Pogradec Castle

The ruins of Pogradec Castle sit on a rocky hill above the town, offering views across the lake and down into Pogradec itself. The castle is poorly preserved — mostly low wall foundations and a few standing fragments — but the hilltop setting is the point. The walk up from the town takes about 30 to 40 minutes on a rough path, and the views from the top over Lake Ohrid, with North Macedonia visible on the opposite shore, are among the best available in this part of Albania.

The castle dates originally from the Illyrian period and was rebuilt during Byzantine times. It was the town's main defensive position during the medieval period and was fought over during both World Wars. Reaching the castle requires a bit of scrambling over rough ground near the top, and the ruins themselves offer limited historical interpretation. The main reward is the panorama and the walk through the pine scrub above the town.

things to do sight
A story
Pogradec Castle sits on a hill whose Slavic name — Gradishta, meaning "the fortified place" — is the root of the town's name. The Slavic settlement grew up beneath the fortress, the Albanian name Pogradec meaning literally "beneath the castle." The castle itself was built by the Illyrian tribe of the Encheleae, who controlled this shore of the lake before the Roman conquest, and expanded during the Byzantine period.