Zadrima / Zadrimë (Krahina e Zadrimës)
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Zadrima (alb. Zadrimë) odn. Krahina e Zadrimës je zemljopisna i etnografska regija u sjevernoj Albaniji, između Skadra (Shkodra, Shkodër) i Lješa (Lezhë), Smjestila se u podnožju krajnjih jugoistočnih dijelova Dinarskog gorja, na prijelazu u Šarsko-pindski gorski sustav. Geološki, Šarsko-Pindsko gorje je nastavak Dinarskog gorja, zajedno čineći lanac koji dominira zapadnim dijelom Balkanskog poluotoka.
Najveći dio regije Zadrime nalazi se u istoimenom polju Zadrima, koja se još naziva Fusha e Tejdrinit, koja je Donjoskadarske ravnice (Fusha e Nënshkodres), a koja je dio još veće Albanske zapadne obalne nizine (Ultësirën Bregdetare, odn. Ultësira Perëndimore e Shqipërisë ). Polje se smjestilo između starog toka rijeke Drim, alb. Drin (Mali Drin=Drini i Vogël, Lješanski Drin=Drini e Lezhës) na zapadu, te planina Veles (Mali i Veles) i Hajmel na istoku (mali i Hajmelit). Sredinom polja teče rijeka Gjadër, pritok Drina. Kraj je bio dio Dukađinske Kneževine (Principality of Dukagjini) u 15. stoljeću. Poznat je po kulturnoj baštini, poznatim ljudima kojima je on postojbina, po zadrimskim tkaninama i lokalnom vinu Kallmet (Kallmet wine). Danas je regija snažno poljoprivredno orijentirana. Prema selu Kallmet ime je dobila vinska vrsta Kallmet, vjerojatno izvorna varijanta Kadarka i jedno od najznačajnijih albanskih vina.
Preko Zadrime prelazi glavna albanska prometnica (SH1), cesta koja povezuje Skadar, preko Lješa, s Tiranom. Nakon osuvremenjavanja te prometnice, početkom 21. stoljeća, prethodno nepristupačno područje je bolje razvijeno. Međutim, linija albanske željezničke pruge Albanskih željeznica (Hekurudha Shqiptare) drži se više na istočnom rubu nizine. Na zapadu je nekadašnja vojna zračna baza Gjadër albanskog ratnog zrakoplovstva. Većinsko katoličko područje dom je mnogih albanskih svećenika kao što su Frang Bardhi (1606-1643), Lazër Mjeda (1869-1935) i eminentni pjesnik Gjergj Fishta (1871-1940). Biskupija Sapa imala je sjedište na dvorcu Sapa na vrhu brda prije nego što je prebačena u Vau-Deju. |
ŠTO VIDJETI I POSJETITI? Planine: > uspon na Maja e Velës radi pogleda na ravnicu Kulturno-povijesna baština: > Lezhe: utvrda |
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Prema Robertu Elsiju ime Zadrima, slavenskog je porijekla i znači područje iza Drima.
IZVOR ELSIE, Robert: Historical Dictionary of Albania. str. 495. The Scarecrow Press, Lanham, 2004. |
ZEMLJOPIS
Zadrima, karta
Detalj stare topografske karte 1:200.000
Detalj stare topografske karte 1:200.000
Reljef
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Polje Zadrima je ravno i nisko područje, na 20-25 metara nadmorske visine, s nekoliko niskih brijegova visokih 80-100 metara. Na zapadu, u smjeru mora, nizinsko područje Zadrime je zatvoreno izduženim brdom Mali i Kakarriqit (392 m nadmorske visine). Od njegova sjeverozapadno ruba Mali i Barbulushit, prema sjeveru, nalazi se brijeg Bushat (249 m nadmorske visine) i drugi manji zaobljeni brijegovi. Na istoku Zdrime su planine velikog obalnog lanca, zapravo ogranci Skenderbeškog gorja (Vargmalet e Skënderbeut, odn kako se još naziva Zapadni rubni lanac (alb.Vargmalet Perëndimore)) s vrhovima Mali i Hajmlit, Maja e Shitës (614 m) i Mali i Velës (1170 m). Taj lanac se proteže u duljini od oko 80 km od Vau-Deja na sjeveru do Elbasana na jugu. Granicu Zadrime prema sjeveru čini današnji tok Drina, a na jugu je to gradsko područje Lješa, koji se nalazi nešto sjevernije od ušća Drina u more.
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Mali i Velës
Pogled s utvrde u Lješu prema sjeveroistoku, na planinu Mali i Velës. Autor fotografije Gertjan R., Wikipedija |
STANOVNIŠTVO I NASELJA
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U Zadrimi se nalazi oko 40 sela, rasprostranjenih na 350 četvornih kilometara. Glavna naselja u Zadrimi su Gjadër, Dajç, Pistul, Shkjeza, Mjeda, Hajmal, Troshan i Kallmet. Većina naselja, poput malog sela Fishta, leži na rubu niskog dijela i izolirana grebenima u središtu ravnice.
Administrativno pripada Skadarskom i Lješanskom distriktu (Shkodër, Lezhë), odn. njihovim općinama Vau-deja i Lezha. Ranije, do administrativnog preustroja Albanije (105. godine), komuna Bushat, Hajmel, Dajç i Blinisht, kao i okrug Vau-Deja činili su središnju regiju Zadrima. Zajedno je u ovih 5 zjaednica 2011. godine živjelo 34.000 stanovnika. Zadrima je dominantno katoličko područje, dom mnogih albanskih klerika kao što su Frang Bardhi (1606.-1643.), Lazër Mjeda (1869.-1935.) i istaknuti pjesnik Gjergj Fishta (1871.-1940.). U utvrdi na brdu Sapa bilo je dugo vremena sjedište biskupije Sapa , prije no što je prebačena u Vau-Deju. 
Stanovnici sela Blinisht oko 1905. godine
Fotografiju snimio Franz Nopcsa |
Kel Marubi, seljaci iz Zadrime (oko 1900-1915)
Narodna ženska nošnja iz Zadrime
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Narodna baština
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Veshjet popullore ne Lezhe - Vizion Plus - News - Lajme
Autor: Vizion Plus TV Datum objave: 28.1.2012 Opis. Veshjet popullore, janë pa dyshim një nga manifestimet më të fuqishme të kulturës tradicionale dhe asaj kombëtare. Zadrima e Lezhës është një zone ku kjo pasuri etnografike përcillet nga brezi ne brez, për ruajtjen e traditës por se fundmi edhe si mënyre për te fituar. Kjo artizane nga fshati Krajën qe ne moshe te re ka punuar ne tezgjah dhe këtë profesion dëshiron t'ia trashëgoje dhe te bijës. Ne fshatrat e Zadrimës te moshuarat vishen edhe ne jetën e përditshme me kostumet popullore, ndërsa te rejat i preferojnë ato kryesisht për dasma. Vitet e fundit mësohet se edhe veshja tradicionale e nuses po preferohet gjithnjë e me shume, krahas fustanit modern. Por teksa tregojnë për rendësin dhe te veçanen e këtyre veshjeve historianet e Lezhës thonë se mungesa e një muzeu etnografik po e dëmton ruajtjen e traditës. Zadrima qe shtrihet mes Lezhës dhe Shkodres është nder te vetmet ne vend, qe përdor ende masivisht veshjet tradicionale, te Zadrimës, Kallmetit dhe Mirditës. Popular dresses are without doubt one of the most powerful manifestations of traditional and national culture. Zadrima Lezha is an ethnographic area where this property is followed from generation to generation, to preserve the tradition but recently also as a way to win. This artisan village Krajën new age that we worked in this profession loom and wants to inherit and daughter. In villages the elderly Zadrima also dress in everyday life with folk costumes, and to me they prefer mainly for weddings. In recent years learned that the traditional dress of the bride is always preferable and more, along with modern dress. But as he points to the importance and these clothing veçanen Lezha historians say that the lack of an ethnographic museum is hurting conservation of tradition. Zadrima that lies between Lezha and Shkodra is the only honor in the country, which still uses traditional outfits massively, the Zadrima, Kallmet and Mirdita. |
Grupi i Lezhës - Shkon syzeza në arë me korr
Autor: Folklori Shqiptar Datum objave: 27.9.2014. Opis. Valle e kënduar tipike zadrimore nga zona e Lezhës. Festivali Folkorik Kombëtar i Gjirokastrës 1973. Valle e gëzueshme që përbëhet thjesht nga lëvizja e trupit sa para-pas. Dasma e Zadrimes
Autor: Kultura Gov Al Datum objave: 18.3.2015. Opis. Ministria e Kultures, Drejtoria e Trashegimise Jomateriale dhe Rijetezimit te Gjuhes Shqipe http://www.kultura.gov.al/ Ekspedite e institutit te folklorit e vitit 1990 ne rrethin e Tropojes. video arkiva te Qendres se Studimeve Albanologjike. http://www.qsa.edu.al/ Ministry of Culture Directory of Intangible Heritage and Albanian Language Revitalization http://www.kultura.gov.al/ Albanian Folk Institute expedition, 1990, Tropoja Region Video archives of the Albanological Study Center |
Motive dasme Zadrimore
Autor: Folklori Shqiptar Datum objave: 26.12.2016. Opis. "Ra hana lugje-lugje" Dajç "Çou moj lule, çou moj bijë" Gur i Zi (këndon Luçe Gjoni Haxheri "besa nan po kam mërzi, kam mërzi") "Kënga e krushqve" - Vig Rrethi i Shkodrës në Festivalin Folklorik të Gjirokastrës, 1988 |
Povijesni pregled
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Dukađinska Kneževina (1387– oko 1479.), s Lješom (Lezhë) kao vlastitim glavnim gradom, uključivala je Zadrimu, područja sjeverno i sjeveroistočno od Skadra i bila je proširena u udaljenim područjima današnje Srbije, imajući Ulpianu, u blizini Prištine, kao drugu prijestolnicu.
19. stoljeće
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20. stoljeće
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Priče o kraju
Frang Bardhi: Opis Zadrime (1641)
IZVOR Frang Bardhi (1641): A Description of Zadrima
NAZIV ORIGINALA Frang Bardhi: Descrittione et informatione del stato del vescouato et chiese parochiali della Diocese Sappatense. Propaganda Fide, 1641.
Frang Bardhi (1606. - 1643.), poznat na latinskom kao Franciscus Blancus i na talijanskom kao Francesco Bianchi, bio je rana albanska crkvena ličnost i zapaženi autor. Rođen je u Kallmetu u sjevernoalbanskoj regiji Zadrima, a studirao je teologiju u Italiji. Godine 1636. imenovan je biskupom Sape i Sarde. Bardhi je zapamćen kao autor prvog albanskog rječnika: 'Dictionarium latino-epiroticum', Rim 1635. (latinsko-epirotski rječnik), koji se sastoji od 5640 natuknica. Frang Bardhi je od 1637. podnosio izvještaje na talijanskom i latinskom Kongregaciji Propaganda Fide u Rimu koji sadrže rudnik podataka o njegovoj biskupiji, o političkim zbivanjima, o albanskim običajima te o strukturi i položaju Katoličke crkve u Albaniji okupiranoj od strane Osmanskog carstva. Ovdje je jedan od devetnaest sačuvanih izvještaja i pisama.
Opis i podaci o stanju biskupskih i župnih crkava Sapske biskupije, podvrgnute zulumu Turaka. Izradio Frang Bardhi (Francesco Bianchi), biskup spomenute crkve, za Svetu kongregaciju Propaganda Fide.
Premda je Sveta Kongregacija u prošlosti dobivala informacije i izvješća o crkvi u Sapi od nekih ranijih biskupa, misionara i apostolskih vizitatora, sadašnji biskup, svjestan da je Sveta Kongregacija bila zadovoljna različitim izvještajima koje je dobivala od raznih pojedinaca i redom kako bi ispunio svoje dužnosti, sada predstavlja sljedeće izvješće koje sadrži važne i detaljne stvari.
The church of Sapa, a region commonly known by the Albanians as Zadrima, has a circumference of 60 miles and is situated in the province of Albania under the most cruel rule of the Sultan. On its western edge, it is bordered by the diocese of the well fortified city of Scutari (Shkodra), and to the south by two high and long mountains bathed by the waves of the Ionian or Adriatic Sea. At the base of one of them is a fair harbour known as S. Gion di Medua (Shëngjin) in which boats, galleys and large ships are easily accommodated. To the east, it is bordered by the diocese of the city of Alessio (Lezha) across the Plochegion (Plaku Gjon / Old Man John) Bridge, which is below the large village of Blijnisti (Blinisht) and the lofty and large mountain of Veglia (Velja), in which one could mine great quantities of silver. From here it borders on the people of Diberri (Dibrra) up to Mount Ruen (Runa), which is situated above the territory of Spassi (Spas). The border then follows along the river Lumi to the great river Drino (Drin), up to Mount Golijeia (Galija), and then down along the said Drin. To the north it borders on the peoples of Pulati (Pult) and Posterrippa (Postriba).
These are the borders of the Bishopric of Zadrima, which is composed of five parts, being Zadrima, Sardania (Shurdhah), Puucha (Puka), Ibbaleia (Iballja) and the territory of Spas. The last three parts are situated in the mountains of Ducagini (Dukagjini), about which the bishop submitted a diligent report to the Holy Congregation, having visited it over the past years. It may be consulted if necessary, because it contains the numbers of homes and souls, etc. Shurdhah is a town which was destroyed by the Gallo Greeks at the fall of the Roman Empire, as Marinus Barletius reports in his account of the life of the invincible Lord Scanderbeg. One can, however, still see its walls, three paces high, which were built on a high hill over the banks of the Drin. One can also see that there were over eighty churches there. Now there is only one, built in our times and roofed with tiles by the faithful who hasten to it to receive the holy sacraments at the invocation of the Virgin of the Assumption. It is a parish church.
It is thought that the Most Eminent Cardinal Barrosio, where he speaks in his church annals about the Council of Sardicensis, held in the year 347 and attended by 370 bishops, was referring to this town of Shurdhah.
There are three little villages which hasten to this said parish church to receive the holy sacraments from the parish priest called Giorgio Scoppi (Gjergj Sopi). These are the village of Vierda (Vjerdha) with 19 houses on this side of the Drin, and the villages of Maserecu (Mazrek), Scelacu (Shllak), Guosta and others of 6 - 7 houses on the other side of the river. They have their own little church, which is entirely destroyed, and have nowhere to celebrate mass. All together, the aforementioned villages have 360 faithful souls to whom the said priest Sopi tends. These little villages are commonly known as Postriba and, for short, are called the population of the town of Driuasto (Drisht).
From this side of the Drin, near to the said Shurdhah, there is a little village of five houses called Sporognite (Shpor). The bishop went there on a visit in June of last year to offer his services to the said population of Drisht when a Turk, the savage brave of the Turkish ruler of Shkodra, not only insulted him with offensive and crude words, but also, with no pretext except for having been told why the bishop had come to that village, raised his hand against him, holding in it a bare sword to cut the bishop's arm off. The poor bishop, foreseeing the terrible and barbaric blow, managed in his confu-sion to protect himself with his cloak, but was nonetheless injured in the left hand. When he shouted for assistance, one of his priests rushed up to him as did many men and women, who begged the Turk to desist from striking the bishop. But the more they entreated the savage to desist, the wilder he became. He escaped from their hands and once again struck the poor bishop on the back with his bare sword in hand, which he had brandished to slay him. The bishop then took refuge in a poor and run down cottage. The barbarian, swiftly breaking down the door, raised his arm with the very sharp 'blade of his sword to cut the bishop's head off. Seeing the extreme peril he was in, the bishop protected himself against the blow with a stool. Then once again, the people, who had been dumbfounded, rushed in. The poor bishop was obliged to flee for his life and ran as best as he was able down through the stony mountain crags to the banks of the Drin where, praise be to God, he came upon a Christian who set him on a raft without delay and took him over to the other side of the Drin. He was half dead from the cruel treatment he had suffered from the savage barbarian, and was dishevelled and scarred from having run on foot through the rocks and thorns. And as if this were not enough, he was pursued all the way down to the Drin. Not being able to find the bishop, the barbarian let off a shot from his arquebus, from which God in his mercy protected him.
He was thus obliged to abandon the visit he had begun because the Turk, besides all the evil he had done, also stole his horse, his robes for mass and everything he needed for the journey. In addition, he broke the horse's saddle which the poor bishop was obliged to replace with money, together with all the other things. Such is the terrible state of woe in which the poor bishops of Albania find themselves.
But let us return to our own affairs. When the town of Shurdhah was destroyed and its jurisdiction was reduced to so few souls, it was united at a very early time with the Church of Sapa.
The fifth part, which is the main support for the Church of Sapa, is Zadrima where they have their see and where the bishops of this see have always resided. The cathedral church of the Archangel Saint Michael is situated on a large and high mountain. Before Sultan Mehmet, the emperor of the Turks, seized Albania, this site, being very well fortified, was inhabited by the famed lords of Dukagjini, i.e. Lord Paul Dukagjini the elder and his sons, Nicholas Dukagjini, Leka Dukagjini, Proghen Dukagjini and Stephen Dukagjini, who at that time were the legitimate and natural lords of Zadrima and of the aforementioned mountains of Puka, Iballja and Spas. The second last one turned Turk and became Pasha of Dukagjini.
Together with these lords of Dukagjini who, with the exception of Proghen, were all good Catholics, lived the bishop of Zadrima in his own quarters near the aforementioned cathedral. In the general recollection of all the people of Zadrima, the bishops of Zadrima resided for some time in a poor village in the middle of Zadrima in order to better serve the needs of the poor Christian faithful there, who were being persecuted by the infidels. For the last eighty years, the bishops of Zadrima have been using for their cathedral the parish church of Saint George within the walls of the town of Sapa.
This town was also destroyed, probably by the Romans during their war with Pyrrhus, king of the Epirotes, i.e. the Albanians. There are no houses within the walls, only the said church of Saint George on the top of the hill. Behind it, a bit lower on the north side, there are two little vicarages, built as residences for the bishops by George Bianchi (Gjergj Bardhi), the predecessor of the present bishop of Zadrima, but with the financial assistance of the people of Zadrima. They are situated one mile away from the ancient cathedral. Around Sapa, there is a large open town of eighty faithful homes and of twenty infidel homes.
In Epirotic (Albanian), this town is known as Ndenscati (Nënshat), meaning 'under Sapa' (1), from which derives the title of the bishop, Bishop of Sapatensis. It is known for certain that four bishops come from this village: George Summa (Gjergj Suma), Tosolo Bianchi (Tozol Bardhi), Nicholas Bianchi (Nikollë Bardhi) and the afore-mentioned Gjergj Bardhi, now Archbishop of Bar. The last three made great efforts to rule and to protect the Christian faithful from the impiety of the Muslims over the last ninety years, right up to the present bishop, Francis Bianchi (Frang Bardhi), their relation and successor. The family and lineage of the Bardhis is considered noble in Albania.
The aforementioned faithful families of the village of Nënshat, comprising 1,800 Christian souls, render to father Stephen (a man of exemplary conduct, who has taken care of the souls of the said parish of Saint George for the last twenty five years) as their tithe a value of seventy reals of wheat, millet, wine and daily alms, which are the produce of the bit of land belonging to this church. Since the parish priest is alone in his duties and since there is no way to support two parish priests, he is assisted by the bishop in giving the holy sacraments to these souls.
Although this report may turn out a trifle long, it would seem appropriate to enumerate the individual parishes and churches in Zadrima and to give some description of Zadrima because it is a very extensive area.
Zadrima is twenty miles in circumference and has a total of one thousand homes, of which 700 are faithful and the rest are Muslim. These one thousand homes can be divided up into thirty hamlets or villages, some large, some small. The Christian homes are mixed in with the Muslim ones. There are also a number of schismatic homes, but very few, and they are being converted by the grace of God, though more so the women than the men. Up to now, the bishop has converted and reconciliated with the Church four such women, and he hopes with time to convert them all to the Holy Roman Church.
Zadrima is situated in Albania as a little province of its own between Shkodra and Lezha, both towns being located on a beautiful plain, most of which lies alongside the Drin. They are very fertile fields, abundant in all sorts of fruit and in particular in wheat, millet and wine. There are figs, pears, plums, pomegranates, muskmelons, watermelons, lettuce, chicory, turnips, garlic, onions and other greens, with all sorts of vegetables thanks be to God. There are oxen, cows, sheep, pigs, horses and other animals in great quantities. There are fresh springs every mile along the foot of the lofty mountains which surround it, with pleasant views to the south, east and north. It is blessed with as many beautiful hills and mounds as one could possibly want. Churches have been built on most of them with their altars facing towards the east and their main doors opening to the west. There are large and fair rivers like the Drin, the Gomesigeia (Gomsiqja) and the Ghiadri (Gjadër), full of all sorts of fat fish, big and small. There are other small waterways, too, full of watermills to mill every type of grain. The air is extremely healthy and there is, in general, quite enough of everything one needs for human existence. In autumn and in winter, this region is affected by the northern wind and in summer it is affected by a fresh southern breeze which the Albanians calls frosgia (freskia). But who can enjoy all of this?
It is the cruel greed of the Turks who exploit the poor and miserable Christians with their continual demands for tribute, tithes and lodging. Ten to fifteen high ranking Turks travel together to the homes of the Christians, knowing the latter have something to offer. They eat and drink all they can all day long without paying anything. And the poor Christian is not allowed to say he has no more bread, wine, meat or fodder for their horses because they would otherwise tear the house apart, beat him savagely on the feet, and mount his wife. If he does not have the food they demand, he must go to other nearby Christian homes in search of it. And if he has nothing else to offer to these odious people, he must give them the clothes off his back. Does anyone take pity on him? Whoever's house is invaded by them must quickly hide the women, who become excited by their lewd glances.
Every time the Turks need workers for cutting and harvesting, for ploughing the soil, for sowing seed, for building houses and manors, for carrying wood and water, and for other services, they force the Christians to do this work at any time, even when it is snowing, without paying them anything. They hardly give them anything to eat, just millet bread and a bit of cheese. The poor Christians lose time during the harvest for their own work. They work on holidays, too, and are given no time to rest except on Easter and Christmas.
The Turks take Christian women and girls by force for their wives, in particular to get their inheritances, because they themselves are orphans, and in order to be better attended upon at home. They let them remain Christians, though. Indeed with great threats, they force the parish priests and the bishop to hear their confessions, something which is forbidden by order of the pope. The bishop suffers much damage, tribulation and calumny because he forbids such things and he will not be able to hold out much longer if some sort of solution is not found. They also force them to baptize their children, not so that they become Christians, but so that they do not stink and will not be devoured by wild animals. They say they will turn Turk if they are not given communion, so a solution must be found as soon as possible.
At the time of the Sultan Suleyman, emperor of the Turks, a Muslim lord called the Pasha of Dukagjini (who is the leader of many provinces) passed through Zadrima and was so taken by it that he returned to Constantinople and asked the said emperor to do him the honour of giving him Zadrima as a fief (which in Turkish is called a vakuf) for the sake of his soul, on the condition that he build thirty bridges across the rivers of Zadrima so that, when he died, they would serve travellers to the benefit of his soul. The emperor was also to give orders that the people not be subjected to the spahees as are all the other Christians of Macedonia and the other regions under the Turks, but rather directly to the emperor by a revenue collector, who would be appointed annually. Most of the people of Zadrima agreed to this so that they would pay much less than what the other said regions pay. In order to preserve and maintain this custom, Zadrima must often send a delegation of elders to Constantinople to renew the order of the Turkish emperors, so that the people not be subjected to the influence of the spahees in timars, and not be tyrannized by the sanjak beys, revenue collectors, kadis, voyvodes or other evil Turks. The people of Zadrima possess five hundred documents signed personally by the hand of the Turkish emperor to protect them against these officials, i.e. firstly by the said Sultan Suleyman, then by his successors, Selim, Bayazid, Amurath III, Osman who was murdered in Poland, Mustapha, Amurath IV and the present Sultan Ibrahim.
The province of Zadrima is governed like a republic because, several times a year, they all gather together from house to house, in particular the elders, who are their leaders, in order to keep up the said bridges. Otherwise, they would lose their status as a vakuf and the elders would be decapitated if any of the bridges were to be found is such a state of disrepair that the sanjak bey could not cross them or if the revenue collector or other evil Turks should be impeded by them. The latter would then contest the order and endeavour to tyrannize the country by eating everywhere and tearing things to pieces, as was said above. As to the revenue collectors and kadis, they will be referred to below.
The head of the assembly of the people of Zadrima is the bishop, but he must originate and be born in Zadrima. The bishop, however, endeavours to avoid the honour because the assembly always takes the side of the Turks. Should anyone speak against the Turks, he is subjected to abuse and persecution, leading to his expulsion from the country, or he must pay many aspers and come up with many presents in order to pacify them. Should anyone speak critically of the interests of the country, he must fear for his soul and will suffer the malevolence of the people with a thousand curses. It is impossible not to attend, for the assemblies in this region speak very badly of anyone who is not present. As such, one must act as best one can, and it has been shown that the bishop can best withstand encounters with the infidels if he is united with the country.
The river Drin causes just as much damage to the people of the flat land of Zadrima as the Turks, because, stemming from the border with Serbia, it flows down, making its way through the high mountains of Dukagjini and Pult in the Albanian highlands. From time to time it overflows, in the winter from the great amount of precipitation and in spring from the melting of ice and snow in the mountains. It flows precipitously with great force into the valley and fields of Zadrima, covering them completely. Then it continues down through the valley, touching the walls of the ancient city of Lezha and enters the Adriatic Sea, two miles away from the town, taking with it the fertile land and soil of the said fields. At the present moment, it has left its ancient bed in the valley of As... on the western side of the diocese of Shkodra, and has entered the territory of Zadrima where it has destroyed over 150 houses of the faithful and of the infidels at Upper and Lower Mietti (Mjeda), and at the ford of Dagno (Deja), a ruined town, which will be referred to below. It has laid waste to over twenty thousand ploughing days of valuable land, which produces annually every type of fruit one could imagine and every plant and seed. Now the land is covered in sand and mud, to the great detriment of its owners and cultivators.
With the help of God we shall now turn to the enumeration and description of the parish churches of Zadrima. There are nine parish churches.
The first of these is the said parish church of Saint George in Nënshat, which was referred to earlier when the town of Sapa was mentioned.
The second is the church of Saint Mary of the Assumption in Trosani (Troshan), a village of seventy houses together with Ficsta (Fishta), another village. They included 700 Christian souls. There are two parish priests who tend to their souls. One of them is called Dom Primus Sinzi (Prend Sinci), an old man with forty years of service, and the other Dom Peter Manesi (Pjetër Manesi), the assistant of the old man. The said seventy houses, with a small number of vineyards and the church land, provide the parish priests with an annual income of seventy reals. This church disposes of a silver cross, chalices also of silver, and other simple objects needed for a modest mass at the two altars. The people of Zadrima say that this church was built by Palaeologus, emperor of the Greeks. It is small and it can be seen that it is very old, built in the middle of the said village of Troshan, at a secluded site in the bosom of the high mountains called Cresta (Kreshta). The said parish priests live one mile away in a village cell built by the priests, also at a distance from the houses of the secular priests. The reformed fathers of Saint Francis, who have been missionaries in this region for six years now, have built an oratory and a little house one mile from the Church of the Assumption. It is there that the prefect of the mission lives together with two other friars. In the year 1639, the deputy prefect had a sumptuously high and fair oratory built. But as is the case with such constructions, when the leaders of the Turks saw the oratory built differently than is normally done in this region, they became suspicious and gathered together all the leading Turks in the bishopric of Zadrima from the towns of Shkodra, Antivari (Bar), Dulcignoi (Ulcinj) and Croia (Kruja), causing all the poor faithful to shake for fear of great persecution, and without delay ordered that the said oratory be razed to its foundations. They also caused the said deputy prefect Cherubin and two of the friars accompanying him to be arrested. In addition, they threatened all the Christian leaders of Albania with a terrible death. The Turks were subsequently placated somewhat with money and other gifts. The said fathers, after five months of torment, and nights with chains around their necks, were later saved from the sacrilegious and brutal hands of the Turks and were recompensed by the poor faithful of Zadrima with fifteen thousand aspers. Among the harm and many evil things which were done to the bishop of Zadrima, who had taken the side of the poor priests in chains, was to threaten to chop off his head if any priest, friar or bishop should go to Rome, because all of them were considered spies and traitors to the Grand Turk. Nor was any village to build any oratories or chapels or to restore any more churches, all this being put under severe sanctions. The first order, i.e. about going to Rome, was revoked on the demand of Mehmet Bey of Shkodra and with the permission of the governor of the town. One can imagine how much money and how many gifts for the Turks were necessary to get the permission. The second order, i.e. about building and restoring churches in disrepair, remains unrevoked to the great distress and suffering of the souls of the faithful, and at the present moment it is impossible to reach an agreement to revoke it until the elders of Zadrima and the bishop himself go to Constantinople. For this, they would need assistance and the recommendation of the Catholic ambassadors.
The third parish church is that of Saint Stephen the Protomartyr between Blinisht and Gjadër, both of which are large villages built by the aforementioned Lord Nicholas Dukagjini the way the people of Zadrima like them to be built. It is situated on the banks of the Drin on a fair and fertile field producing wheat and millet in particular, and is half a mile away from the said villages, which hasten hither in great numbers to mass, preaching and the sacraments. This is the largest and richest parish not only in Zadrima, but in all of Albania, because the village, or rather the fortress of Blinisht contains 150 Christian homes. Even the poorest household here has three family members, whereas the richest have up to forty family members including second and third cousins with their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. There are over 1,800 Christian souls here. There are no Muslim homes in Blinisht, nor do the Christians permit Muslims to build their homes among them. The village of Gjadër is part of the parish of Blinisht. It contains seventy Christian homes which consist of 500 souls. This village is very rich and is situated on the banks of the Drin, as is Blinisht which stretches for over one mile along the same river. The church of Saint Stephen is very small and can hold no more than 100 persons. It is surrounded by a courtyard with a brick roof. It has beautiful vestments for celebrating mass on the three altars bought by the people of Blinisht. It has a large and fair cross of gold plated silver, and only one chalice of silver. The other two, smaller ones, are made of tin. It is well off with bequests from the dying, with fields and vineyards which the Albanians call perivol. The said possessions and land provide the parish priests of this church with eighty quarts of wheat, millet and sorghum annually. A strong horse cannot carry more than three such quarts. The perivols on occasion provide 150 quarts of wine, sometimes more and sometimes less according to the season. Similarly, a strong horse could not carry more than three quarts.
Three parish priests care for the souls of Blinisht and Gjadër. One of them is called Dom Peter Bianchi (Pjetër Bardhi), an important figure who was twice in Constantinople last year on behalf of the bishop and people of Zadrima with regard to the urgent needs of the Church and people of Zadrima, and the others, Dom John Milla (Gjon Milla) and Dom Simon Messi. They maintain three altar boys to care for the church and their monastic cell. The parish priests take sufficient care of the souls under their jurisdiction and live right in Blinisht in the cell built for them with an adjacent chapel, in which mass is celebrated almost every day. There are two large bell towers there which ring out every evening for Ave Maria and for feasts. The monastic cell is very comfortable and has a beautiful garden around it. The three priests receive 200 quarts of grain, i.e. wheat, millet and sorghum, from the tithes, in addition to the said produce from their possessions. If one were to sell it all, it would not make more than 200 reals. Since these priests are exposed to the road used by travelling Turks, they are exploited greatly and do not even enjoy half of the income they get. In fact, all of Blinisht is exposed to the voracity of the Turks so that they hardly manage to hold onto one third of their harvest.
Sometimes in winter and in spring, as mentioned above, the Drin, swollen with rainwater, overflows and floods the homes of the people of Blinisht, flowing right into them and extinguishing the fires in their hearths. To save themselves, the people are obliged to climb onto their beds and up into the beams of their houses. They must take care to get their families, farm animals and other essential possessions up into the hills. For this period of time at least, they are saved from the voracity of the Turks because they are protected by the Drin which, with the great amount of water it contains, floods the road for about ten days.
The fourth parish church is that of Saint Demetrius in the village of Crutta (Krytha), whose feast day is celebrated by a great multitude of the faithful and by infidels on 26 October. It was restored thirty years ago by the inhabitants with the help of Dom George Bianchi (Gjergj Bardhi), the vicar of Zadrima of blessed memory. This church is situated in the middle of Zadrima as a large and tall building about a mile from the cathedral of Sapa. At a stone's throw to the south are the walls of the church of Saint Catherine which was abandoned by the inhabitants to fall to ruins because a Muslim committed an adulterous act in it. When it collapsed, the said Muslim met his downfall with all of his relatives for generations. As soon as it was in ruins, the people were amazed when they saw him in poverty. There are four villages which hasten to the church of Saint Demetrius to receive the holy sacraments. These are the village of Krytha with twenty houses, the village of Daicci (Dajç) with twenty houses, the village of Coterri (Kotërr) with twenty five houses and the village of Codeli (Kodhel) with twenty eight houses. The latter two villages are situated one mile away from the parish church and the others are situated in the vicinity. The four villages consist of a total of 800 faithful souls.
This parish has good possessions and sometimes provides the priests with forty quarts of wheat and millet. They also collect eighty quarts of wheat and millet in tithes from the said houses. [This church] has two silver chalices and other objects needed for celebrating mass in a dignified manner at the two altars. It has no silver cross, only one made of wood. The faithful would like to buy one if they can find one in the region.
There are three parish priests responsible for the 800 aforementioned souls. One is called Dom Mark Cruesiu (Mark Kryeziu) who has served there for 36 years and who is also the vicar of the Bishop of Zadrima. The other two are Dom John Jubani and Dom Paul Grinema, who always provide food for the two servants of the monastic cell and mass. Their cell is a stone's throw from the parish church. The said vicar has planted a vineyard on the land of Saint Demetrius and provides the parish with about nine quarts of wine according to the year. He also built the monastic cell with the help of the four aforementioned villages. This parish priest was the one who has always provided a great increase in wealth to the parish. In the region and in the villages of this parish there are many Muslim homes, and many officials of the sultan live here, among whom is the revenue collector. He exacts tribute in the form of a tithe on grain, wine and other fruits which grow in Zadrima. On seven quarts of grain, he takes one, and on seven or six quarts of wine he takes one for the sultan. He taxes other fruits, too. On fourteen quarts he takes two, and from someone producing twenty-eight he takes four, and on fifty-six he takes eight and so on for all possible fruits. But as an imperial privilege, it is not for all the fruits of Zadrima. It is only on wine and the sorts of grain which make bread, because it is a vakuf, as they say.
Here lives also the kadi or judge over the Muslims and Christians, who is replaced by the sultan every eighteen months and who makes justice among the Christians and Muslims. Whoever gives him the most money or the most presents, gets the more favourable judgment. The revenue collector is replaced almost every year because some of them are poor and others are insatiable in their lust for money. They tyrannize the poor Christians and drive them to ruin. These offices are bought from the sultan in order to collect taxes and to decimate Zadrima. For example, six thousand scudi for the sultan, and they are not satisfied when they have got six thousand. They want one thousand more, sometimes even three or four thousand more. They constantly go about slandering and accusing the poor faithful of murder, theft, usury and other crimes. With their voracity, beatings, chains and other instruments of torment, they force the people to buy their salvation with aspers. For example, with six thousand scudi given to the sultan, you can be released. The poor Christians are thus oppressed, some being forced to pay twelve to fifteen thousand scudi. Mercy!
The parish priests and many other devout people say that every year around the time of the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the bells ring out in the aforementioned church of Saint Demetrius, even though the doors are shut and locked. It is said that they believe there to be a hidden miracle there.
The fifth parish is that of Saint Pantaleon of Baba (Maba) on a hill in the valley of Maba. It is a solid construction. On its walls one can see written that it was consecrated by Antonio Bruni, the Archbishop of Bar. There are five villages which hasten hither to receive the holy sacraments at this church, i.e. the village of Maba with thirty houses, the village of Soisi (Zojz) with twenty houses, the village of Gramsi (Gramsh) with twenty houses, the village of Dragusa (Dragusha) with eight houses, and the village of Pocerami (Paçram) with seven houses. Most distant are Zojz and Paçram, a mile and a half away. These villages include over one thousand Christian souls. This church has fifty ploughing days of land which provide the parish priests every year with more or less forty quarts of grain, millet and other produce.
A hand servant of Mehmet Bey, the Sanjak Bey of Shkodra, built some houses near to a piece of land belonging to Saint Pantaleon and forced the Christians and the bishop to give him the land. Seeing that the church had no use for this piece of land, which the hand servant purposely devastated with his animals, they were forced, with the approval of the said villages, to hand it over to him.
This parish has two priests, one of whom is called Dom Nicholas Leccha (Nikollë Leka), an Albanian from Saint Paul's in the mountains of Dukagjini. He is an unreliable person and, as has been reported many times in writing, is extremely dissolute. He irresponsibly took over the parish with the help of the Muslims and is keeping it against the will of the bishop and the holy canons. He very rarely says mass and very rarely celebrates the holy offices. The faithful secular and other priests complained to the Turks and to their tribunal. He does not reside at the monastic cell, nor does he take any care of the parish which he enjoys without right. In short, all of his activities are on behalf of the Turks and not for the Christians. The bishop is not even able to chastise him because he would immediately run off to his Turkish lords and would make accusations resulting in capital punishment. More than once have longer reports been made about his activities with witnessed evidence as to his scandalous deeds. If no one takes action against him, he himself will perish from his wicked deeds, causing the ruin of his family.
The other priest is called Dom Primus Melici (Prend Melici), a capable young man. He was appointed assistant there two years ago by Friar Nicholas. These parish priests receive about 180 quarts of millet and wheat, including forty quarts from the aforementioned land. A quart of wheat costs eight julius in Shkodra this year, such that a horse of wheat is equivalent to 24 julius and a horse of millet is equivalent to 120 aspers or 12 julius.
This church has its own monastic cell at an arrow's distance, but the priests do not live in it for fear of the Turks, who often come to eat there, and because of the bad care the abbot Nicholas takes of it. It is to be hoped that measures will be taken against him for the sake of the many souls who are scandalized by his deeds.
It has one silver cross, two chalices and four chasubles, as well as many robes and other things necessary for saying mass at the two altars.
The sixth is the parish of Saint John the Decapitated, situated in the village of Schiesi (Shkjeza) and built on a hill overlooking the Drin. On a stone set in the wall there, written in ancient Latin characters, one can see that it was built by Urosh, the holy king of Serbia, also called Milutin. It later fell into ruins and was restored by the people of Shkjeza. It has no land because that was all stolen and sold off by a Turk who was sent by the sultan to the bishop of Zadrima at the time of Tosolo Bianchi (Tozol Bardhi) to sell off all the possessions of the churches of Zadrima and of all Albania to make money. All the other people of Zadrima paid for the church property at half the price the Turks were demanding. But the people of Shkjeza were not willing to give anything because they said they did not want to pay for the wife and children of the priest. The priest was married at the time, although he was of Latin rite. As such, the officials of the sultan sold everything off to the other Turks and now it has only two ploughing days of land, left by the people at the insistence of the bishop.
This church has two parish priests, one of whom is called Dom Jack Cabasci (Gjek Kabashi) the Elder, who has been serving there for thirty years. And all these thirty years he has spent sleeping and eating from one home to another in the said village of Shkjeza. This is because the parish has no monastic cell of its own for the priests, since they would be very much exposed to the voracity of the Turks. The other priest is called Dom Martin Gama (Merti Gama). In all of Zadrima there is no poorer parish than this one because, as mentioned above, it has no property and there are only twenty houses under its jurisdiction (comprising 250 faithful souls). These homes provide the said priests with forty quarts of wheat. The said Dom Martin is well off in his family home, from which he receives assistance. He is now housed there as an assistant on the demand of the council of elders of the said Dom Jack.
Near the church of Saint John, separated only by the Drin, are the manors and homes where Mehmet Beg of Shkodra lives, an extremely influential person of an ancient and very powerful lineage in Albania. He is very wealthy. Up to 200 people, Muslims only, live constantly at his home and are all in his service. He is a benefactor, and malefactor of the Christians. Within twenty days at the latest, the bishop is forced to go with the elders of Zadrima and present gifts, including cakes, roosters, geese, lambs, fruit and other delicious foods. Otherwise he would not be able to survive or serve his diocese as bishop because of the tyranny of the other insolent Turks.
The seventh parish is the church of Saint Mary of the Nativity below Deja, built in the valley of Mount Deja, an arrow's shot from the Drin. Deja is a town which was destroyed at the time of prince Scanderbeg. This church of the nativity is small but beautifully built, all in blocks of carved stonework and with floors and ceilings made of wooden boards, and roofed with tiles. It is thought that it was built thus by Helen of France, the wife of King Stephen of Serbia. No other church in Zadrima is as beautiful as this one. It has mediocre vestments for celebrating mass at the two altars. It has one cross and one silver chalice. It has little land because the Drin has eroded it. There are six villages which hasten to receive the holy sacraments at this church: the village of upper Mieti (Mjeda), the village of Spadari (Spathar), Sadegna (Zadeja), Sceldia (Sheldia), Lissena (Lisna) and Laci (Laç). The village farthest from the church is two miles away. In all, there are 100 homes and 700 faithful souls, who are cared for by Dom Luke (Luka). He does not have a monastic cell and has been forced by the bishop to build one, because he is always busy repairing the house of his brother, where he lives, a mile and a half away from the parish.
In the said village of upper Mjeda there are many Muslim lords and a mosque, i.e. the place where the Muslims gather every Friday to hear the word of Mohammed from their hodja, or preacher. In this place, many Christians have turned Turk, particularly during Bajram, which is the Easter of their evil fasting period. However, at the present time, thank God, the Christians are maintaining their faith and do not deny it, thanks to the continual exhortations and preaching of the true faith and law.
The eighth parish is Saint Mary of the Assumption of Galina (Glina), built in a valley between the rivers Gjadër and Glina. There are three villages which hasten hither to receive the holy sacraments: the village of Haemeli (Hajmel) with thirty houses, the village of Ranesa (Raneza) with twenty houses and the village of Naraci (Naraç) with sixteen houses. All together they make up 490 faithful souls. In these three villages there are about twenty Muslim houses and three schismatic ones.
This parish possesses little land. It has, however, a fair and large vineyard which sometimes provides the parish priests with thirty quarts of wine. It has a monastic cell near the vineyard, built by a Christian called Martin Busa (Merti Buza), who is now dead. He restored many other churches in Zadrima at his own expense, too, as he was well off and had no children. The cell is one mile from the said church of the Madonna of Glina. In it live two parish priests from the three aforementioned villages. One of them is called Dom Peter Busa (Pjetër Buza) who has served here for twenty years. He is now unable to walk and his eyes can often not see well enough to say mass and the service. He was therefore obliged by the bishop to take on an assistant, Dom George Jubani (Gjergj Jubani). The latter is a priest of good conduct who satisfies all the needs of his people to the great satisfaction of the bishop. He is bothered by a certain Dom Peter Soimiri (Pjetër Sojmiri) who wants to get the job as parish priest with the help of the Turks, after having been deprived of the position due to his own misdeeds.
Aside from the aforementioned wine, the parish provides the said priests with tithes and other alms consisting of wheat, millet and wine, to a value of eighty reals.
This church is well served by the said Jubani. It has a silver cross, two chalices and other things needed for celebrating mass at the two altars. It is an old church and we have not been able to find out who built it.
The ninth parish is that of Saint Mary of the Assumption. Many churches in Albania are dedicated to the Mother of God. We spoke of this church earlier when we dealt with the town of Zadrima.
The vestments of said churches were bought by the people there, but the chasubles and chalices were donated by Rome as alms from pious individuals for the priests, friars and bishops. The latter distributed the goods among the parishes needing them, having being requested to do so by the benefactors.
Aside from the nine aforementioned parish churches, there are eight other little churches or commemorative chapels in Zadrima, which are called bishop's chapels. Mass is celebrated in them a very few times a year because they have no priests of their own, nor vestments. Corpses are occasionally buried in them.
The first among these chapels is Saint Veneranda who is commemorated in the village of Zojz on the day of Saint Anne in mid-July. Many people attend the feast, both Christians and infidels.
The second one is Saint Mark the Evangelist on Mount Deja who is celebrated with great attendance on his feast day in April. It is a large chapel, restored by the aforementioned Merti Buza and his people. It has no land or vestments. Sometimes during the year, the parish priest of Saint Mary of Deja celebrates mass here, taking his own robes with him.
The third is Saint Angelus which is celebrated during Pentecost in the village of Nënshat on the top of a high mountain with many people attending. It has no vestments.
The fourth chapel is Saint Nicholas of Lumesi (Lumës) in the village of Lower Mjeda, which the predecessor transformed from a bishop's chapel into a parish church. It is well situated in a valley, but the Drin has carried off the surrounding land. There are thirty houses comprising 300 souls who hasten hither to receive the holy sacraments. The priest of this parish is Dom Mark Lumësi, an ignorant individual devoid of conscience or obedience to the bishop from whom, with the assistance of the powerful Turks and the secular priests, he stole the parish. He forgot his duties and agreed to give dispensation to a murderer on condition that the latter go to Pult and serve there as a parish priest for the many people in that parish deprived of a priest. This parish has its own monastic cell on land which is not good. It has some vineyards and gardens, but everything is in bad shape due to the lack of attention paid by the said friar Lumësi. The bishop is unable to punish him because, as he is a follower of the said Abbot Nicholas, he runs to the Turks to spread slander. The poor bishop is therefore mistreated because of the false accusations. Let us pray to the heart of Jesus Christ that measures may be taken against the two priests who are corrupting and destroying this diocese. This little parish has mediocre vestments to celebrate mass at the one altar. The priest disposes of thirty quarts of grain and millet with which he can hardly get by.
The fifth is Saint John of Hajmel restored ten years ago by the said Merti. Here mass is celebrated many times a year because it is convenient for the village of Hajmel during rain and bad weather. No one is buried and no children are baptised here. There are no vestments or land, and there are about eighty people living here.
The sixth is Saint George in ruins on a hill. Mass is rarely said here, and only by the parish priest of Lumës. There are no vestments.
The seventh is Saint Veneranda above Succha (Suka), desecrated by the Turks. It is open and there is nothing good which can be said about it. Mass is never said here.
The eighth is Saint John the Decapitated at Calameti (Kallmet). The parish priests of Troshan say mass here six or seven times a year. The four houses of Bardagni (Bardhaj) bury their dead here. It has some land. It has no vestments for celebrating mass. The bishop is wont to visit this chapel several times a year and say mass here.
The ninth is Saint James in Suka on the territory of the aforementioned village of Blinisht near the hillock of the torrent of Lusia. It is in ruins and it must be restored because the people of Blinisht have nowhere to bury their dead, in particular when the Drin floods.
The aforementioned parish churches and chapels were all built with sacrificial altars towards the east and with the main entrances towards the west. Most of them do not hold more than 400 people. They are all covered in tiles, and are low constructions without flooring, without bell towers, but with graveyards at the side. They have no candelabras and are made only of wood. They have no tabernacles. As phials they use little gourds at the altar.
All are painted with Greek pictures, mostly with the Virgin and the Child at her breast, the Apostles and the Greek fathers, Basil, Athanasius, Chrysostom and others.
In none of them can one see the date, nor can one tell for certain who made them because of their age. At the present time it is known that, because many of the churches were destroyed by the Turks and others collapsed with age, they were reconstructed and refurnished by the Christians of Zadrima with the authorization of the sultan.
The graves are divided among the churches by the faithful. Every house has a holy place in the church, some larger, some smaller, in accordance with the work they contributed towards the needs of the church. They place heavy flagstones on the graves, seven palms long, such that it is difficult to walk over them without tripping.
These Albanians mourn their relatives from the depths of their hearts at the moment of their deaths, and in particular when they bear them to their graves, all in the same manner. They tear their clothes and the men scratch their faces with their fingernails until the blood flows in streams. They do not shave for a whole year as a sign of their great sorrow. The women cut their hair and beat their breasts such that, at times, it is difficult to carry out the ceremony because of all the tearful lamentation.
When they bring their dead to church and are approaching, they cry as loudly as they can 'kyrie eleison, kyrie eleison' and then, when the dead have been buried, they all go home to eat at the house of the dead person, and if he had nothing, they gather among themselves. Sometimes, according to whether the family was rich or poor, up to one hundred people, men and women, gather to dine at the house of the dead person. If they do not attend, the relatives of the dead person are greatly offended.
Exhorted by the bishop and the priests, those who are dying leave something every year to the churches. Some leave their vineyards, some their fields and others pay for a mass. The women leave behind tablecloths and blouses, though in coarse cloth and roughly embroidered.
Those who are alive ask the priests every year to say mass for their dead relatives, and almost every household offers them a meal.
Indulgences are given in each of the said parishes every seven to ten years. In the cathedral of Saint Michael, there are perpetual indulgences given in memory of the blessed Gregory XIII. Whenever a priest chosen by the Bishop of Sapa says mass in that cathedral for some soul in purgatory, that soul receives an indulgence (remission and liberation) just as if the said priest had celebrated the mass at the altar of Saint Gregory in Rome. It is necessary for the bishop to visit the said parishes almost every eight days to care for the secular priests and to overcome the defects which the priests there, because of their great ignorance, are wont to commit when caring for souls. The faithful of Zadrima now attend their churches and prayer houses a lot. They are all of Latin rite but are mixed with many Muslims, by whom they are sorely oppressed, as they say.
The poor faithful of Zadrima lead a laborious and austere life because they sleep in the countryside all summer long in order to live off the land. They are exposed to the sun without the protection of headgear. Some are with their hoes in the vineyards, others are with their oxen in the fields, and the women are with scythes to cut the grain, millet, barley and sorghum. Most of them have no wine to drink, only millet bread and water, and sometimes a few vegetables without oil. Nonetheless they fast during the lenten period, on vigils and on their days of devotion. So the years pass. The women in particular drink very little wine on rare occasions during the year. Most of them are without hats and walk barefoot in the mud, over stones and in the ice and snow, and in the summer they are exposed to the heat of the sun. In short, they put up with much suffering. The Albanian race is unspeakably fatigued.
There are no prostitutes in Albania and if any are found out, their parents kill them immediately. There are many illnesses in Albania, among which are: tertian fever in the summer from the foul state of the many ditches, as well as chills from working hard in the cold. There is no gout in Albania. The Albanians sit at table for a long time, from noon to evening, or from evening to midnight. They do not eat all the while, but spend their time drinking and discussing. The arguments and conclusions they draw provide answers to every problem of philosophy. Most of them are very poor, as they are oppressed by the Turks, but there are also some very rich people, not so much with money, but with the extensive and fair property they own. Both rich and poor live in the countryside and in towns. Every year they celebrate the patron saint of their parish church with great expense, inviting their friends and, in particular, their in laws for two or three days. The women are more pious and go to church more often.
They also spend much money on weddings, and subsequently have nothing to live from. Even if there are ten brothers in a family, they all get married and when their offspring are later grown up, the disputes among them begin, and they separate and all go their own way.
The Albanians make accusations against one another with the Turks because of blood feuding, which is the ruin of this country. The present Bishop of Zadrima has written much more about the good and bad habits of the Albanians and about their virtues and vices in other reports sent to the Holy Congregation in 1638 and thereafter.
from
Francus Blancus, Bishop of Sapa,
by his own hand
(1) Nënshat is actually 'Lower Shat', related to Alb. nën 'under, lower' and village of Sat, later Shat.
(2) i.e. Orthodox.
[From: Descrittione et informatione del stato del vescouato et chiese parochiali della Diocese Sappatense. in: Injac Zamputi (ed.): Relacioni i Frang Bardhi mbi Zadrimën, drejtue Kongregacionit të Propagandës në Romë në shek. XVII, in: Buletini për Shkencat Shoqërore, Tirana, 1956, 2, p. 163 192. Translated from the Italian by Robert Elsie. First published in R. Elsie: Early Albania, a Reader of Historical Texts, 11th - 17th Centuries, Wiesbaden 2003, p. 178-194.]
NAZIV ORIGINALA Frang Bardhi: Descrittione et informatione del stato del vescouato et chiese parochiali della Diocese Sappatense. Propaganda Fide, 1641.
Frang Bardhi (1606. - 1643.), poznat na latinskom kao Franciscus Blancus i na talijanskom kao Francesco Bianchi, bio je rana albanska crkvena ličnost i zapaženi autor. Rođen je u Kallmetu u sjevernoalbanskoj regiji Zadrima, a studirao je teologiju u Italiji. Godine 1636. imenovan je biskupom Sape i Sarde. Bardhi je zapamćen kao autor prvog albanskog rječnika: 'Dictionarium latino-epiroticum', Rim 1635. (latinsko-epirotski rječnik), koji se sastoji od 5640 natuknica. Frang Bardhi je od 1637. podnosio izvještaje na talijanskom i latinskom Kongregaciji Propaganda Fide u Rimu koji sadrže rudnik podataka o njegovoj biskupiji, o političkim zbivanjima, o albanskim običajima te o strukturi i položaju Katoličke crkve u Albaniji okupiranoj od strane Osmanskog carstva. Ovdje je jedan od devetnaest sačuvanih izvještaja i pisama.
Opis i podaci o stanju biskupskih i župnih crkava Sapske biskupije, podvrgnute zulumu Turaka. Izradio Frang Bardhi (Francesco Bianchi), biskup spomenute crkve, za Svetu kongregaciju Propaganda Fide.
Premda je Sveta Kongregacija u prošlosti dobivala informacije i izvješća o crkvi u Sapi od nekih ranijih biskupa, misionara i apostolskih vizitatora, sadašnji biskup, svjestan da je Sveta Kongregacija bila zadovoljna različitim izvještajima koje je dobivala od raznih pojedinaca i redom kako bi ispunio svoje dužnosti, sada predstavlja sljedeće izvješće koje sadrži važne i detaljne stvari.
The church of Sapa, a region commonly known by the Albanians as Zadrima, has a circumference of 60 miles and is situated in the province of Albania under the most cruel rule of the Sultan. On its western edge, it is bordered by the diocese of the well fortified city of Scutari (Shkodra), and to the south by two high and long mountains bathed by the waves of the Ionian or Adriatic Sea. At the base of one of them is a fair harbour known as S. Gion di Medua (Shëngjin) in which boats, galleys and large ships are easily accommodated. To the east, it is bordered by the diocese of the city of Alessio (Lezha) across the Plochegion (Plaku Gjon / Old Man John) Bridge, which is below the large village of Blijnisti (Blinisht) and the lofty and large mountain of Veglia (Velja), in which one could mine great quantities of silver. From here it borders on the people of Diberri (Dibrra) up to Mount Ruen (Runa), which is situated above the territory of Spassi (Spas). The border then follows along the river Lumi to the great river Drino (Drin), up to Mount Golijeia (Galija), and then down along the said Drin. To the north it borders on the peoples of Pulati (Pult) and Posterrippa (Postriba).
These are the borders of the Bishopric of Zadrima, which is composed of five parts, being Zadrima, Sardania (Shurdhah), Puucha (Puka), Ibbaleia (Iballja) and the territory of Spas. The last three parts are situated in the mountains of Ducagini (Dukagjini), about which the bishop submitted a diligent report to the Holy Congregation, having visited it over the past years. It may be consulted if necessary, because it contains the numbers of homes and souls, etc. Shurdhah is a town which was destroyed by the Gallo Greeks at the fall of the Roman Empire, as Marinus Barletius reports in his account of the life of the invincible Lord Scanderbeg. One can, however, still see its walls, three paces high, which were built on a high hill over the banks of the Drin. One can also see that there were over eighty churches there. Now there is only one, built in our times and roofed with tiles by the faithful who hasten to it to receive the holy sacraments at the invocation of the Virgin of the Assumption. It is a parish church.
It is thought that the Most Eminent Cardinal Barrosio, where he speaks in his church annals about the Council of Sardicensis, held in the year 347 and attended by 370 bishops, was referring to this town of Shurdhah.
There are three little villages which hasten to this said parish church to receive the holy sacraments from the parish priest called Giorgio Scoppi (Gjergj Sopi). These are the village of Vierda (Vjerdha) with 19 houses on this side of the Drin, and the villages of Maserecu (Mazrek), Scelacu (Shllak), Guosta and others of 6 - 7 houses on the other side of the river. They have their own little church, which is entirely destroyed, and have nowhere to celebrate mass. All together, the aforementioned villages have 360 faithful souls to whom the said priest Sopi tends. These little villages are commonly known as Postriba and, for short, are called the population of the town of Driuasto (Drisht).
From this side of the Drin, near to the said Shurdhah, there is a little village of five houses called Sporognite (Shpor). The bishop went there on a visit in June of last year to offer his services to the said population of Drisht when a Turk, the savage brave of the Turkish ruler of Shkodra, not only insulted him with offensive and crude words, but also, with no pretext except for having been told why the bishop had come to that village, raised his hand against him, holding in it a bare sword to cut the bishop's arm off. The poor bishop, foreseeing the terrible and barbaric blow, managed in his confu-sion to protect himself with his cloak, but was nonetheless injured in the left hand. When he shouted for assistance, one of his priests rushed up to him as did many men and women, who begged the Turk to desist from striking the bishop. But the more they entreated the savage to desist, the wilder he became. He escaped from their hands and once again struck the poor bishop on the back with his bare sword in hand, which he had brandished to slay him. The bishop then took refuge in a poor and run down cottage. The barbarian, swiftly breaking down the door, raised his arm with the very sharp 'blade of his sword to cut the bishop's head off. Seeing the extreme peril he was in, the bishop protected himself against the blow with a stool. Then once again, the people, who had been dumbfounded, rushed in. The poor bishop was obliged to flee for his life and ran as best as he was able down through the stony mountain crags to the banks of the Drin where, praise be to God, he came upon a Christian who set him on a raft without delay and took him over to the other side of the Drin. He was half dead from the cruel treatment he had suffered from the savage barbarian, and was dishevelled and scarred from having run on foot through the rocks and thorns. And as if this were not enough, he was pursued all the way down to the Drin. Not being able to find the bishop, the barbarian let off a shot from his arquebus, from which God in his mercy protected him.
He was thus obliged to abandon the visit he had begun because the Turk, besides all the evil he had done, also stole his horse, his robes for mass and everything he needed for the journey. In addition, he broke the horse's saddle which the poor bishop was obliged to replace with money, together with all the other things. Such is the terrible state of woe in which the poor bishops of Albania find themselves.
But let us return to our own affairs. When the town of Shurdhah was destroyed and its jurisdiction was reduced to so few souls, it was united at a very early time with the Church of Sapa.
The fifth part, which is the main support for the Church of Sapa, is Zadrima where they have their see and where the bishops of this see have always resided. The cathedral church of the Archangel Saint Michael is situated on a large and high mountain. Before Sultan Mehmet, the emperor of the Turks, seized Albania, this site, being very well fortified, was inhabited by the famed lords of Dukagjini, i.e. Lord Paul Dukagjini the elder and his sons, Nicholas Dukagjini, Leka Dukagjini, Proghen Dukagjini and Stephen Dukagjini, who at that time were the legitimate and natural lords of Zadrima and of the aforementioned mountains of Puka, Iballja and Spas. The second last one turned Turk and became Pasha of Dukagjini.
Together with these lords of Dukagjini who, with the exception of Proghen, were all good Catholics, lived the bishop of Zadrima in his own quarters near the aforementioned cathedral. In the general recollection of all the people of Zadrima, the bishops of Zadrima resided for some time in a poor village in the middle of Zadrima in order to better serve the needs of the poor Christian faithful there, who were being persecuted by the infidels. For the last eighty years, the bishops of Zadrima have been using for their cathedral the parish church of Saint George within the walls of the town of Sapa.
This town was also destroyed, probably by the Romans during their war with Pyrrhus, king of the Epirotes, i.e. the Albanians. There are no houses within the walls, only the said church of Saint George on the top of the hill. Behind it, a bit lower on the north side, there are two little vicarages, built as residences for the bishops by George Bianchi (Gjergj Bardhi), the predecessor of the present bishop of Zadrima, but with the financial assistance of the people of Zadrima. They are situated one mile away from the ancient cathedral. Around Sapa, there is a large open town of eighty faithful homes and of twenty infidel homes.
In Epirotic (Albanian), this town is known as Ndenscati (Nënshat), meaning 'under Sapa' (1), from which derives the title of the bishop, Bishop of Sapatensis. It is known for certain that four bishops come from this village: George Summa (Gjergj Suma), Tosolo Bianchi (Tozol Bardhi), Nicholas Bianchi (Nikollë Bardhi) and the afore-mentioned Gjergj Bardhi, now Archbishop of Bar. The last three made great efforts to rule and to protect the Christian faithful from the impiety of the Muslims over the last ninety years, right up to the present bishop, Francis Bianchi (Frang Bardhi), their relation and successor. The family and lineage of the Bardhis is considered noble in Albania.
The aforementioned faithful families of the village of Nënshat, comprising 1,800 Christian souls, render to father Stephen (a man of exemplary conduct, who has taken care of the souls of the said parish of Saint George for the last twenty five years) as their tithe a value of seventy reals of wheat, millet, wine and daily alms, which are the produce of the bit of land belonging to this church. Since the parish priest is alone in his duties and since there is no way to support two parish priests, he is assisted by the bishop in giving the holy sacraments to these souls.
Although this report may turn out a trifle long, it would seem appropriate to enumerate the individual parishes and churches in Zadrima and to give some description of Zadrima because it is a very extensive area.
Zadrima is twenty miles in circumference and has a total of one thousand homes, of which 700 are faithful and the rest are Muslim. These one thousand homes can be divided up into thirty hamlets or villages, some large, some small. The Christian homes are mixed in with the Muslim ones. There are also a number of schismatic homes, but very few, and they are being converted by the grace of God, though more so the women than the men. Up to now, the bishop has converted and reconciliated with the Church four such women, and he hopes with time to convert them all to the Holy Roman Church.
Zadrima is situated in Albania as a little province of its own between Shkodra and Lezha, both towns being located on a beautiful plain, most of which lies alongside the Drin. They are very fertile fields, abundant in all sorts of fruit and in particular in wheat, millet and wine. There are figs, pears, plums, pomegranates, muskmelons, watermelons, lettuce, chicory, turnips, garlic, onions and other greens, with all sorts of vegetables thanks be to God. There are oxen, cows, sheep, pigs, horses and other animals in great quantities. There are fresh springs every mile along the foot of the lofty mountains which surround it, with pleasant views to the south, east and north. It is blessed with as many beautiful hills and mounds as one could possibly want. Churches have been built on most of them with their altars facing towards the east and their main doors opening to the west. There are large and fair rivers like the Drin, the Gomesigeia (Gomsiqja) and the Ghiadri (Gjadër), full of all sorts of fat fish, big and small. There are other small waterways, too, full of watermills to mill every type of grain. The air is extremely healthy and there is, in general, quite enough of everything one needs for human existence. In autumn and in winter, this region is affected by the northern wind and in summer it is affected by a fresh southern breeze which the Albanians calls frosgia (freskia). But who can enjoy all of this?
It is the cruel greed of the Turks who exploit the poor and miserable Christians with their continual demands for tribute, tithes and lodging. Ten to fifteen high ranking Turks travel together to the homes of the Christians, knowing the latter have something to offer. They eat and drink all they can all day long without paying anything. And the poor Christian is not allowed to say he has no more bread, wine, meat or fodder for their horses because they would otherwise tear the house apart, beat him savagely on the feet, and mount his wife. If he does not have the food they demand, he must go to other nearby Christian homes in search of it. And if he has nothing else to offer to these odious people, he must give them the clothes off his back. Does anyone take pity on him? Whoever's house is invaded by them must quickly hide the women, who become excited by their lewd glances.
Every time the Turks need workers for cutting and harvesting, for ploughing the soil, for sowing seed, for building houses and manors, for carrying wood and water, and for other services, they force the Christians to do this work at any time, even when it is snowing, without paying them anything. They hardly give them anything to eat, just millet bread and a bit of cheese. The poor Christians lose time during the harvest for their own work. They work on holidays, too, and are given no time to rest except on Easter and Christmas.
The Turks take Christian women and girls by force for their wives, in particular to get their inheritances, because they themselves are orphans, and in order to be better attended upon at home. They let them remain Christians, though. Indeed with great threats, they force the parish priests and the bishop to hear their confessions, something which is forbidden by order of the pope. The bishop suffers much damage, tribulation and calumny because he forbids such things and he will not be able to hold out much longer if some sort of solution is not found. They also force them to baptize their children, not so that they become Christians, but so that they do not stink and will not be devoured by wild animals. They say they will turn Turk if they are not given communion, so a solution must be found as soon as possible.
At the time of the Sultan Suleyman, emperor of the Turks, a Muslim lord called the Pasha of Dukagjini (who is the leader of many provinces) passed through Zadrima and was so taken by it that he returned to Constantinople and asked the said emperor to do him the honour of giving him Zadrima as a fief (which in Turkish is called a vakuf) for the sake of his soul, on the condition that he build thirty bridges across the rivers of Zadrima so that, when he died, they would serve travellers to the benefit of his soul. The emperor was also to give orders that the people not be subjected to the spahees as are all the other Christians of Macedonia and the other regions under the Turks, but rather directly to the emperor by a revenue collector, who would be appointed annually. Most of the people of Zadrima agreed to this so that they would pay much less than what the other said regions pay. In order to preserve and maintain this custom, Zadrima must often send a delegation of elders to Constantinople to renew the order of the Turkish emperors, so that the people not be subjected to the influence of the spahees in timars, and not be tyrannized by the sanjak beys, revenue collectors, kadis, voyvodes or other evil Turks. The people of Zadrima possess five hundred documents signed personally by the hand of the Turkish emperor to protect them against these officials, i.e. firstly by the said Sultan Suleyman, then by his successors, Selim, Bayazid, Amurath III, Osman who was murdered in Poland, Mustapha, Amurath IV and the present Sultan Ibrahim.
The province of Zadrima is governed like a republic because, several times a year, they all gather together from house to house, in particular the elders, who are their leaders, in order to keep up the said bridges. Otherwise, they would lose their status as a vakuf and the elders would be decapitated if any of the bridges were to be found is such a state of disrepair that the sanjak bey could not cross them or if the revenue collector or other evil Turks should be impeded by them. The latter would then contest the order and endeavour to tyrannize the country by eating everywhere and tearing things to pieces, as was said above. As to the revenue collectors and kadis, they will be referred to below.
The head of the assembly of the people of Zadrima is the bishop, but he must originate and be born in Zadrima. The bishop, however, endeavours to avoid the honour because the assembly always takes the side of the Turks. Should anyone speak against the Turks, he is subjected to abuse and persecution, leading to his expulsion from the country, or he must pay many aspers and come up with many presents in order to pacify them. Should anyone speak critically of the interests of the country, he must fear for his soul and will suffer the malevolence of the people with a thousand curses. It is impossible not to attend, for the assemblies in this region speak very badly of anyone who is not present. As such, one must act as best one can, and it has been shown that the bishop can best withstand encounters with the infidels if he is united with the country.
The river Drin causes just as much damage to the people of the flat land of Zadrima as the Turks, because, stemming from the border with Serbia, it flows down, making its way through the high mountains of Dukagjini and Pult in the Albanian highlands. From time to time it overflows, in the winter from the great amount of precipitation and in spring from the melting of ice and snow in the mountains. It flows precipitously with great force into the valley and fields of Zadrima, covering them completely. Then it continues down through the valley, touching the walls of the ancient city of Lezha and enters the Adriatic Sea, two miles away from the town, taking with it the fertile land and soil of the said fields. At the present moment, it has left its ancient bed in the valley of As... on the western side of the diocese of Shkodra, and has entered the territory of Zadrima where it has destroyed over 150 houses of the faithful and of the infidels at Upper and Lower Mietti (Mjeda), and at the ford of Dagno (Deja), a ruined town, which will be referred to below. It has laid waste to over twenty thousand ploughing days of valuable land, which produces annually every type of fruit one could imagine and every plant and seed. Now the land is covered in sand and mud, to the great detriment of its owners and cultivators.
With the help of God we shall now turn to the enumeration and description of the parish churches of Zadrima. There are nine parish churches.
The first of these is the said parish church of Saint George in Nënshat, which was referred to earlier when the town of Sapa was mentioned.
The second is the church of Saint Mary of the Assumption in Trosani (Troshan), a village of seventy houses together with Ficsta (Fishta), another village. They included 700 Christian souls. There are two parish priests who tend to their souls. One of them is called Dom Primus Sinzi (Prend Sinci), an old man with forty years of service, and the other Dom Peter Manesi (Pjetër Manesi), the assistant of the old man. The said seventy houses, with a small number of vineyards and the church land, provide the parish priests with an annual income of seventy reals. This church disposes of a silver cross, chalices also of silver, and other simple objects needed for a modest mass at the two altars. The people of Zadrima say that this church was built by Palaeologus, emperor of the Greeks. It is small and it can be seen that it is very old, built in the middle of the said village of Troshan, at a secluded site in the bosom of the high mountains called Cresta (Kreshta). The said parish priests live one mile away in a village cell built by the priests, also at a distance from the houses of the secular priests. The reformed fathers of Saint Francis, who have been missionaries in this region for six years now, have built an oratory and a little house one mile from the Church of the Assumption. It is there that the prefect of the mission lives together with two other friars. In the year 1639, the deputy prefect had a sumptuously high and fair oratory built. But as is the case with such constructions, when the leaders of the Turks saw the oratory built differently than is normally done in this region, they became suspicious and gathered together all the leading Turks in the bishopric of Zadrima from the towns of Shkodra, Antivari (Bar), Dulcignoi (Ulcinj) and Croia (Kruja), causing all the poor faithful to shake for fear of great persecution, and without delay ordered that the said oratory be razed to its foundations. They also caused the said deputy prefect Cherubin and two of the friars accompanying him to be arrested. In addition, they threatened all the Christian leaders of Albania with a terrible death. The Turks were subsequently placated somewhat with money and other gifts. The said fathers, after five months of torment, and nights with chains around their necks, were later saved from the sacrilegious and brutal hands of the Turks and were recompensed by the poor faithful of Zadrima with fifteen thousand aspers. Among the harm and many evil things which were done to the bishop of Zadrima, who had taken the side of the poor priests in chains, was to threaten to chop off his head if any priest, friar or bishop should go to Rome, because all of them were considered spies and traitors to the Grand Turk. Nor was any village to build any oratories or chapels or to restore any more churches, all this being put under severe sanctions. The first order, i.e. about going to Rome, was revoked on the demand of Mehmet Bey of Shkodra and with the permission of the governor of the town. One can imagine how much money and how many gifts for the Turks were necessary to get the permission. The second order, i.e. about building and restoring churches in disrepair, remains unrevoked to the great distress and suffering of the souls of the faithful, and at the present moment it is impossible to reach an agreement to revoke it until the elders of Zadrima and the bishop himself go to Constantinople. For this, they would need assistance and the recommendation of the Catholic ambassadors.
The third parish church is that of Saint Stephen the Protomartyr between Blinisht and Gjadër, both of which are large villages built by the aforementioned Lord Nicholas Dukagjini the way the people of Zadrima like them to be built. It is situated on the banks of the Drin on a fair and fertile field producing wheat and millet in particular, and is half a mile away from the said villages, which hasten hither in great numbers to mass, preaching and the sacraments. This is the largest and richest parish not only in Zadrima, but in all of Albania, because the village, or rather the fortress of Blinisht contains 150 Christian homes. Even the poorest household here has three family members, whereas the richest have up to forty family members including second and third cousins with their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. There are over 1,800 Christian souls here. There are no Muslim homes in Blinisht, nor do the Christians permit Muslims to build their homes among them. The village of Gjadër is part of the parish of Blinisht. It contains seventy Christian homes which consist of 500 souls. This village is very rich and is situated on the banks of the Drin, as is Blinisht which stretches for over one mile along the same river. The church of Saint Stephen is very small and can hold no more than 100 persons. It is surrounded by a courtyard with a brick roof. It has beautiful vestments for celebrating mass on the three altars bought by the people of Blinisht. It has a large and fair cross of gold plated silver, and only one chalice of silver. The other two, smaller ones, are made of tin. It is well off with bequests from the dying, with fields and vineyards which the Albanians call perivol. The said possessions and land provide the parish priests of this church with eighty quarts of wheat, millet and sorghum annually. A strong horse cannot carry more than three such quarts. The perivols on occasion provide 150 quarts of wine, sometimes more and sometimes less according to the season. Similarly, a strong horse could not carry more than three quarts.
Three parish priests care for the souls of Blinisht and Gjadër. One of them is called Dom Peter Bianchi (Pjetër Bardhi), an important figure who was twice in Constantinople last year on behalf of the bishop and people of Zadrima with regard to the urgent needs of the Church and people of Zadrima, and the others, Dom John Milla (Gjon Milla) and Dom Simon Messi. They maintain three altar boys to care for the church and their monastic cell. The parish priests take sufficient care of the souls under their jurisdiction and live right in Blinisht in the cell built for them with an adjacent chapel, in which mass is celebrated almost every day. There are two large bell towers there which ring out every evening for Ave Maria and for feasts. The monastic cell is very comfortable and has a beautiful garden around it. The three priests receive 200 quarts of grain, i.e. wheat, millet and sorghum, from the tithes, in addition to the said produce from their possessions. If one were to sell it all, it would not make more than 200 reals. Since these priests are exposed to the road used by travelling Turks, they are exploited greatly and do not even enjoy half of the income they get. In fact, all of Blinisht is exposed to the voracity of the Turks so that they hardly manage to hold onto one third of their harvest.
Sometimes in winter and in spring, as mentioned above, the Drin, swollen with rainwater, overflows and floods the homes of the people of Blinisht, flowing right into them and extinguishing the fires in their hearths. To save themselves, the people are obliged to climb onto their beds and up into the beams of their houses. They must take care to get their families, farm animals and other essential possessions up into the hills. For this period of time at least, they are saved from the voracity of the Turks because they are protected by the Drin which, with the great amount of water it contains, floods the road for about ten days.
The fourth parish church is that of Saint Demetrius in the village of Crutta (Krytha), whose feast day is celebrated by a great multitude of the faithful and by infidels on 26 October. It was restored thirty years ago by the inhabitants with the help of Dom George Bianchi (Gjergj Bardhi), the vicar of Zadrima of blessed memory. This church is situated in the middle of Zadrima as a large and tall building about a mile from the cathedral of Sapa. At a stone's throw to the south are the walls of the church of Saint Catherine which was abandoned by the inhabitants to fall to ruins because a Muslim committed an adulterous act in it. When it collapsed, the said Muslim met his downfall with all of his relatives for generations. As soon as it was in ruins, the people were amazed when they saw him in poverty. There are four villages which hasten to the church of Saint Demetrius to receive the holy sacraments. These are the village of Krytha with twenty houses, the village of Daicci (Dajç) with twenty houses, the village of Coterri (Kotërr) with twenty five houses and the village of Codeli (Kodhel) with twenty eight houses. The latter two villages are situated one mile away from the parish church and the others are situated in the vicinity. The four villages consist of a total of 800 faithful souls.
This parish has good possessions and sometimes provides the priests with forty quarts of wheat and millet. They also collect eighty quarts of wheat and millet in tithes from the said houses. [This church] has two silver chalices and other objects needed for celebrating mass in a dignified manner at the two altars. It has no silver cross, only one made of wood. The faithful would like to buy one if they can find one in the region.
There are three parish priests responsible for the 800 aforementioned souls. One is called Dom Mark Cruesiu (Mark Kryeziu) who has served there for 36 years and who is also the vicar of the Bishop of Zadrima. The other two are Dom John Jubani and Dom Paul Grinema, who always provide food for the two servants of the monastic cell and mass. Their cell is a stone's throw from the parish church. The said vicar has planted a vineyard on the land of Saint Demetrius and provides the parish with about nine quarts of wine according to the year. He also built the monastic cell with the help of the four aforementioned villages. This parish priest was the one who has always provided a great increase in wealth to the parish. In the region and in the villages of this parish there are many Muslim homes, and many officials of the sultan live here, among whom is the revenue collector. He exacts tribute in the form of a tithe on grain, wine and other fruits which grow in Zadrima. On seven quarts of grain, he takes one, and on seven or six quarts of wine he takes one for the sultan. He taxes other fruits, too. On fourteen quarts he takes two, and from someone producing twenty-eight he takes four, and on fifty-six he takes eight and so on for all possible fruits. But as an imperial privilege, it is not for all the fruits of Zadrima. It is only on wine and the sorts of grain which make bread, because it is a vakuf, as they say.
Here lives also the kadi or judge over the Muslims and Christians, who is replaced by the sultan every eighteen months and who makes justice among the Christians and Muslims. Whoever gives him the most money or the most presents, gets the more favourable judgment. The revenue collector is replaced almost every year because some of them are poor and others are insatiable in their lust for money. They tyrannize the poor Christians and drive them to ruin. These offices are bought from the sultan in order to collect taxes and to decimate Zadrima. For example, six thousand scudi for the sultan, and they are not satisfied when they have got six thousand. They want one thousand more, sometimes even three or four thousand more. They constantly go about slandering and accusing the poor faithful of murder, theft, usury and other crimes. With their voracity, beatings, chains and other instruments of torment, they force the people to buy their salvation with aspers. For example, with six thousand scudi given to the sultan, you can be released. The poor Christians are thus oppressed, some being forced to pay twelve to fifteen thousand scudi. Mercy!
The parish priests and many other devout people say that every year around the time of the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the bells ring out in the aforementioned church of Saint Demetrius, even though the doors are shut and locked. It is said that they believe there to be a hidden miracle there.
The fifth parish is that of Saint Pantaleon of Baba (Maba) on a hill in the valley of Maba. It is a solid construction. On its walls one can see written that it was consecrated by Antonio Bruni, the Archbishop of Bar. There are five villages which hasten hither to receive the holy sacraments at this church, i.e. the village of Maba with thirty houses, the village of Soisi (Zojz) with twenty houses, the village of Gramsi (Gramsh) with twenty houses, the village of Dragusa (Dragusha) with eight houses, and the village of Pocerami (Paçram) with seven houses. Most distant are Zojz and Paçram, a mile and a half away. These villages include over one thousand Christian souls. This church has fifty ploughing days of land which provide the parish priests every year with more or less forty quarts of grain, millet and other produce.
A hand servant of Mehmet Bey, the Sanjak Bey of Shkodra, built some houses near to a piece of land belonging to Saint Pantaleon and forced the Christians and the bishop to give him the land. Seeing that the church had no use for this piece of land, which the hand servant purposely devastated with his animals, they were forced, with the approval of the said villages, to hand it over to him.
This parish has two priests, one of whom is called Dom Nicholas Leccha (Nikollë Leka), an Albanian from Saint Paul's in the mountains of Dukagjini. He is an unreliable person and, as has been reported many times in writing, is extremely dissolute. He irresponsibly took over the parish with the help of the Muslims and is keeping it against the will of the bishop and the holy canons. He very rarely says mass and very rarely celebrates the holy offices. The faithful secular and other priests complained to the Turks and to their tribunal. He does not reside at the monastic cell, nor does he take any care of the parish which he enjoys without right. In short, all of his activities are on behalf of the Turks and not for the Christians. The bishop is not even able to chastise him because he would immediately run off to his Turkish lords and would make accusations resulting in capital punishment. More than once have longer reports been made about his activities with witnessed evidence as to his scandalous deeds. If no one takes action against him, he himself will perish from his wicked deeds, causing the ruin of his family.
The other priest is called Dom Primus Melici (Prend Melici), a capable young man. He was appointed assistant there two years ago by Friar Nicholas. These parish priests receive about 180 quarts of millet and wheat, including forty quarts from the aforementioned land. A quart of wheat costs eight julius in Shkodra this year, such that a horse of wheat is equivalent to 24 julius and a horse of millet is equivalent to 120 aspers or 12 julius.
This church has its own monastic cell at an arrow's distance, but the priests do not live in it for fear of the Turks, who often come to eat there, and because of the bad care the abbot Nicholas takes of it. It is to be hoped that measures will be taken against him for the sake of the many souls who are scandalized by his deeds.
It has one silver cross, two chalices and four chasubles, as well as many robes and other things necessary for saying mass at the two altars.
The sixth is the parish of Saint John the Decapitated, situated in the village of Schiesi (Shkjeza) and built on a hill overlooking the Drin. On a stone set in the wall there, written in ancient Latin characters, one can see that it was built by Urosh, the holy king of Serbia, also called Milutin. It later fell into ruins and was restored by the people of Shkjeza. It has no land because that was all stolen and sold off by a Turk who was sent by the sultan to the bishop of Zadrima at the time of Tosolo Bianchi (Tozol Bardhi) to sell off all the possessions of the churches of Zadrima and of all Albania to make money. All the other people of Zadrima paid for the church property at half the price the Turks were demanding. But the people of Shkjeza were not willing to give anything because they said they did not want to pay for the wife and children of the priest. The priest was married at the time, although he was of Latin rite. As such, the officials of the sultan sold everything off to the other Turks and now it has only two ploughing days of land, left by the people at the insistence of the bishop.
This church has two parish priests, one of whom is called Dom Jack Cabasci (Gjek Kabashi) the Elder, who has been serving there for thirty years. And all these thirty years he has spent sleeping and eating from one home to another in the said village of Shkjeza. This is because the parish has no monastic cell of its own for the priests, since they would be very much exposed to the voracity of the Turks. The other priest is called Dom Martin Gama (Merti Gama). In all of Zadrima there is no poorer parish than this one because, as mentioned above, it has no property and there are only twenty houses under its jurisdiction (comprising 250 faithful souls). These homes provide the said priests with forty quarts of wheat. The said Dom Martin is well off in his family home, from which he receives assistance. He is now housed there as an assistant on the demand of the council of elders of the said Dom Jack.
Near the church of Saint John, separated only by the Drin, are the manors and homes where Mehmet Beg of Shkodra lives, an extremely influential person of an ancient and very powerful lineage in Albania. He is very wealthy. Up to 200 people, Muslims only, live constantly at his home and are all in his service. He is a benefactor, and malefactor of the Christians. Within twenty days at the latest, the bishop is forced to go with the elders of Zadrima and present gifts, including cakes, roosters, geese, lambs, fruit and other delicious foods. Otherwise he would not be able to survive or serve his diocese as bishop because of the tyranny of the other insolent Turks.
The seventh parish is the church of Saint Mary of the Nativity below Deja, built in the valley of Mount Deja, an arrow's shot from the Drin. Deja is a town which was destroyed at the time of prince Scanderbeg. This church of the nativity is small but beautifully built, all in blocks of carved stonework and with floors and ceilings made of wooden boards, and roofed with tiles. It is thought that it was built thus by Helen of France, the wife of King Stephen of Serbia. No other church in Zadrima is as beautiful as this one. It has mediocre vestments for celebrating mass at the two altars. It has one cross and one silver chalice. It has little land because the Drin has eroded it. There are six villages which hasten to receive the holy sacraments at this church: the village of upper Mieti (Mjeda), the village of Spadari (Spathar), Sadegna (Zadeja), Sceldia (Sheldia), Lissena (Lisna) and Laci (Laç). The village farthest from the church is two miles away. In all, there are 100 homes and 700 faithful souls, who are cared for by Dom Luke (Luka). He does not have a monastic cell and has been forced by the bishop to build one, because he is always busy repairing the house of his brother, where he lives, a mile and a half away from the parish.
In the said village of upper Mjeda there are many Muslim lords and a mosque, i.e. the place where the Muslims gather every Friday to hear the word of Mohammed from their hodja, or preacher. In this place, many Christians have turned Turk, particularly during Bajram, which is the Easter of their evil fasting period. However, at the present time, thank God, the Christians are maintaining their faith and do not deny it, thanks to the continual exhortations and preaching of the true faith and law.
The eighth parish is Saint Mary of the Assumption of Galina (Glina), built in a valley between the rivers Gjadër and Glina. There are three villages which hasten hither to receive the holy sacraments: the village of Haemeli (Hajmel) with thirty houses, the village of Ranesa (Raneza) with twenty houses and the village of Naraci (Naraç) with sixteen houses. All together they make up 490 faithful souls. In these three villages there are about twenty Muslim houses and three schismatic ones.
This parish possesses little land. It has, however, a fair and large vineyard which sometimes provides the parish priests with thirty quarts of wine. It has a monastic cell near the vineyard, built by a Christian called Martin Busa (Merti Buza), who is now dead. He restored many other churches in Zadrima at his own expense, too, as he was well off and had no children. The cell is one mile from the said church of the Madonna of Glina. In it live two parish priests from the three aforementioned villages. One of them is called Dom Peter Busa (Pjetër Buza) who has served here for twenty years. He is now unable to walk and his eyes can often not see well enough to say mass and the service. He was therefore obliged by the bishop to take on an assistant, Dom George Jubani (Gjergj Jubani). The latter is a priest of good conduct who satisfies all the needs of his people to the great satisfaction of the bishop. He is bothered by a certain Dom Peter Soimiri (Pjetër Sojmiri) who wants to get the job as parish priest with the help of the Turks, after having been deprived of the position due to his own misdeeds.
Aside from the aforementioned wine, the parish provides the said priests with tithes and other alms consisting of wheat, millet and wine, to a value of eighty reals.
This church is well served by the said Jubani. It has a silver cross, two chalices and other things needed for celebrating mass at the two altars. It is an old church and we have not been able to find out who built it.
The ninth parish is that of Saint Mary of the Assumption. Many churches in Albania are dedicated to the Mother of God. We spoke of this church earlier when we dealt with the town of Zadrima.
The vestments of said churches were bought by the people there, but the chasubles and chalices were donated by Rome as alms from pious individuals for the priests, friars and bishops. The latter distributed the goods among the parishes needing them, having being requested to do so by the benefactors.
Aside from the nine aforementioned parish churches, there are eight other little churches or commemorative chapels in Zadrima, which are called bishop's chapels. Mass is celebrated in them a very few times a year because they have no priests of their own, nor vestments. Corpses are occasionally buried in them.
The first among these chapels is Saint Veneranda who is commemorated in the village of Zojz on the day of Saint Anne in mid-July. Many people attend the feast, both Christians and infidels.
The second one is Saint Mark the Evangelist on Mount Deja who is celebrated with great attendance on his feast day in April. It is a large chapel, restored by the aforementioned Merti Buza and his people. It has no land or vestments. Sometimes during the year, the parish priest of Saint Mary of Deja celebrates mass here, taking his own robes with him.
The third is Saint Angelus which is celebrated during Pentecost in the village of Nënshat on the top of a high mountain with many people attending. It has no vestments.
The fourth chapel is Saint Nicholas of Lumesi (Lumës) in the village of Lower Mjeda, which the predecessor transformed from a bishop's chapel into a parish church. It is well situated in a valley, but the Drin has carried off the surrounding land. There are thirty houses comprising 300 souls who hasten hither to receive the holy sacraments. The priest of this parish is Dom Mark Lumësi, an ignorant individual devoid of conscience or obedience to the bishop from whom, with the assistance of the powerful Turks and the secular priests, he stole the parish. He forgot his duties and agreed to give dispensation to a murderer on condition that the latter go to Pult and serve there as a parish priest for the many people in that parish deprived of a priest. This parish has its own monastic cell on land which is not good. It has some vineyards and gardens, but everything is in bad shape due to the lack of attention paid by the said friar Lumësi. The bishop is unable to punish him because, as he is a follower of the said Abbot Nicholas, he runs to the Turks to spread slander. The poor bishop is therefore mistreated because of the false accusations. Let us pray to the heart of Jesus Christ that measures may be taken against the two priests who are corrupting and destroying this diocese. This little parish has mediocre vestments to celebrate mass at the one altar. The priest disposes of thirty quarts of grain and millet with which he can hardly get by.
The fifth is Saint John of Hajmel restored ten years ago by the said Merti. Here mass is celebrated many times a year because it is convenient for the village of Hajmel during rain and bad weather. No one is buried and no children are baptised here. There are no vestments or land, and there are about eighty people living here.
The sixth is Saint George in ruins on a hill. Mass is rarely said here, and only by the parish priest of Lumës. There are no vestments.
The seventh is Saint Veneranda above Succha (Suka), desecrated by the Turks. It is open and there is nothing good which can be said about it. Mass is never said here.
The eighth is Saint John the Decapitated at Calameti (Kallmet). The parish priests of Troshan say mass here six or seven times a year. The four houses of Bardagni (Bardhaj) bury their dead here. It has some land. It has no vestments for celebrating mass. The bishop is wont to visit this chapel several times a year and say mass here.
The ninth is Saint James in Suka on the territory of the aforementioned village of Blinisht near the hillock of the torrent of Lusia. It is in ruins and it must be restored because the people of Blinisht have nowhere to bury their dead, in particular when the Drin floods.
The aforementioned parish churches and chapels were all built with sacrificial altars towards the east and with the main entrances towards the west. Most of them do not hold more than 400 people. They are all covered in tiles, and are low constructions without flooring, without bell towers, but with graveyards at the side. They have no candelabras and are made only of wood. They have no tabernacles. As phials they use little gourds at the altar.
All are painted with Greek pictures, mostly with the Virgin and the Child at her breast, the Apostles and the Greek fathers, Basil, Athanasius, Chrysostom and others.
In none of them can one see the date, nor can one tell for certain who made them because of their age. At the present time it is known that, because many of the churches were destroyed by the Turks and others collapsed with age, they were reconstructed and refurnished by the Christians of Zadrima with the authorization of the sultan.
The graves are divided among the churches by the faithful. Every house has a holy place in the church, some larger, some smaller, in accordance with the work they contributed towards the needs of the church. They place heavy flagstones on the graves, seven palms long, such that it is difficult to walk over them without tripping.
These Albanians mourn their relatives from the depths of their hearts at the moment of their deaths, and in particular when they bear them to their graves, all in the same manner. They tear their clothes and the men scratch their faces with their fingernails until the blood flows in streams. They do not shave for a whole year as a sign of their great sorrow. The women cut their hair and beat their breasts such that, at times, it is difficult to carry out the ceremony because of all the tearful lamentation.
When they bring their dead to church and are approaching, they cry as loudly as they can 'kyrie eleison, kyrie eleison' and then, when the dead have been buried, they all go home to eat at the house of the dead person, and if he had nothing, they gather among themselves. Sometimes, according to whether the family was rich or poor, up to one hundred people, men and women, gather to dine at the house of the dead person. If they do not attend, the relatives of the dead person are greatly offended.
Exhorted by the bishop and the priests, those who are dying leave something every year to the churches. Some leave their vineyards, some their fields and others pay for a mass. The women leave behind tablecloths and blouses, though in coarse cloth and roughly embroidered.
Those who are alive ask the priests every year to say mass for their dead relatives, and almost every household offers them a meal.
Indulgences are given in each of the said parishes every seven to ten years. In the cathedral of Saint Michael, there are perpetual indulgences given in memory of the blessed Gregory XIII. Whenever a priest chosen by the Bishop of Sapa says mass in that cathedral for some soul in purgatory, that soul receives an indulgence (remission and liberation) just as if the said priest had celebrated the mass at the altar of Saint Gregory in Rome. It is necessary for the bishop to visit the said parishes almost every eight days to care for the secular priests and to overcome the defects which the priests there, because of their great ignorance, are wont to commit when caring for souls. The faithful of Zadrima now attend their churches and prayer houses a lot. They are all of Latin rite but are mixed with many Muslims, by whom they are sorely oppressed, as they say.
The poor faithful of Zadrima lead a laborious and austere life because they sleep in the countryside all summer long in order to live off the land. They are exposed to the sun without the protection of headgear. Some are with their hoes in the vineyards, others are with their oxen in the fields, and the women are with scythes to cut the grain, millet, barley and sorghum. Most of them have no wine to drink, only millet bread and water, and sometimes a few vegetables without oil. Nonetheless they fast during the lenten period, on vigils and on their days of devotion. So the years pass. The women in particular drink very little wine on rare occasions during the year. Most of them are without hats and walk barefoot in the mud, over stones and in the ice and snow, and in the summer they are exposed to the heat of the sun. In short, they put up with much suffering. The Albanian race is unspeakably fatigued.
There are no prostitutes in Albania and if any are found out, their parents kill them immediately. There are many illnesses in Albania, among which are: tertian fever in the summer from the foul state of the many ditches, as well as chills from working hard in the cold. There is no gout in Albania. The Albanians sit at table for a long time, from noon to evening, or from evening to midnight. They do not eat all the while, but spend their time drinking and discussing. The arguments and conclusions they draw provide answers to every problem of philosophy. Most of them are very poor, as they are oppressed by the Turks, but there are also some very rich people, not so much with money, but with the extensive and fair property they own. Both rich and poor live in the countryside and in towns. Every year they celebrate the patron saint of their parish church with great expense, inviting their friends and, in particular, their in laws for two or three days. The women are more pious and go to church more often.
They also spend much money on weddings, and subsequently have nothing to live from. Even if there are ten brothers in a family, they all get married and when their offspring are later grown up, the disputes among them begin, and they separate and all go their own way.
The Albanians make accusations against one another with the Turks because of blood feuding, which is the ruin of this country. The present Bishop of Zadrima has written much more about the good and bad habits of the Albanians and about their virtues and vices in other reports sent to the Holy Congregation in 1638 and thereafter.
from
Francus Blancus, Bishop of Sapa,
by his own hand
(1) Nënshat is actually 'Lower Shat', related to Alb. nën 'under, lower' and village of Sat, later Shat.
(2) i.e. Orthodox.
[From: Descrittione et informatione del stato del vescouato et chiese parochiali della Diocese Sappatense. in: Injac Zamputi (ed.): Relacioni i Frang Bardhi mbi Zadrimën, drejtue Kongregacionit të Propagandës në Romë në shek. XVII, in: Buletini për Shkencat Shoqërore, Tirana, 1956, 2, p. 163 192. Translated from the Italian by Robert Elsie. First published in R. Elsie: Early Albania, a Reader of Historical Texts, 11th - 17th Centuries, Wiesbaden 2003, p. 178-194.]
Drin (Drim)
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Drin odn. Drini (hrv. sr. Drim; čir. Дрим; makedonski Дрим) nastaje spajanjem Bijelog i Crnog Drima kod grada Kukeša (alb. Kukës, Kukësi) u sjeveroistočnoj Albaniji.
Crni Drin izvire iz Ohridskog jezera kod Struge i teče kroz istočnu Albaniju i zapadnu Makedoniju. Bijeli Drim izvire iz planine Žljeb (Zhleb), sjeverno od grada Peći u regiji Dukagjin/Metohiji na Kosovu i odatle teče kroz Albaniju. Drin ima dva ušća, što je posljedica bifurkacije - odvajanja jednog rukavca u mjestu Vau-Dejës. Jedan rukavac ide prema jugu, prolazi pokraj grada Lješa (Lezhë) i ulijeva se u Jadransko more. Drugi ide prema zapadu, te se južno od Skadra ulijeva u Bojanu, neposredno nakon njenog izlaska iz Skadarskog jezera. Drugi rukavac je nastao 1858. godine. Od Kukeša do ušća u Jadransko more Drim je dugačak 160 km. Mjereno od izvora Bijelog Drima (srp. Beli Drim; alb. Drini i Bardhë), ukupna dužina rijeke je 335 km, što ga čini najdužom rijekom u Albaniji. Tok Drima od Vau i Dejës do ušća Od Kukeša, Drim teče kroz sjevernu Albaniju, prvo kroz regiju Has (regija u SJ Albaniji i zapadnom Kosovu), zatim se nastavlja nizom umjetnih - akumulacijskih jezera (Fierza, Koman i Vau te Deja), koja opskrbljuju vodom tri velike hidroelektrane. Prosječni godišnji protok Drima dostiže 352 m³/sec, dok je najveći zabilježeni preko 5100 m³/sec. Prolazeći kroz sela Spas, Msi i Fierzë, a zatim, nakon dolaska u regiju Dukagjin, skreće prema jugu, prolazeći kroz Apripë e Gurit, Toplanë, Dushman, Koman, Vjerdhë Mazrrek, Rragam i Pale Lalej. Kod Vau Dejësa ulazi u Veliku skadarsku nizinu (alb. Nënshkodër) i dijeli se na dva kraka. Prvi, koji se jugozapadno od Lješa ulijeva u Drinski zaljev (Gjiri i Drinit) na Jadranu. Drugi se ulijeva u rijeku Bojanu (Buna / Bunë) kod tvrđave Skadar, nakon što se u Drim istočno od te tvrđave ulila rijeka Kir. Iako je to najkraći krak, dug 15 km, ovaj dio koji se ulijeva u Bunu zove se Drini i Madh (hrv. Veliki Drim), jer padne više vode od drugog kraka koji utječe direktno u more (kod Lješa, op.). U more se ulijevao i veliki Drim, ali je promijenio tok nakon velike poplave 1858. godine koja mu je promijenila tok i odnijela ga prema Skadru. Veliki Drim je vrlo širok i donosi velike količine vode (330–340 m³/s), drugi po protoku nakon Bojane; ali budući da je kratak, neke karte ga označavaju kao jezero. Nakon Vau Deja, dugi krak ide južno prema Bushatu, naseljima Mabë, Gjadër i Lješ. Južno od Lješa ulazi u močvarno područje, a zatim se ulijeva u Jadran - to je ušće Drima (alb. Gryk' e Drinit). Sliv Drima obuhvaća prekogranične podslivove Skadarskog jezera (najveće jezero u južnoj Europi), Ohridsko jezero (greološki, jedno od najstarijih jezera na svijetu), Prespansko jezero i Malo Prespansko jezero te također pritoke, poimenično Crni Drim, Bijeli Drim i rijeka Buna. Svi ti podslivovi i pritoci dom su brojnim vrstama sisavaca, vaskularnih biljaka, kukaca, vodozemaca, riba i ptica. 
Veliki Drin i Zadrima
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Poplave na Skadarskom jezeru Poplave na ovom prostoru predstavljaju opasnost za ljude, kao i za biljni i životinjski svijet, a nanose i nesumljivu materijalnu štetu. Poplave većih razmjera dogodile su se 2010. i 2011. godine i izazvale su veliku materijalnu štetu na prostoru Crne Gore i na prostoru Albanije. Tokom 2010. godine jezero je dostiglo najveći ikada izmjereni nivo od 10.44 metara. Ukupna površina sliva Skadarskog jezera je 5490 km2 . Od toga je na prostoru Crne Gore 4460 km2 . Sama površina jezera na godišnjem nivou varira između 370 i 550 kvadratnih kilometara. Kada površina jezera zahvata 505 kvadratnih kilometara, Crnoj Gori pripada 67,3%, odnosno 340 km2 . U vrijeme kada je površina jezera 533 km2 , tada je na prostoru Crne Gore potopljeno 14.550 hektara zemljišta, a na prostoru Albanije 1500 hektara. Upravo je to prostor koji je potopljen 1858. godine skretanjem rijeke Drim u rijeku Bojanu. Poplave oko Skadarskog jezera i toka Bojane moguće je riješiti prije svega regulacijom Drima i regulacijom Bojane. U najvećem dijelu godine rijeka Morača sa svojim pritokama daje najveće količine vode Skadarskom jezeru, pa je vodostaj Jezera pod direktnim uticajem dotoka vode Morače. Međutim, u nepovoljnim hidrološkim uslovima uzrokovanih velikim padavinama, dio voda jezero dobija od rijeke Drim, u periodu kada su kote voda rijeke Drim na njegovom ušću u Bojanu više od nivoa voda Skadarskog jezera. Tada dio njegovih voda skreće na sjever i vododotokom Bojane uliva se u Skadarsko jezero. Dodatni problem predstavljaju i tri velike akumulacije izgrađene krajem šezdesetih godina dvadesetog vijeka na rijeci Drim, koje su u potpunosti izmijenile prirodni režimi voda i nanosa rijeke Drim. Postoje podaci još iz 1846 godine o poplavama do kojih je došlo usmjeravanjem rijeke Kiri prema Bojani, kao iz 1846 godine, kada je dio Drima (Drinjača) skrenut prema toku Bojane, kada su se na graničnom prostor Crne Gore, Albanije i Kosova dogodile velike hidrološke promjene. Iste godine nastale su velike poplave u Zetskoj ravnici, a nivo jezera se podigao preko tri metra. Od tada se na različite načine razmatra ideja o vraćanju Drima u staro korito. Više puta, a još od daleke 1878. godine razmatrane su ideje o mogućim aktivnostima i načinima smanjenja nivoa Skadarskog jezera na prostoru Crne Gore i Albanije. Ovi pokušaji nastavljeni su i posle II Svjetskog rata, ali kao i prethodni, nisu realizovani. Zaključak svih ovih projekata bio je da je u cilju zaštite od poplavljivanja neophodno vratiti dio toka rijeke Drim (Drinjača) u staro korito i obezbjiediti da nivo vode u Skadarskom jezeru varira između 4.5 i 6.5 m nadmorske visine. Na žalost, ne samo da ovi planovi nisu ostvareni, već je cilju izgradnje akumulacije kompletan tok Drima kasnije preveden u rijeku Bojanu. IZVOR NP Skadarsko jezero - Plan upravljanja 2016–2020. godine. Podgorica, 2015. (PDF) |
Bërdica (Brdica)
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Berdica, Brdica odn. albanski Bërdicë je mjesna zajednica, selo i istoimeno brdo južno od Skadra.
Naselja. Postoje tri naselja s imenom Berdica: Bërdicë e Madhe (Velika Berdica), Bërdicë e Mesme (Srednja Berdica) i Bërdicë e Sipërme (Gornja Berdica), te više zaselaka koji pripadaju Berdici. Na Gornju Berdicu, prema sjeveru nastavlja se Bahçallëk, najjužnije gradsko naselje Skadra. Brdo. Brdica odn. Berdica (alb.) je 166 m visoko brdo u močvarnoj nizini 4 km južno od Skadra. Duži naziv brda na albanskom je maja Kalasë Bërdicës ("vrh Berdičke tvrđave"). Kako se radi o osamljenom vrhu, s njega se pruža širok pogled od nizine uz rijeku Bojanu, masiva Rumije, Prokletije, ravnicu Zadrime i dr. Administrativna jedinica. Mjesna zajednica Berdica je jedna od 11 mjesnih zajednica Skadarskog distrikta (Rreth Shkodrës). Nalazi se južno od grada Skadra i ima površinu od 31.02 km². Prema sjeveru graniči s gradom Skadrom, prema jugu mjesnom zajednicom Bushat, prema istoku granica je rijeka Drin (Veliki Drin), na zapadu je rjeka Bojana (alb. Buna) i zajednica Dajc. Povijesni značaj. S vojnog gledišta, Brdica je bio utvrđeni položaj u vanjskom utvrđenom pojasu skadarske tvrđave, poznato po borbama tijekom Prvog balkanskog rata između Srba i Turaka. Nalazi se oko 4 kilometra južno od Skadra između rijeka Drima (Drinac) i Bojane. Bojište se nalazilo na prostoru između Bojane, Drima, Melguškog i Brdičkog visa. |
Bërdicë, naselja i brdo
Izvor: OpenStreetMaps |
Panoramski pogled s utvrde Rozafa u Skadru, prema jugu
U prvom planu je ušće rijeke Veliki Drin u Bojanu, koja zatim nastavlja svoj kratki tok prema Jadranskom moru. Brdo u sredini fotografije je Berdica.
U prvom planu je ušće rijeke Veliki Drin u Bojanu, koja zatim nastavlja svoj kratki tok prema Jadranskom moru. Brdo u sredini fotografije je Berdica.
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Bitka na Brdici
Bitka na Brdici je vojni sukob koji se odigrao 8/9.2.1913. (26/27.1. po julijanskom kalendaru) godine, između Kraljevine Srbije i Osmanskog carstva. Bitka se odigrala u Prvom balkanskom ratu, zbog pomoći crnogorskoj vojsci tijekom opsade Skadra. Srpska vojska je, uz vrlo velike gubitke, bila poražena u ovoj bitci, ali je njome potpomognut Zetski odred, koji je uspio zauzeti položaj Bardanjolt, jer su turske rezerve bile privučene Brdici. Posljedice vojnog neuspjeha bile su upućivanje na Skadar cijelog Primorskog kora srpske vojske. Pozadina Brdički vis je činio dio glavne obrane utvrđenog grada Skadra. Služila je kao utvrđeni položaj u vanjskom utvrđenom pojasu skadarske tvrđave. Samo Bojište se nalazilo na prostoru između Bojane, Drima, Melguškog (Kulmi i Melgushës, 161 m; JI od Brdice) i Brdičkog visa. Turska obrana je imala 4 bataljuna nizama i redifa, s oko 20 artiljerijskih oruđa, odnosno 2-3 bataljuna, s 14 brdskih i 2 poljska topa. U borbi su sudjelovale i sve turske rezerve s Velikog Bardanjolta i 8 topova s Malog Bardanjolta. Imali su dobro utvrđene položaje, cijelo bojište je bilo opasano s 3 reda bodljikave žice, a pojedine, značajnije točke i s 5-6 redova. Prilaz je bio vrlo težak zbog neprohodnog močvarnog zemljišta. Posle zauzimanja Bušatskoga visa 25.1.1913., srpske primorske trupe su imale zadatak da produže napad na Brdicu radi olakšanja glavnog napada, koji je vršio crnogorski zetski odred na Bardanjolt. Tijek bitke 8.2.1913. (26.1. julij. kalend.) započeo je opći združeni srbijansko-crnogorski napad na Skadar. Srpske Primorske trupe su napale položaj Berdicu, a crnogorske Bardanjolt. Srbi su napali na Brdicu s 1 eskadronom, 2 pješačka puka drugog poziva, 2 bataljuna prvog poziva, polovicom bataljuna pionira, 8 brzometnih i 8 sporometnih topova s najvećim dometom od 5,5 km, a u boju nije sudjelovalo (lijeva kolona) 3 bataljuna prvog poziva i 3 bataljuna crnogorske vojske, kao i 2 sporometna topa. Dana 9.2.1913. umorne jedinice Drinske divizije požrtvovano su krenule u juriš na Brdicu u "nepripremljenom i lakomisleno izvedenom noćnom napadu", na nepoznatom močvarnom zemljištu, bez podrške svojeg topnišva, lišene međusobnog sudjelovanja kolona, kidajući lopatama i bajunetima žičane prepreke, ali su doživjele pravu katastrofu. Čitava dva dana su vođene teške borbe ali položaj nije zauzet, a gubici su bili ogromni, pa su dalji napadi prekinuti do dolaska pojačanja. Narodna enciklopedija Srba, Hrvata i Slovenaca (1927.) navodi da su gubici srpske vojske bili: poginulo i nestalo 16 oficira i 475 vojnika, ranjeno i evakuirano 14 oficira i 606 vojnika, zarobljeno 4 oficira i 477 vojnika. Vojna enciklopedija (1970.) navodi da su srpski gubici bili oko 1.000 mrtvih, ranjenih i nestalih. Dr Borislav Ratković, urednik Vojnog leksikona (1981.), navodi da su jedinice Drinske divizije izgubile blizu 1.800 ljudi, skoro petinu od ukupno poginulih u Prvom balkanskom ratu (Srbija je izgubila 22.000 poginulih ili umrlih uslijed bolesti). Dok su pojačanja u vidu novoformiranog Primorskog kora stigla, Velike sile su u Londonu već definitivno odlučile da Skadar pripadne novoformiranoj Albaniji. Zbog ovoga se odustalo od daljih napada na Brdicu. Reakcije Kada su vijesti o brdičkoj katastrofi stigle do Srbije, beogradska "Štampa" je u članku "Bitka na Brdicama" napala strahovitu pogibiju riječima: "Opšte je osećanje, da se tamo nije vodio račun o ljudima. Ljudi su izgubili svoju raniju vrednost i vrede taman onoliko koliko i bundeve.“ Nakon nekoliko dana u istom listu anonimni "stručnjak" (D. Tucović smatra da je u pitanju neki oficir), piše u članku "Jedan zločin": „Svakoga dana izbijaju u javnosti novi jezoviti detalji o strahovitoj kasapinici na koju je izveden naš primorski odred na Brdicama. Vlada, istina, produžava i dalje da ovu krvavu tragediju obmotava najvećom misterioznošću i uvek izbegava da objavi listu gubitaka koje je naša vojska pretrpela u tom mahnitom preduzeću. Ali posle objave našeg izveštaja iz Murićana javno mnenje uzbuđeno je toj meri tim zločinom izvršenim nad srpskom vojskom, da zatajivanja i zatiškavanje više ne pomažu. Na Brdicama palo je u ludo blizu 1300 srpskih vojnika i 39 oficira. Za taj beskorisni pokolj mora neko odgovornost da ponese.“ Kao odgovor na optužbe, vladino glasilo "Samouprava" je priopćilo kako je »pred zoru, 26 januara, komandant primorskoga odreda dobio izrično naređenje od crnogorske Vrhovne Komande da vrši napad na Brdicu«, odnosno svalila je odgovornost za pogibiju na Crnogorce. Napadu na Brdicu se ima blagodariti, po pisanju vladinoga lista, što je položaj Brdanjola pao Crnogorcima u ruke. Komandant Primorskih trupa pukovnik Damjan Popović i komandant Drinske divizije pukovnik Pavle Paunović bili su smijenjeni zbog ovog teškog neuspjeha koji je ogorčio srpski narod. |
Brdo Brdica
Rovovi na brdu Berdica, dio linija obrane Skadra u Prvom balkanskom ratu 1913. Ali je brdička kasapnica vrhunac ovoga bezobzirnoga bacanja ljudi u smrt i avanturističkih bravura bez smisla i ikakvih izgleda na uspeh. Istoriju te kasapnice još uvek obavija taman veo. Skadarska utvrđenja su najmodernijega tipa, jer je Turska naročito polagala da Skadar, kao istaknuti šiljbok na krajnjoj i vrlo važnoj tačci carstva, bude što bolje utvrđen. Rovovi su maskirani, u zemlji, i sagrađeni od betona. Najboljim dvogledima spolja se ništa ne vidi, a kada se otvori borba ne zna se odakle sve vatra ne sipa. Prodiranje napadača sprečava nekoliko nizova različnih prepona, naročito hajdučkih jama koje se mogu staviti pod vodu i bodljikastih žica koje su povezane gvozdenim stubovima utvrđenim u cementnim podlogama. Celo utvrđenje je sada branjeno ne samo pešačkom vatrom iz zaklonjenih rovova već mnogobrojnom artiljerijom, naročito gradskim topovima najvećega kalibra. Da se takva utvrđenja ne osvajaju golim šakama, uz potporu nekoliko brdskih baterija, čak bez ijednoga poljskoga topa, to je mogla proceniti najobičnija vojnička pamet. Pa ipak je napad naređen i 26 januara srpskom narodu priređena jedna od najluđih i najtežih pogibija u celom srpsko-turskom ratu. |
Vau-Deja (Vau i Dejës)
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Vau i Dejës ili Vau-Dejës, Vau-Dejë, Vau i Deja je naselje i općina u sjeverozapadnom dijelu Albanije, nedaleko grada Skadra. Nalazio se u nekadašnjem Skadarskom distriktu danas Skadarskoj općini (Bashkia).
Kroz mjesto protječe rijeka Drim, a u blizini mjesta je i hidroelektrana Vau i Dejës. Stanovnici naselja su katolici. Naselje Vau i Dejës ima 30.438 stanovnika (stanje 2011.). Godine 2015. u nju su uključene prethodno nezavisne općine Bushat (14.149 stanovnika), Hajmel (4430 stanovnika), Shllak (671 stanovnika), Temal (1562 stanovnika) i Vig-Mnela (1509 stanovnika). Nekadašnja općina Vau-Deja imala je 2011. godine 8117 stanovnika (popis iz 2011.). Lokalne vlasti prikazale su znatno veći broj od 12.312 stanovnika (2008.). Zemljopis. Vau-Deja se nalazi desetak kilometara jugoistočno od Skadra na rijeci Drim, što je utjecalo i na naziv mjesta: na hrvatskom znači prijelaz (brod) Deje. Mjesto označava prijelaz između albanske obalne ravnice uz Jadransko more (udaljeno je oko 20 kilometara) i albanskih planina. Drim, najduža rijeka u Albaniji, ovdje izlazi iz planina i dijeli se na dva rukavca. Izgradnjom brane u Vau-Deji stvorena je akumulacija Vau-Deja (alb. Liqeni i Vaut të Dejës). Odmah ispod zida brane nalazi se akumulacija Spathara, koja se koristi za proizvodnju energije za hidroelektranu Ashta. Stara župa se sastojala od urbanog središta i osam sela na površini od 31 četvornog kilometra. Središte je četvrt Laç-Qyrsaçi, koja se nalazi odmah ispod brane na južnoj obali Drina i danas se često jednostavno naziva Qytet (grad). Drugi veliki okrug je Mjeda, dva kilometra zapadno od Laça. Nasuprot ova dva mjesta sjeverno od Drima u podnožju malog brda leži naselje Deja. Zapadno od ovoga nalazi se selo Spathar, također na sjevernoj obali Drima u blizini istoimene akumulacije. U ravnici južno od Mjeda nalaze se sela Shelqet, Koça i Naraç. U rijetko naseljenom brdskom području istočno od Laça nalaze se sela Dush i Gomsiqa i gotovo na drugom kraju rezervoara Karma. Oko polovice stanovnika stare općine živi u selima. Novi dijelovi općine dijelom su u zadrimskoj ravnici, dijelom u gorju koje graniči s istoka. Područje bivše općine se prostire na površini od 468 četvornih kilometara. Sela Vig i Mnela leže u dolini rijeke Gjadër, jugoistočno od Vau-Deje. Vrlo udaljeno gorje Cukali, sjeveroistočno od Vau-Deja uključuje bivši teritorij općine Temal sa selima Koman, Malagji-Kajvall, Kllogjen, Toplana, Vila, Serma, Arra i Telum i općinu Shllak sa selima Kron i Madhë, Beneja , Ukbibaj, Barcolla, Vukjakaj-Gegaj, Palaj-Gushaj i Vukaj. Shllak je bio zapadni dio Cukalija sjeverno od rezervoara Vau Deja, Temal se pridružio na istoku i sjeverozapadno je od rezervoara Koman. Selo Hajmel nalazi se južno od Vau-Deje na sjeveru Zadrime. Nekadašnja općina Hajmel s površinom od 30,6 četvornih kilometara također je uključivala sela Dheu i Lehtë, Pistull, Paçram i Nenshat. Bushat, najveći grad u regiji, nalazi se zapadno od Vau-Deje. Njegovo nekadašnje općinsko područje s 92,7 četvornih kilometara uključivalo je sela Bushat, Shkjeza, Plezha, Kosmaç, Stajka, Ashta, Rranxa, Fshat i Ri, Konaj, Melgushë, Mal i Jushit, Barbullush, Kukël i Hotnej. Povijest Rimljani su u 4. stoljeću izgradili utvrdu u brdima jugoistočno od Vau Deje, u blizini Viga kako bi zaštitili cestu prema Prištini od napada Ostrogota i Vizigota. Sarda (Shurdhahi na albanskom) je još jedna rimska utvrda. Objekt smješten na brežuljku - danas otok u akumulacijskom jezeru - koristili su već Iliri. Naseljavanje gotovo urbanog Sardasa nastavilo se sve do osvajanja Albanije od strane Osmanlija u 15. stoljeću. Godine 1361. sagrađena je crkva u Vau-Deji, koja je jedna od rijetkih nebizantskih, već romaničko-gotičkih građevina u Albaniji. Crkva sv. Marije, koja je bila ukrašena freskama, je uništena. Ostaci crkve sv. Marka iz 14. stoljeća još uvijek se mogu pronaći u srednjovjekovnom gradu. Naselje Vau-Deja, tada nazvano Dagno, bio je važna carinska postaja prije osmanske okupacije. Skenderbeg je zbog njega zaratio s Venecijom. Godine 1052. u regiji je uspostavljena Biskupija Sapa (alb. Dioqeza e Sapës) sa sjedištem u Sapi (grad današnjeg Nënshata malo je južnije), a kasnije u Vau-Deji. Novoizgrađena katedrala posvećena Majci Terezi nalazi se u središtu Laça. Spuštanje ili visoka voda u godinama 1858.-1859. doveli su do toga da je većina vodenih masa Drima pronašla novi put i od tada više ne teče prema jugu i u more kod Lješa (Lezhë), već teče dalje prema zapadu u Bojanu kod Skadra. Gospodarstvo i promet Oko trećine starog općinskog područja koristi se za poljoprivredu. Trećina radno sposobnog stanovništva 2008. bila je nezaposlena. Ima devet osnovnih i dvije srednje škole. Izgradnja brana počela je 1960-ih godina prošlog stoljeća, kasnije je jezero pregrađeno, a 1975. godine puštena je u rad sama hidroelektrana. Hidroelektrana je jedan od najvećih dobavljača električne energije u Albaniji. Turistički potencijal slikovitog jezera Vau Deja jedva je iskorišten. Na njegovim su obalama niknuli izolirani restorani i barovi koji također iznajmljuju sobe. Prilika da se s brodovima posjeti otok Shurdhahi s drevnom Sardom koristi se samo povremeno. Izleti brodom po akumulaciji Koman popularniji su među turistima. Glavna cesta SH 1 od Tirane do Skadra prolazi područjem između Bushata i Vau-Deje. Albanska željeznica ide dalje na istok uz Vau-Deju, gdje prelazi Drim; u Mjedi je željeznička stanica. Osim toga, kroz mjesto prolaze ceste za Puku (SH 5) i Koman. IZVOR Vau-Deja. Wikipedija (de)(sq) 
Akumulacijsko jezero hidroelektrane Vau i Dejës
Autor fotografije: Albinfo, Wikipedija |
Hidroelektrana Vau i Dejës
Hidrocentrali i Vaut të Dejës albanski je naziv hidroelektrane u Albaniji, na rijeci Drim. Nalazi se pored naselja Vau-Dejës. Izgradnja brana počela je 1967. godine, kasnije je jezero pregrađeno. Postrojenje je pušteno u rad 1970. godine, a dovršeno 1975. godine. Brane za akumulaciju se nalaze i u Zadreji i u Qyrsaqu, izgrađene na kaskadi rijeke Drin. Ove brane stvaraju akumulaciju (jezero Vau de Deja) s volumenom od 580 milijuna kubičnih metara vode. Hidroelektrana je jedan od najvećih dobavljača električne energije u Albaniji. Ima 5 turbina kineske proizvodnje, svaka s nominalnim kapacitetom od 52 megavata. Ukupni kapacitet je 260 MW. Završena je 1973. godine. Trenutno ju obnavlja hrvatska tvrtka "Končar". IZVOR Hidroelektrana Vau i Dejës. Wikipedija (sh)(hr) Pristupljeno 5.6.2022. Brane
Za stvaranje akumulacijskg jezera Vau i Deja (Liqeni i Vaut të Dejës) izgrađene su 3 zasebne brane, kako bi se zagradile glavna i dvije poprečne doline:
Hidroelektrana Vau i Dejës
Autor fotografije: Albinfo, Wikipedija 
Crkva u naselju Vau i Dejes prikazana je na poleđini novčanice od 1000 Leka, izdane 1997.
Znameniti ljudi
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Gjadër
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Gjadër je naselje u općini Lezhë. Poznato je po bivšoj zrakoplovnoj bazi, posebno u razdoblju Hladnog rata.
Povijesni pregled. Prema izvješću o posjetu dijelovima Turske, Bara, Albanije i Srbije (1610. godine napisao Marin Bici, barski nadbiskup), Gjadër je u to vrijeme bio selo od osamdesetak kuća, od kojih su veliku većinu naseljavali rimokatolici, dok su u dvije-tri kuće živjeli muslimani. Prema popisu iz 1890. godine rimokatolička biskupija Sapë Gjadër u to je vrijeme imala populaciju od 438 ljudi, od čega 388 katolika i 50 muslimana. Značajne osobe
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Gjon Gazulli alb. Gjin Gazulli, Gjon Gjin Gazulli; lat. Johannes Gasulus / Joannes; hrv. Ivan Gazulić, Ivan Gazul, Ivan Gazoli; srp. Jovan Gazulić (Gjadër, Republika Venecija, 1400. – Dubrovnik, 19.2.1465.) bio je albanski dominikanski fratar, humanist i diplomat, astrolog i astronom. Podrijetlom Albanac. Dominikanac. Gazulli je pohađao škole u Skadru i Dubrovniku, gdje je stupio u dominikanski red. Živio je i radio u dubrovačkom dominikanskom samostanu. Godine 1425. diplomirao je na Sveučilištu u Padovi. U Padovi je i doktorirao (1430). Godine 1432. otputovao je na mađarski kraljevski dvor gdje je pokušao uvjeriti Žigmunda Luksemburškog (Sigismund I.) da podrži albanski otpor protiv Osmanskog Carstva. Svoju je misiju prekinuo 1433., kada su ga pozvali da bude profesor matematike i astronomije na Sveučilištu u Padovi. Godinama kasnije djelovao je kao diplomat na dvorovima talijanskih kneževina (npr. u Tarantu)- Sudjelovao je kao posrednik u bitnim i osjetljivim diplomatskim poslovima za cara Žigmunda, zatim kod slavonskog bana Matka Talovca te kod papa u Rimu, pape Eugena IV. i Nikole V.. Službovao je i kao diplomat Dubrovačke Republike. Zastupao je kao izaslanik i interese Skenderbega, koji je vladao jednom kneževinom na teritoriju koji danas pripada Albaniji te interese Lješke lige. Njegov brat, Pal Gazulli (Pavao Gazulić; 1405. – 1470.) također je bio Skenderbegov diplomat i diplomat Lješke lige u Dubrovniku. Imao je drugog brata po imenu Andrea Gazulli, koji se također spominje kao istaknuti. Djelovao je diljem Europe. Bio je poznat po svom velikom znanju, kako u Italiji, tako i u Mađarskoj. Bio je u vezi s dvorom hrvatsko-ugarskoga kralja Sigismunda i Matije Korvina, koji ga je 1459. kao uglednog astrologa pozvao za dvorskog astrologa. Poziv nije prihvatio, ali je poslao rukopis svojega glavnoga djela, O smjerovima… (De directionibus…), u kojem je iznio svoju metodu podjele neba na nebeske kuće slijedeći metodu astrologa Campana iz Novare. Metoda se naziva Gazulli-Campanova metoda, a Gazulov udio u toj metodi je računska razrada Campanusovog postupka podjele neba na te kuće, vrlo bitni dio horoskopa. Bila je poznata u dva velika europska grada. Utjecala je na jedan jednostavniji postupak određivanja nebeskih kuća, tzv. Regiomontanusov postupak. To je djelo proučavano u znanstvenom krugu Ivana Viteza, a hvalio ga je utjecajan astronom Jan Panonij (Ivan Česmički, Jan Panonac) te molio Gazullija da mu izradi neke astronomsko-matematičke sprave "Ptolomejeve prstene") i pošalje ih u Ugarsku, što kazuje da ih nije bilo lako nabaviti u Ugarskoj, niti ih je tko znao ondje napraviti. Autor je više astronomskih rasprava. Služio se astronomskim napravama koje je sam izradio ili naručio kod dubrovačkih majstora. Poznato Gazulićevo astronomsko djelo je De astrolabii utilitatibus (O koristi astrolaba). Kao matematičar bio u kontaktu s velikim brojem svjetskih znanstvenika, posebice onodobnih matematičara i astronoma. Polemizirao je s matematičarem i liječnikom Johannesom Müllerom Königsbergerom (Regiomontanus, 1436.-1476.). Regiomontanus ga stavlja u isti red s filozofom, teologom i prirodoslovcem, kardinalom Nikolom iz Cuesa. Gazulić je svoja djela slao učenim ljudima koji su bili u krugu kralja Matije Korvina, gdje su Hrvati bili najvažnije ljudstvo, poput velikovaradinskog biskupa i mađarskog primasa Ivana Viteza od Sredne te rečenog Ivana Česmičkog, pečuškog biskupa i hrvatskog bana, inače Vitezovog nećaka. Njegova dugotrajna matematička i astronomska djela napisana su na latinskom. Poznati hrvatski knjižničar Šime Jurić uvrstio ga je u svoju zbirku zaboravljenih hrvatskih latinista (uz njega su uvršteni Dobrić Dobrićević, Matija Vlačić Ilirik, Franjo Niger, Frane Petrić, Šimun Hvaranin). Kao intelektualac skupljao je knjige još za studija u Padovi. Svoje je knjige oporukom ostavio u dubrovačkoj katedrali uz uvjet da se zbirku ne smije dijeliti nego mora ostati cjelovita i dostupna svima. Tako je postao osnivač dubrovačke javne knjižnice, što mu je bila namjera. Zbirka sadrži gramatička, retorička, poetska (diversa volumina librorum spectantia ad facultatem grammaticalem, rhetoricam et poeticam), teološka i djela o kanonskom pravu. *Ne valja brkati Ivana Gazulića (Gjona Gazullija) s istoimenim albanskim katoličkim svećenikom Dom Gjonom Gazulijem kojeg je smaknuo režim Ahmeta Zogua 1927. godine. IZVORI JURIĆ, Šime: Prilozi biografiji Ivana Gazulića. Anali Historijskog instituta u Dubrovniku, 8-9. Dubrovnik, 1962. Gjon Gazulli. Wikipedija (en) Gazulli, Gjin. Hrvatska enciklopedija, mrežno izdanje. Leksikografski zavod Miroslav Krleža, 2021. Pristupljeno 15. 2. 2023. TADIĆ, Jorjo: Johannes Gazulus, dubrovački humanista XV veka. Zbornik Filozofskog faulteta u Beogradu, 8/II. Beograd, 1964. |
Nënshat
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Biskupija Sapa (Sapska biskupija; alb. Dioqeza e Sapës)
Smještena u Albaniji, biskupija Sapa (latinski: Dioecesis Sappensis, albanski: Dioqeza e Sapës) osnovana je 1062. godine i sufragan je nadbiskupije Skadar-Pult. Proteže se duž donjeg toka Drima jugoistočno od gada Skadra i Skadarskog jezera. Rimokatolička biskupija Sapa jedna je od šest biskupija u Albaniji. Ime je dobila po Sapi (tal. Sappa), nekadašnjem gradu uz rijeku Drim, južno od Vau-Deje, gdje se dugo vremena nalazila katedrala biskupije, crkva svetog Mihovila. Sapa je vjerojatno bila pogranična utvrda. Uspostavio ju je 1062. papa Aleksandar II. U starije vrijeme, u 11. stoljeću pripadala je Duklji. Od srednjeg vijeka do 19. stoljeća Sapa je pripadala Barskoj crkvenoj pokrajini (Antivari). U 17. stoljeću male sjevernoalbanske biskupije teško su se mogle popuniti biskupima zbog progresivne islamizacije od strane Osmanlija i često su ostajale upražnjene. Stoga je Sapi u 17. stoljeću pridodana biskupija Sarda (Sardoniki). U to vrijeme ujedinjena biskupija imala je dva važna biskupa, Pjetra Budija (Pjetër Budi, 1621.-1622.) i Franga Bardhija (1637.-1643.), koji su među prvima pisali vjerska djela na albanskom jeziku. Od srednjeg vijeka do 19. stoljeća Sapa je pripadala crkvenoj pokrajini Antivari. Ima oko 100 tisuća vjernika u 29 župa. Druga je po veličini u Albaniji. Sjedište biskupije je mjesto Vau-Dejes. U doba prije turske vlasti sjedište je bilo u naselju Nënshat, u kojem se nalazio samostan i sjemenište. Nakon Drugog svjetskog rata, dolazak komunista na vlast je bio donio teška vremena za ovu biskupiju. Enver Hoxha je oštro nametao radikalni ateizam, a posebno je na udaru bila katolička crkva. Tako su u ovoj biskupiji sjemenište u Nënshatu Hoxhini komunisti dali 1946. zatvoriti sjemenište i biskupsku kuriju. Iako su vjernici odbili zahtjev vlasti za rušenjem crkve, režim je zatvorio i opustošio crkvu. Biskup Sape Gjergj Volaj, koji je stupio na dužnost 1940., bio je zatvoren od strane pripadnika Sigurimija (albanske režimske sigurnosne službe, op.), mučen i ubijen u veljači/februaru 1948. Pod tiranijom komunista nije se mogao imenovati novi biskup. Papa Ivan Pavao II ponovno je uspostavio biskupiju 1990-ih. U proljeće 2002. neke su se albanske karmelićanke iz Hrvatske preselile u Nënshat kod Sape i tamo osnovale kontemplativni samostan. Od početka 2007. godine službu biskupa obnašao je Lucjan Avgustin, koji je preminuo u svibnju 2016. godine. IZVOR Biskupija Sapa. Wikipedija (de)(hr) |
Brdo Sapa, nekadašnje sjedište biskupije
Autor fotografije: Albinfo - Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54051163 |
Blinisht (Bljiništi)
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Blinisht (Blinishti) je selo i bivša općina u lješkom okrugu (Lezhë). Mjesto se nalazi u ravni Zadrime, koju presijeca stari tok Drima. Lješ se nalazi oko dvanaest kilometara južno, Skadar oko 25 kilometara sjeverno, a Jadransko more - odvojeno s dva brda - nepunih deset kilometara jugozapadno. Do 2015. Blinisht je bila zasebna općina (komuna), koja je zatim spojena s ostalim općinama okruga Lezha (Qarku i Lezhës).
Stara župa imala je površinu od 38 četvornih kilometara i prema popisu iz 2011. godine imala je 3361 stanovnika. Lokalne vlasti navode oko 5700 stanovnika. Regija je vrlo ruralna. Uz glavno naselje Blinisht, u kojem živi nešto više od tisuću ljudi (2011.), šest sela Troshan, Fishta, Krajna, Piraj, Baqël i Kodhel također je pripadalo općini ili današnjoj administrativnoj jedinici Blinisht. Sva su ova sela u istočnom dijelu ravnice ili u nižem podnožju brda. Blinisht pripada Zadrimi, plodnoj ravnici koja je, kao katoličko područje, ujedno i etnografska regija. Župu Blinisht - tada Blijnisti - opisao je Frang Bardhi u 17. stoljeću kao najbogatiju i najveću u Albaniji. Opisao je Blinisht kao veliko selo koje svoje bogatstvo duguje 150 kršćanskih obitelji. Tada je jedna od devet zadrimskih crkava bila i u Trošanu. Godine 1639. u Bliništu je otvorena jedna od prvih škola u Albaniji, gdje su franjevci po prvi put učili albanski. U selu Fishta rođen je 1871. franjevac Gjergj Fishta, vjerojatno najznačajniji pjesnik sjeverne Albanije. Danas postoji nova, velika crkva u Bliništu. U popisu stanovništva iz 2011. godine 95,98% stanovnika zajednice se izjasnilo kao katolici. Brza cesta Lješ-Skadar (Lezha-Shkodra; SH1) prolazi zapadno od Bliništa. Budući da je izgrađena nedugo nakon 2000. godine, područje, koje je prije bilo teško dostupno, bolje se razvilo. Albanska željeznica staje u blizini sela Baqël. Toponim potječe od drveća roda Lipa (albanski: bli), koje se često pojavljuje na ovim prostorima. IZVOR Blinisht. Wikipedija (de) |
Blinisht
Pogled na selo i planinu maja e Shitës u pozadini Autor fotografije: Albinfo, Wikipedija |
Troshan
Fishta
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Fishta (također Fishtë) je selo na sjeveru općine Lezha u sjevernoj Albaniji. Mjesto je na istočnom rubu Zadrimskog polja. Broj stanovnika je oko 200. Fishta je do 2015. pripadala općini Blinisht, selu udaljenom oko tri kilometra zapadnije. Općina (komuna) je tada spojena s ostalim općinama okruga Lezha.
Poznati franjevac Gjergj Fishta rođen je u Fishti 1871. i vjerojatno je najvažniji pjesnik sjeverne Albanije. Rodna kuća na južnom rubu raštrkanog sela danas je spomenik kulture. Za razliku od susjednih sela Blinishta na zapadu i Troshana na jugu, zapisi iz 19. i početka 20. stoljeća ne spominju ni selo ni crkvu. Danas se nova crkva nalazi malo jugozapadnije od centra sela pored osnovne škole. Na jugoistoku sela nalaze se dva manja rezervoara za navodnjavanje. Na istoku se sjeverno podnožje planina gorja Skanderbeg (alb. Vargmalet e Skënderbeut) uzdiže do 624 m nadmorske visine. Za vrijeme komunističkog režima u Fishti se nalazio zatvor u koji su bile internirane brojne su obitelji bile zatočene. Asfaltna cesta povezuje selo preko Bliništa s cestom Lezha-Shkodra (SH1). Druga asfaltirana cesta vodi od Vau-Deja kroz sela istočne Zadrime do Lješa. Albanska željeznica staje u selu Baqël, zapadno od Fishte. IZVOR Fishta. Wikipedija 
Gjergj Fishta
23.10.1871 -30,12 .1940. Gjergj Fishta, rođen u Zadrimi, bio je albanski pjesnik, franjevac, borac za nacionalna prava, rilindas (rilindas = aktivist Albanskog nacionalnog pokreta - Rilindja Kombëtare) i prevoditelj. Predsjedao je komisijom na Kongresu u Monastiru, koja je odobrila albanski pravopis. Godine 1921. postao je potpredsjednik albanskog Parlamenta. 1937. godine dovršio je i objavio svoje epsko remek-djelo Gorska gusla odn. Gorska lutnja (Lahuta e Malcís). Lahuta e Malcís (Gorska gusla) Lahuta e Malcís (Gorska gusla) je albanski nacionalni ep. Dovršio ga je i objavio albanski fratar i pjesnik Gjergj Fishta 1937. godine. Ep je na gegijskom narječju albanskog jezika. Sadrži 30 pjevanja s preko 17.000 stihova. Mnogi ga znanstvenici nazivaju albanskom Ilijadom Ali-pašu Gusinjskog prikazuje kao vatrenog junaka. Središnjim je junakom je 8. pjevanja te je jednim od važnih figura 9. pjevanja. IZVOR Lauta e malcis. Wikipedija (hr) PROČITAJ VIŠE BUJUPAJ, Ismet. "Uvijek Bajram, uvijek Uskrs": Poziv na albansko građansko jedinstvo u Gorskim guslama Gjergja Fishte. Anafora 5., br. 1. (2018): 214-214. (PDF)
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Zadrima sa selima Fishta i Troshan
Selo Fishta vidi se u središtu fotografije uz obale obala umjetna jezera. Desno od njih je selo Troshan Autor fotografije: Albinfo, Wikipedija ZANIMLJIVOST
Restoran U selu Fishta nalazi se jedan od najboljih restorana u Albaniji: 'Mrizi i Zanave' (u prijevodu: 'Sjena vila'), smješten usred velikog imanja u selu Fishtë - punog naziva 'Agroturizam Mrizi i Zanave', koje su 2010. godine otvorili Altin i Anton Prenga, pioniri albanskog slow food pokreta. (2022.) |
Krajn (Krajne)
Pirraj
Baqël
Kodhel
Kallmet
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Kallmeti se nalazi 10 km od grada Lješa (Lezhë). Selo sa dvije tisuće stanovnika smješteno je u brežuljkastom predjelu ispod planine Veles (mali e Velës). Ovo selo je drevno naselje koje datira još iz mlađeg kamenog doba. Stanovnici imaju svoju tradiciju koja se razlikuje od drugih područja, počevši od dijalekta i tradicionalne nošnje žena. O drevnoj povijesti ovog sela svjedoče arheološki nalazi kao i crkva sv. Eufemije (kisha Shen Eufemia) koja pripada kraju 13. stoljeća i ranom 14. stoljeću. S lokacije crkve može se vidjeti cijela ravnica Lješkog Drina (Drini e Lezhës) do planine Zefjana (Mali e Zefjanës), Bushata, planine Taraboš (Tarabosh), utvrde (Kalaya e Shkodrës) i grada Skadra.
Svake godine u rujnu, na blagdan sv. Eufemije (Festa e Shen Eufemise), u Kallmetu se organizira Križni put (Udha e Kryqes) s mladima Lješke biskupije. |
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Kisha Shen Eufemise ne Kallmet , LEZHE . Albania
Autor: Ilir Bala Datum objave: 1.9.2021. Opis. Kisha Shen Eufemise ne Kallmet Lezhe Kisha e Shën Eufemisë përmendet për herë të parë në një dokument të vitit 1343, ku Stefan Dushani e rendit në mes të kishave që i jepen Krujës. Po ashtu, në letrën që, papa Innocenti VII, i drejton nga Roma, me 12 nëntor 1404, ipeshkvit të Lezhës, Andrea, i jep atij të drejtën të gëzojë edhe të ardhurat e kishës famullitare të Kallmetit, Shën Eufemisë. Pas pushtimit të Lezhës nga turqit, në vitin 1478, shihet se ipeshkvi i Lezhës nuk qëndron më në qytet, por është zhvendosur në Kallmet. Rreth dy shekuj më vonë, në vitin 1629, ipeshkvi i Lezhës, Benedikt Orsini, e rendit "Shën Eufeminë" e Kallmetit, në listën e kishave të dioqezës së Lezhës. Njëkohësisht ajo përmendet edhe në letrën e ipeshkvit të Sapës, Frang Bardhit, me 8 shkurt 1637 dhe rreth dy muaj me vonë, përsëri në një letër tjetër të po këtij ipeshkvi, me 28 maj 1637. Emri i kishës gjendet sot i shndërruar nga banorët në "Kisha e Shën Misë". Kisha Shën Eufemia ndodhet në fshatin Kallmet, në një lartësi prej 373 metrash, në anën perëndimore të një shkëmbi natyror, me përbërje gëlqerore. Nga vendndodhja e kishës mund të vështrohet e gjithë fusha e Drinit të Lezhës deri në Malin e Zefjanës, në Bushat, mali i Taraboshit, Kalaja dhe qyteti i Shkodrës. Pranë kishës, nga shkëmbi gëlqeror rrjedh një burim uji i bollshëm, i cili është futur në brendësine dhe në oborrin e kishës pasi shihet si ujë pastrues dhe bekues nga besimtarët. Kisha nuk ka absidë, por në vend të saj, një shkëmb i gjallë është përfshirë në brendësinë e kishës në të cilin është gdhendur skulptura e Shën Eufemisë nga skulptori Tonin Prendi.🇬🇧 Church of Saint Euphemia in Kallmet Lezhe The Church of St. Euphemia is mentioned for the first time in a document of 1343, where Stefan Dushani lists it among the churches given to Kruja. Also, in the letter that, Pope Innocent VII, addresses from Rome, on November 12, 1404, to the bishop of Lezha, Andrea, gives him the right to enjoy the income of the parish church of Kallmet, St. Euphemia. After the conquest of Lezha by the Turks, in 1478, it is seen that the bishop of Lezha no longer stays in the city, but has moved to Kallmet. About two centuries later, in 1629, the bishop of Lezha, Benedikt Orsini, listed "St. Euphemia" of Kallmet, in the list of churches of the diocese of Lezha. At the same time it is mentioned in the letter of the bishop of Sapa, Frang Bardhi, on February 8, 1637 and about two months later, again in another letter of the same bishop, on May 28, 1637. The name of the church is found today changed by the inhabitants to "Church of St. Miss." St. Euphemia Church is located in the village of Kallmet, at an altitude of 373 meters, on the west side of a natural rock, with limestone composition. From the location of the church you can see the whole plain of the Drini of Lezha up to Mount Zefjana, in Bushat, the mountain of Tarabosh, the Castle and the city of Shkodra. Near the church, from the limestone rock flows an abundant spring of water, which has been introduced into the interior and the courtyard of the church as it is seen as purifying and blessing water by the believers. The church has no apse, but instead, a living rock is included inside the church in which the sculpture of St. Euphemia by the sculptor Tonin Prendi is carved. |
REPORTAZH/ Kallmeti i Lezhës, fshati me tradita që po orientohet drejt turizmit
Autor: Report TV Datum objave: 14.8.2020. Opis. 10 km nga qyteti i Lezhës ndodhet Kallmeti. Një fshat me dy mijë banor i vendosur në një zonë kodrinore poshtë malit të Velës. Ky fshat është një vendbanim i lashtë që nis që nga epoka e gurit të ri. Banoret kanë traditat e tyre ndryshe nga zonat e tjera, duke nisur nga dialekti, veshja tradicionale e grave. Historinë e lashtë të këtij fshati e dëshmojnë dhe gjetjet arkeologjike si dhe Kisha e Shën Eufemisë, që i përket fund shek. XIII dhe fillim shek. XIV-të. Nga vendndodhja e kishës mund të vështrohet e gjithë fusha e Drinit të Lezhës deri në Malin e Zefjanës, në Bushat, mali i Taraboshit, Kalaja dhe qyteti i Shkodrës. |
Histori shqiptare nga Alma Çupi - Kisha e Shen Eufemise se Kallmetit vend peligrinazhi!
Autor: RTV KLAN Datum objave: 3.11.2019. Opis. www.tvklan.al Reportazh nga Alma Cupi ne KLANHD & TVKLAN |
Gjiri i Drinit / Drimski zaljev
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Drimski zaljev ili Drinski zaljev (albanski: Gjiri i Drinit ili Pellgu i Drinit) je morski zaljev Jadranskog mora uz sjevernu obalu Albanije. Približno srpastog oblika, proteže se od delte Bojane (Buna) na sjeveru, preko lučkog grada Shëngjina (Shëngjin), do rta Rodon (alb. Kepi i Rodonit or Kepi i Skenderbeut) na jugu. Obala zaljeva je plitka, kombinacija pješčanih plaža, pješčanih dina, rtova, slanih i slatkovodnih močvara, estuarija, borovih i obalnih šuma, tršćaka i obalnih livada.
Središnja područja zaljeva su uglavnom dublja od 30 metara, ali najdublji dijelovi su duboki samo 42 metra. Podtlo se uglavnom sastoji od mulja i pijeska. Prosječna temperatura vode iznosi 1,8 °C u veljači/februaru i 23,4 °C u kolovozu/avgustu. Obala zaljeva duga je otprilike 60 kilometara (30 km zračne linije) i prošarana je liticama i plažama natopljenim riječnim priljevima. Regija je drenirana brojnim rijekama i formirala je karakterističan ekosustav i biološku raznolikost. Ime je dobio po rijeci Drim (Drin) koja teče kroz planinsko područje prema obali, međutim, u zaljev utječu još dvije važne rijeke Ishëm i Mat, nešto sjevernije. Osim niza brežuljaka, čiji vanjski vrh čine Kepi i Rodonit, i još jednog niza brežuljaka duž sjeveroistočne obale, obala zaljeva je ravna, a obilježavaju ju prostrana močvarna područja s lagunama, koje neprestano mijenjaju veličinu i oblik. Laguna Patok nalazi se južno od ušća Mat u Fushë-Kuqja, močvara Kune-Vain na ušću Drima i još jedna močvara istočno od ušća Bune u Velipoji. Obala je stoga nedostupna na velikim površinama, čak i ako je obalna ravnica izvan ovih močvara isušena od sredine 20. stoljeća. U sjevernom dijelu uzduž zaljeva proteže se brdo (561 m nadmorske visine) u dužini od nekoliko kilometara, čija je morska obala neizgrađena. Pješčana dina Rëra e hedhur (također Rana e hedhun) nalazi se na padini bila Mali i Rencit. Bioraznolikost zaljeva je relativno bogata i nekoliko zaštićenih područja uspostavljeno je duž obala među kojima su Zaštićeni krajolik rijeke Bune-Velipoja (alb. Peisazh i Mbrojtur Lumi Buna-Velipojë) na sjeveru, Prirodni rezervat Kune-Vain (alb. Rezervati Kunë-Vain-Tale) u središtu i Prirodni rezervat Patoku-Fushë Kuqja (alb. Laguna e Patokut) na jugu. Također je klasificirano kao važno područje za ptice i biljke , jer podržava brojne vrste ptica (IBA) i biljaka (IPA). Regija se uglavnom nalazi unutar slivnog područja rijeke Drim koji je službeno priznat kao važna žarišna točka bioraznolikosti. Zaljev je jedno od najvažnijih mjesta u Jadranskom moru za morske kornjače. Njegove plaže su gnijedišta i mjesto potrage za hranom za 2 važne i ugrožene vrste morskih kornjača, uključujući golemu želvu (lat. Chelonia mydas) i glavatu želvu (lat. Caretta caretta). Osim poznatih ugroženih morskih kornjača, kojih ima u gotovo svim obalama, zaljev ugošćuje kitove poput Cuvierovog kljunastog kita (lat. Ziphius cavirostris) i dupina, među njima i prugastog dupina (lat. Stenella coeruleoalba), rissovog dupina (lat. Grampus griseus) i običnog dobrog dupina (lat. Tursiops truncatus). *Većina rijeka koje se ulijevaju u Zaljev jako je zagađena. Njihova loša kvaliteta vode i smeće - posebice plastika - također ugrožavaju cijeli zaljev. Osobito Ishëm - jer dolazi iz glavnog grada Tirane - donosi mnogo civilizacijskog otpada i smrdljive vode u zaljev. IZVOR Gulf of Drin. Wikipedia (en)(de) |
Položaj Drinskog zaljeva
Na krati naveden kao Drin-Golf 
Drinski zajev iz zraka
Autor: Albinfo, Wikipedija 
Pješčane dine Rana e hedhur
Autor: Albinfo, Wikipedija |
Peisazh i Mbrojtur Lumi Buna-Velipojë (Zaštićeni krajolik rijeke Bojane i Velipoje)
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Zaštićeni krajolik rijeke Bune (Bojane) i Velipoje (albanski: Peisazh i Mbrojtur Lumi Buna-Velipojë) je zaštićeno područje krajolika u sjeverozapadnoj Albaniji, koje obuhvaća ušće rijeke Drin, lagunu Viluni, rijeku Bunu (Bojanu) s njezinim ušćem i Drinski zaljev koji se nalazi ispred grada Velipojë u Jadranskom moru.
Međunarodna unija za očuvanje prirode (IUCN) označila je park kao kategoriju V i dalje je prepoznata kao močvara od međunarodnog značaja prema Ramsarskoj konvenciji. Budući da je dio Europskog zelenog pojasa, krajolik je, osim toga, važno područje za ptice i biljke, jer podržava izvanredno ugrožene i endemične vrste ptica i biljaka. Protežući se između visokih dinarskih planina i Sredozemnog mora, rijeka Bojana (Buna) je izljev Skadarskog jezera, najvećeg jezera u južnoj i jugoistočnoj Europi, koje u konačnici teče kroz rijeku dok se ne ulije u Jadransko more. Krajolik je u to doba bitan migracijski koridor za stotine životinjskih vrsta između Jadranskog mora i kopna. Regija je izričito obilježena relativno ravnim i niskim krajolikom s aluvijalnim šumama, suhim travnjacima, močvarama i grmljem, estuarijima, slatkovodnim močvarama i plažama. Klima krajolika je pod jakim utjecajem Jadranskog mora na zapadu i Prokletija na sjeveru. Prema Köppenovoj klimatskoj klasifikaciji, ima mediteransku klimu koju karakteriziraju topla do suha vruća ljeta i blage vlažne do kišne zime. Na zaštićenom području postoji izvanredna raznolikost divljih vrsta. Zlatni čagalj (Canis aureus) sisavac iz porodice pasa se pojavljuje u šumama i močvarama riječnih poplavnih nizina. Obala, prošarana pješčanim dinama, nudi sjajne mogućnosti za hranjenje smeđeg medvjeda. Dobri dupin (lat. Tursiops truncatus) identificiran je unutar voda zaštićenog područja i preferira obalne vode i riječne delte. Ipak, dvije su vrste izvanredne, Golema želva (Chelonia mydas) i Glavata želva (lat. Caretta caretta) koje se gnijezde na plažama zaljeva. Dalmatinski pelikan (lat. Pelecanus crispus), najveća vrsta pelikana, koristi solane u ovome području kao hranidbena staništa tijekom jeseni. IZVORI Buna River Velipojë Protected Landscape. Wikipedija (en); Peizazh i Mbrojtur "Lumi Buna-Velipojë". Bashkia Shkoder Podaci o zaštićenom području
Položaj
Površine. Rijeka Buna Zaštićeni vodno/kopneni krajolik rijeke Bune ima ukupnu površinu od 23.027 ha, a sastoji se od:
Centralno područje
Klima
Važna staništa
Vegetacija i flora Na ovom području flora je vrlo bogata, populus, salix, pinus, fraxinus, alnus, paliurus, nimphea alba phragmites, juncus itd. Vrijedno je spomenuti rijetku vrstu Querqus robur koja je u opasnosti od izumiranja. Šumska vegetacija u doslovnom smislu može se naći na obalama rijeke u rezervatu Velipoja, otocima Ada i Franc Jozef, u selima Reç, Sutjel, Shënkoll i na otoku Bahçallek. Vegetacija ovih šumskih područja uglavnom se sastoji od nekoliko vrsta topola, vrba, jasena, hrastova, kao i ogrozda, bagrema, šaša, skota, krkavine i dr. Vegjetacioni dhe Flora Ne kete zone flora eshte shume e pasur, populus, salix, pinus, fraxinus, alnus, paliurus, nimphea alba phragmites,juncus etj vlen te permedim nje specie e rralle qe eshte Querqus robur e cila eshte ne rrezik zhdukje. Bimësi pyjore në kuptimin e mirëfilltë, gjejmë në brigjet e lumit në Rezervatin e Velipojës, Ishullin Ada dhe Franc Jozef, në fshatrat Reç, Sutjel, Shënkoll dhe në ishullin e Bahçallekut. Bimësia e këtyre sipërfaqeve pyjore përbëhet kryesisht nga disa lloje plepash, shelgjesh, frashëri, dushqesh e gjithashtu nga rrushkulli, akacia, thana, shkoza, marina, etj. Fauna zaštićenog područja Rijeka Buna, rezervat Velipoja, močvara Domni, laguna Viluni puni su ptica. Broj vrsta i jedinki: Najveći broj vrsta je 47 vrsta. Najviše jedinki imaju vrste Fulica atra (1089) i Larus ridibundus (319). Status vrste prema IUCN-u: Status prema IUCN-u 2015 vrsta ptica izbrojenih tijekom 2004. – 2015. (zimski aspekt) u zaštićenom području rijeke Bune (Albanija) je 59 vrsta (od ukupno 61 vrste).
Fauna e “Lumi Buna-Velipojë” Lumi Buna, Rezervati i Velipojës, Këneta e Domnit, Laguna e Vilunit, janë plot me shpendë. Numri i specieve dhe individëve: Numri më i madh i specieve është 47 specie. Numri më i madh individëve e kanë specie Fulica atra (1089) dhe Larus ridibundus (319). Statusi i specieve sipas IUCN: Statusi sipas IUCN 2015 i specieve të shpendëve të numëruara gjatë 2004 – 2015 (aspekti dimeror) në Zonën e Mbrojtur të Lumit Buna (Shqipëri) janë 59 specie (nga totali prej 61 speciesh).
Vertebrorët
Kralježnaci
Dobri dupin (lat. Tursiops truncatus) voli morske obale i riječne delte. U prodelti rijeke Bune viđeno je 8 takvih dupina, dok je uz rijeku, u toplim godišnjim dobima, viđeno 12 takvih dupina. Glavata želva (lat. Caretta caretta) pronađena je u rijeci Bojani čak u blizini Muriqana. Ova vrsta kornjače dolazi na pješčane obale mora kako bi odložila jaja, ali ovaj slučaj je rijedak u rijeci Buni, samo 7 km blizu Skadra. |
Pukinja (lat. Juniperus macrocarpa; Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. Macrocarpa)
Autor Christophorus Plantinus.; Clusius, Carolus; Du Chesne, Joseph; Guenther, Johann - https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/pageimage/7813911, Javno vlasništvo, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44524836 Pukinja (lat. Juniperus macrocarpa) je vrsta biljke iz roda Juniperus rasprostranjena diljem sjevernog dijela Mediterana.
Opis. Raste u obliku manjeg grma visokog 2-5 metara, poprilično rijetko kao stabalce visoko do 14 metara. Listovi su igličasti, dosta mekani, 12-20 milimetara dugi, a široki tek 2-3 milimetra. Češer je bobičast, mesnat, te dosta krupan. Promjera je 1.2-1.5 centimetara. Boja mu je crvenosmeđa ili tamno sivosmeđa, bez sjaja. Sastavljen je od tri do šest ljusaka. U bobičastom češeru nalaze se po tri sjemenke. Pukinja je vrlo slična smriču, pa ju neki autori smatraju njezinom podvrstom, iako nedavna genetička proučavanja pokazuju da se njihov DNK razlikuje. Stanište. Obično raste na obalnim područjima pješčanih sipina do 75 metara nadmorske visine. Raste dosta sporo, te je osjetljivija na niske temperature od smriča, ali može podnositi veliku sušu. Stanište Juniperus macrocarpa proteže se duž obale Sredozemnog i Crnog mora u sjeverozapadnoj Africi, južnoj i istočnoj Europi i Maloj Aziji. Rasprostranjenost se proteže od južnog Portugala prema istoku do Cipra ili s Bugarskom, Ukrajinom i Turskom. U Hrvatskoj raste u vazdazelenim šumama hrasta crnike, znatno rjeđe u listopadnim šumama. Češća je u makijama dalmatinskih otoka nego na obalnom području. Može se naći i u Istri. Sinonimi
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Shëngjin
Pogled iz zraka na Shëngjin
Autor: Albinfo, Wikipedija |
Shëngjin (srp. Sveti Jovan ili Sveti Jovan Medovski, talij. San Giovanni di Medua, ponekad samo Medova / Medovo) je primorski lučki i turistički grad na obali Jadranskog mora i središte istoimene općine u Lješkoj oblasti.
Shengjin je jedina luka u Drimskom zaljevu. Tamo postoji još jedan mali zaljev, Gjiri i Shëngjinit. Luka služi kao pomorska baza. Tu se također pretovara nafta i služi kao baza nekim ribarima. Ribolov s vršama također se često koristi u plitkoj vodi. Lovi se oko 60 vrsta. Shëngjin i susjedna Velipoja su se posljednjih godina razvili u važna primorska odmarališta. Duž dugih pješčanih plaža izgrađeni su brojni hotelski kompleksi u kojima se ljeti odmaraju osobito Albanci iz unutrašnjosti i s Kosova. |
