Margariti: Most of the works on the fortification walls in the fortress of Ishmi have been completed

Ishmi Castle is one of the cultural heritage sites, which is being restored within the "EU4Culture" program. The Minister of Culture Elva Margariti says that most of the works on the fortification walls have been completed. "Built in the years 1572-1574, its ruins were declared a category I monument in 1977. In front of the entrance to the castle is the tomb of the famous Albanian painter, Ibrahim Kodra. The castle is undergoing restoration thanks to the EU4Culture project, funded by the EU and implemented by UNOPS in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture. Most of the works on the fortification walls have been completed and the restoration is continuing with the consolidation of the terrain and landscape inside the castle", writes Margariti on social networks. In the eastern part of the castle, part of the municipality of Durrës, you can see the Ishmi plateau and the Krujë-Dajt mountains, while to the west, the Ishem river delta, the Rodon cape and a part of the Adriatic coast. Due to its strategic position, the fortress served as an important bastion of Ottoman defense. Built in 1572-1574, it was widely used by the Ottoman army to control and protect the roads from insurgents and to prevent illegal trade with the Republic of Venice. When the Ottoman Empire fell apart, the castle was abandoned. It is also worth noting that in front of the entrance to the castle is the grave of the famous Albanian painter, Ibrahim Kodra. A small space, but with a lot of history! The "EU for Culture" project is one of the largest cultural heritage projects, which is financed by the European Union (EU), with a total budget of 40 million euros and is implemented by UNOPS in close partnership with the Ministry of Culture. This project covers the entire territory affected by the earthquake of November 26, 2019. In addition to restoration, the project will invest in the revitalization of selected cultural heritage sites, including the improvement of services and site conditions.