Kalaja e Ali Pashës

Albania, Albania

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Kalaja e Ali Pashës, or “Ali Pasha Castle,” is a historic fortress in Albania associated with the powerful Ottoman ruler Ali Pasha of Tepelenë, who used it as a residence until 1820.

There are actually two major sites with this name: one on a small island at the mouth of the Vivari Channel near Ksamil and Butrint, and another in the town of Tepelenë in southern Albania, both rebuilt and expanded by Ali Pasha in the early 19th century. The Tepelenë castle, sometimes called Kalaja e Tepelenës, covers about 4–5 hectares, is built on a strategically strong position north of the town, dates originally to Venetian and later Ottoman periods, and was reconstructed by Ali Pasha in 1819 with three towers and three entrance gates, remaining his second residence until 1820.

The island fortress near Ksamil was originally built by the Venetians in the late 15th or early 16th century as a stronghold to control Butrint and the surrounding waters, was seized by Ali Pasha in 1804, and later rebuilt in 1819 with three towers, also serving as his second residence until 1820, and today it is a scenic island landmark accessible by boat with views of the Ionian Sea and Butrint National Park.

Both castles are important cultural and historical monuments in Albania, reflecting the military strategy and regional power of Ali Pasha as well as the layered Venetian–Ottoman history of the region, and they are now popular stops for tourists exploring the southern coast and inland heritage sites of Albania.