed of the prayer hall with a square plan, a small ambience for special religious services and a gracious portico in front of the entrance to the prayer hall. In the prayer hall is a mafil carved in wood and decorated. On the eastern side of the prayer hall is themihrabdecorated with stone stalactites. The inner walls have been decorated with eight frescoes, depicting dwelling houses,Muslimreligious buildings and landscapes.The walls below the frescoes are covered by holes that improve the acoustics in the prayer hall. The ceiling of the prayer hall is made of wood and is decorated with paintings valued as the most beautiful of the time. The ceiling has been decorated in theBaroque styleadopted in Islamic art and is covered with 14 carat gold plates. The inner decorations were carried out by MasterDush Barka. Attached to the prayer hall is a room in which once was the mausoleum ofAhmet Kurt Pashaand his son. The portico of the tekke has five stone columns which were taken from theancient Greekcity ofApollonia. Above the main door in the portico is an inscription dedicated to the values of the tekke and toAhmet Kurt Pasha.[30]Near of tekke is purported to be the grave ofShabbatai Zevi, aTurkish Jewwho had been banished toDulcigno(present day Ulcinj) who created controversy among his followers upon his conversion toIslam.