History:
Kaninë Castle (Albanian: Kalaja e Kaninës) is a castle in the village Kaninë near Vlorë, in southwestern Albania. This castle was built in the village with the same name which is about 6 kilometres (4 mi) from Vlorë. The castle rises on the side of the Shushica Mountain, about 380 metres (1,250 ft) above sea level. The castle was built on the site of an ancient settlement, one of the oldest in the Vlora region. The castle is believed to have been erected in the 3rd century B.C. In the 4th century B.C. the castle was transformed into a fortress town. In the 6th century A.D. the castle was reconstructed by Justinian I. The castle was the center of the Principality of Valona in the 14th century.The settlement covers an area of 3.6 hectares.
Kaninë Castle is situated above the village of Kaninë about 6 KM from Vlorë. The castle was built in the 3rd century BC on the site of an ancient settlement. 100 years later the castle was changed into a fortress town. It would have served as a military post initially for the Roman Empire. In the 6th century A.D. the castle was reconstructed by Justinian I as part of program to strengthen the defenses of the Balkan Region.
In 733 ecclesiastical jurisdiction in the former Praetorian prefecture of Illyricum is transferred to the patriarch of Constantinople. In the 11th and 12th centuries Vlorë played a central role in the conflicts between the Norman Kingdom of Sicily and the Byzantine Empire. The castle was the center of the Principality of Valona in the 14th century. In the 13th century the Principality of Valona, on the coast of modern Albania, was frequently contested over between the Byzantines and various Italian forces. Lastly, Byzantium conquered in ca. In 1290, it was one of the Balkans ‘ main imperial holdings.
It sits 380 metres above sea level on Shushica Hill, and covers nearly 4,000 acres, covering the small Kanine town.
