Established by the Romans over 2 thousand years ago, the Albanian city of Elbasan holds a rich legacy, including a majestic medieval fortress being the main attraction of the city. The powerful stone citadel was created under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, by order of Mehmed the Conqueror, to be exact, in the 15th century. Back then, the Ottoman Turks were fighting the so-called League of Lezhe, led by the great Skanderbeg, who, as a result, became Albania’s national hero. It was for the fight against Albanian kings that the Ottoman warriors built defensive fortifications in Elbasan.

The fortress turned out great, with sturdy thick walls shaped like a regular square. Its high stone walls connected 26 watchtowers. Not a single medieval fortress in the Balkans had as many towers. The Turks worked hard and strived for quality. It’s rare to see such a thorough masonwork in Ottoman defensive fortifications. Unfortunately, the ancestors couldn’t ensure the survival of all the towers.

Besides several towers, an arch gate in the style that Ottoman architects borrowed from their Byzantine predecessors has survived as well. However, unlike Byzantines, who used plinthite as the main material, the Turks used it merely as a decoration for selected elements. Today, when admiring the ancient fortress, it’s hard to tell if it is built over nothing, or if it is based on an older Byzantine citadel. Historians haven’t arrived at a single conclusion yet too. However, the fact that its serrated edges are fairly recent is unquestioned.

The medieval atmosphere prevails inside the fortress itself. Almost all the citadel's buildings are old and faded, roads are paved with cobblestones. It’s quiet and peaceful, perhaps because most buildings have been long abandoned and forgotten, therefore, the fortress can be considered an open-air museum of Elbasan.