Peqin Castle

The Peqin Castle is a ruined Ottoman Turkish castle in Peqin, Albania [1]. The foundations of the castle are thought to date from the Roman period, the time of the construction of the Via Egnatia [1]. Its walls at one point had a height of around 12 metres [1]. The castle was later rebuilt and expanded during the Turkish occupation of Albania, at which time it was passed into the control of the Sipahi of the local fief, who added a palace and a harem [1]. The last resident of the castle was Demir Pasha [1]. The castle was equipped with tunnels which served as exits several km away from the city in difficult times [1]. Clay pipes have been found in the walls of the castle, which archaeologists believe is an indication that water was supplied from outside the castle during wartime [1].