Lezhë District

The ancient Illyrian city of Lissus, one of the major strongholds of the Labeatai tribe, situated on a 413-metre hill near the mouth of the Drin River in northwestern Albania. The earliest fortification walls are of typical Illyrian construction with large limestone blocks, dated to the late 4th-3rd century BC, serving both defensive and trade-monitoring functions along the Adriatic coast. Excavations have revealed remains of towers, cisterns, and defensive walls spanning multiple civilizations. In 1444, the site hosted the League of Lezhe, where Skanderbeg united Albanian princes against the Ottoman Empire, a foundational event in Albanian national identity.