Berat County

Coordinates: 41°44′N 19°59′E / 41.733°N 19.983°E / 41.733; 19.983
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Berat County
Qarku i Beratit (
Tomorr Mountain
Flag of Berat County
Flag
Official logo of Berat County
Emblem
Map of Albania with Berat County highlighted
Map of Albania with Berat County highlighted
Coordinates: 41°44′N 19°59′E / 41.733°N 19.983°E / 41.733; 19.983
Country Albania
SeatBerat
Subdivisions
5 municipalities:
Government
 • Council chairmanFatlli Adilaj (
8th of 12
NUTS CodeAL031
Websitewww.qarkuberat.gov.al

Berat County (Albanian pronunciation:

Republic of Albania. It is the ninth largest by area and the ninth most populous of the twelve counties, with around 119,450 people within an area of 1,798 km2 (694 sq mi).[2] The county borders the counties of Elbasan to the north, Korçë to the east, Gjirokastër to the south and Fier to the west. It is divided into five municipalities, Berat, Dimal, Kuçovë, Poliçan and Skrapar, with all of whom incorporate twenty-five administrative units.[3]

History

Archaeologists have found artifacts including silver women's earrings and bronze belt-buckles in

Gjilan) and northwestern Greece (Pogoni).[4]

Antipatrea (

Antipatreia, who named it after his father Antipater at 314 BC.[6] An ancient Greek fortress and settlement are still visible today.[7] Dassaretae tribe existed in the area,[8] as early as the 6th century BC. It was captured by the Romans in the 2nd century BC. Livy (31.27.2) describes Antipatrea as a strongly fortified city in a narrow pass that the Romans sacked and burned. The city was composed of two fortifications on both banks of the Osum River.[9]

Historical manuscripts such as the 6th century

National Archives of Albania are from Berat, indicating its historical importance.[9][11]

The town of Berat became part of the unstable frontier of the

Slavs and other tribes. During the Byzantine period, it was known as Pulcheriopolis.[9]

The

Michael I Ducas, the ruler of the Despotate of Epirus.[9]

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

In the latter part of the 13th century, Berat again came under the control of the Byzantine Empire. In 1272 Berat was captured by the forces of the

Charles I of Naples; they sent the letters to Charles as a sign of their loyalty.[12]

In 1274 Michael VIII recaptured Berat and after being joined by Albanians, who supported the Byzantine Empire marched unsuccessfully against the Angevin capital of Durrës.[13]

In 1280–1281, the

Lordship of Berat.[15][16] Serbs took control of the area in 1345.[9]
Later, it passed back into the hands of Muzaka, restoring the Lordship, until 1450.

The

Janina (Yanya) vilayet. During Ottoman rule, it was known Arnavut Belgradı in Turkish
(meaning "Albanian Belgrade") at first and then Berat.

During the early period of Ottoman rule, Berat fell into severe decline. By the end of the 16th century, it had only 710 houses. However, it began to recover by the 17th century and became a major craft centre in the Ottoman Balkans, specializing in wood carving. During the 19th century, Berat played an important part in the Albanian national revival.[9] It became a major base of support for the League of Prizren, the late 19th century organisation which was pro-Albanian independence.

Between 1912 and 1914, it was under the control of the Albanian provisional government, and controlled by the

Republic of Albania
.

Geography

Tomorr is an anticlinal of limestone.

Berat is one of 12

above sea level.[18] It lies between latitudes 41° N, and longitudes 20° E. The county area is 1,798 km2 (694 sq mi) and the ninth unit of the Albanian county in area and the fifth in the Southern Region. Alone among the counties, Berat neither borders the sea nor another country. It is limited to the counties of Elbasan to the north, Korçë tn the east, Gjirokastër to the south and Fier
to the west.

The Osum Canyon is thought to have been formed 3 million years ago by water erosion.

The physical relief of the south of the county is dominated by

Osum river on Tomorrs west side, which is 915 metres (3,002 ft) deep in a limestone formation, is where Berat is situated on stepped terraces. The north is comprised mostly by lowlands and the Myzeqe
plain. The valley of the Osum river flowing from southeast to the northwest becomes also wider.

The county is home to the source of the

Osum and Devoll rivers. The Osum river flows through the Osum canyon and the city of Berat, where the river has formed the narrow Gorica gorge.[20] The river banks tend to be densely forested. Other notable rivers include the Çorovoda river, passing through the town of Çorovodë.[9][21]

The geographical formations of the region are frequently mentioned in local

folklore. According to legend, Tomorr personified a giant who fought his brother Shpirag, personified by a nearby mountain, for the love of a young woman.[11] The two brothers fought bitterly for her affections and ended up killing each other. Deep in sorrow, the legend states, the grieving woman for whom they had contested wept over their deaths; her tears created the Osum river.[9][11][22] She was then said to have turned to stone, becoming the foundation on which Berat Castle is now built.[11]
Both Tomorr and Shpirag are visible from the city of Berat.

The county experiences a

microclimates in the county such as alpine climate.[21] Summers are generally dry while heavy rains are experienced during the winter. Climate conditions near Berat are conducive to farming and related agricultural industries.[21] Mean monthly temperature ranges between 6.5 °C (43.7 °F) (in January) and 24 °C (75 °F) (in July).[20]

Tomorr National Park
.

Demography

Population growth of Berat County in selected periods
Year 2001 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2020
Pop.192,667188,982172,383153,077141,114127,431122,003
±% p.a.—    −1.91%−2.27%−2.93%−2.01%−2.52%−2.15%
Source: [24]

According to the last national census from 2011 this county has 141,944 inhabitants. Ethnic groups in the county include:[25]

Roman Catholics) (1.15%). Albanians in Berat speak the Tosk
dialect of the Albanian language.

Culture

Berat has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites since 2008.

The main religions in Berat are Islam and Christianity. The landscape of a mixture of minarets of mosques and grand orthodox churches and chapels are a testament to the religious coexistence of Berat inhabitants.[26] In the Middle Ages, Berat was the seat of a Greek Orthodox Bishpric, and today Aromanian and even Greek speakers can be found in the city and some surrounding villages.[27] In 2008, Berat was added to UNESCO's World Heritage list as an example of the coexistence of religions and cultures.[28]

Albanian iso-polyphony was recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage
of Humanity.

The

Virgin Mary. The bishop's throne and pulpit are also of considerable quality.[9][26]

Near the street which descends from the fortress is the

Dulcigno (present day Ulcinj) who created controversy among his followers upon his conversion to Islam.[9][26] Folk music culture exists in Berat County and the performers often wear traditional dress.[9]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Berat County.

References

  1. ^ "Population on 1st January by prefecture and sex" (PDF). INSTAT. 7 May 2021. p. 6.
  2. ^ Popullsia e Shqipërisë (Report). Institute of Statistics (Albania). 1 January 2021. p. 6. Retrieved 2021-08-16.
  3. ^ "Law nr. 115/2014" (PDF) (in Albanian). p. 6366. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  4. ISBN 978-90-04-16286-0
    . Retrieved 11 January 2011.
  5. ^ Polybius. Ἱστορίαι  (in Greek). Vol. 5 – via Wikisource.
  6. ^ Epirus: the geography, the ancient remains, the history and topography of ... by Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière Hammond, "founded Antipatreia in Illyria at c. 314 BC"
  7. ISBN 0-521-23348-8
    , page 423, "These Dassareti not to be confused with the Greek speaking Dexari or Dessaretae."
  8. ^ The Illyrians by John Wilkes, page 98, "the Dassaretae possessed several towns...Chrysondym, Gertous or Gerous."
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Berat". Albanian Canadian League Information Service. Archived from the original on 2011-01-10. Retrieved 2010-09-07.
  10. ^ Pierre Batiffol, Les manuscrits grecs de Berat d'Albanie et le Codex Purpureus Φ, Paris 1886.
  11. ^ a b c d "The Castle". Castle Park. Archived from the original on December 26, 2010. Retrieved September 5, 2010.
  12. ISBN 978-0-521-13089-9
    . Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  13. ISBN 978-0-8122-1620-2
    . Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  14. ^ Norwich, John Julius. The Decline and Fall of the Byzantine Empire. (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1996) p. 246-247
  15. ISBN 978-88-8492-466-7
    , p. 134 "In 1337 the Albanians of Epirus Nova invaded the area of Berat and appeared for the first time in Epirus".
  16. ISBN 978-0-8155-5047-1
    , p. 61 "By 1335 they were in possession also of the area between Berat and the Gulf of Valona"
  17. ^ The New American encyclopaedia: a popular dictionary of general ..., Volume 1. D. Appleton. 1865. p. 354. Retrieved 2010-09-07.
  18. ^ "PUNOJME PER ZHVILLIMIN RAJONAL" (PDF). qarkuberat.gov.al (in Albanian). p. 19. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-10-14. Retrieved 2017-10-13.
  19. ^ "Albanian Tourist Information" (PDF). Republic of Albania. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-06. Retrieved 2010-09-07.
  20. ^ a b "Strategjia Territoriale" (PDF). planifikimi.gov.al (in Albanian). p. 20. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-10-14. Retrieved 2017-10-13.
  21. ^ a b c "Economic Development of the City of Berat" (PDF). Agenda Institute. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-11-05. Retrieved 2010-09-07.
  22. ISBN 1-85065-570-7
    , p. 253.
  23. ^ National Environment Agency of Albania. "PERMBLEDHJE JOTEKNIKE" (PDF). akm.gov.al (in Albanian). p. 13.
  24. ^ "Popullsia në 1 Janar sipas qarqeve dhe gjinisë 2001–2020" (in Albanian). Instituti i Statistikës (INSTAT). Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  25. ^ "2011 census results" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2015-05-25.
  26. ^ a b c "UNESCO.orgHistoric Centres of Berat and Gjirokastra". Unesco.org. Retrieved 2010-09-07.
  27. ISBN 978-0-7156-3201-7
    , p. 29.
  28. ^ Berat as an example of the co-existence of religions and cultures (in Albanian)
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