SHKODRA

Historically known as Scutari or Scodra. The city is surrounded on three sides by the rivers Kir in the east, Drin in the south and Buna in the west. The lake, named after the city of Shkodër, is the largest lake in Southern Europe close to the Adriatic Sea. As the largest city in northern Albania, the city is the main road connection between the Albanian capital, Tirana and Montenegrin capital Podgorica. In this city is one Castle called Rozafa.This name belongs to a girl that was sacrificed herself for the castle. This castle has a legend wich explains its constructions. The story tells about the initiative of three brothers who set down to build a castle. They worked all day, but the foundation walls fell down at night. They met a wise old man who seems to know the solution of the problem asking them if they were married. When the three brothers responded positively, the old man said:“     If you really want to finish the castle, you must swear never to tell your wives what I am going to tell you now. The wife who brings you your food tomorrow you must bury alive in the wall of the castle. Only then will the foundations stay put and last forever.”The three brothers swore on besa to not speak with their wives of that happened. However the two eldest brothers broke their promise and quietly told their wives everything, while the honest youngest brother kept his besa and said nothing. The mother of the three brothers knew nothing of their agreement, and while the next afternoon at lunch time, she asked her daughters-in-law to bring lunch to the workers, two of them refused with an excuse. The brothers waited anxiously to see which wife was carrying the basket of food. It was Rozafa, the wife of the youngest brother, who left her younger son at home. Embittered, the youngest brother explained to her what the deal was, that she was to be sacrificed and buried in the wall of the castle so that they could finish building it, and she didn’t protest but, worried about her infant son, she accepted being immured and made a request: I have but one request to make. When you wall me in, leave a hole for my right eye, for my right hand, for my right foot and for my right breast. I have a small son. When he starts to cry, I will cheer him up with my right eye, I will comfort him with my right hand, I will put him to sleep with my right foot and wean him with my right breast. Let my breast turn to stone and the castle flourish. May my son become a great hero, ruler of the world. Also another reason to visit this place is traditional food.In Shkoder u can find to many traditional dishes like eggs pottage,Trator,Lakuriq,Ferliku. Also an known fish in Shkodra Krapi is very delicious here.