Lushnjë
Lushnjë (Albanian pronunciation: [ˈluʃɲə]) (Lushnje (ˈluʃɲe) in Lushnjë's own dialect) is a town and a municipality in Central-West Albania. It is located in the County of Fier.[1] The municipality was formed at the 2015 local government reform by the merger of the former municipalities Allkaj, Ballagat, Bubullimë, Dushk, Fier-Shegan, Golem, Hysgjokaj, Karbunarë, Kolonjë, Krutje and Lushnjë, that became municipal units. The seat of the municipality is the town Lushnjë.[2] The total population is 83,659 (2011 census), in a total area of 372.72 km2.[3] The population of the former municipality at the 2011 census was 31,105.[4]
Histroy
The town was founded in late medieval times by a widow called Salushe. She built a rest stop called Hani i Salushes on the road from Durrës to Berat and Fier, giving birth to the town. As of 2000, old men still called the town Salushe. Lushnjë is the only town in Albania founded by a woman.
In January 1920, Lushnjë was a provisional capital of Albania and the place of the Congress of Lushnjë. Chieftains of Albania assembled in the town and declared Tirana first a provisional and then the definitive capital of Albania.
The Lushnjë region is known as a main provider of agricultural products to the rest of the country. It is one of very few field districts of mountainous Albania.
During the Communist Regime the town had a number of factories: among them food processing and building materials, which were closed down for one reason or another in the aftermath of the fall of Communism. Stadium of Lushnjë Abdurrahman Roza Haxhiu was the only stadium in the country where women were soccer fans as much as men were, and attended the soccer matches. This shows that the town was exceptionally liberal, peaceful and emancipated. Unfortunately that tradition has expired, and now Lushnjë resembles all the neighboring towns.
3 km away from Lushnjë is the Savra Field. This field is on the Lushnjë-Fier road. Here the first battle between Principality of Zeta and Ottoman Empire occurred in 1385 (the Battle of Savra). In this battle Balsha II was killed. Along with Fier, Lushnjë was the main district of the concentration camps during the Communist Regime; some of the camps included the villages of Savër, Gradishtë, Bedat, Gjazë, Rrapëz, Plug, etc.
Data from the 1918 census shows that the population of Lushnjë was split almost evenly between Muslims and Christians at the time of independence from the Ottoman Empire. [5] The Christians are mostly Orthodox, but there is a Catholic minority, while similarly the Muslims are mostly Sunni with a Bektashi minority. In modern days, like elsewhere in Albania, people in Lushnja tend not to be very religious if religious at all, regardless of whatever religion their ancestors professed.
In January 1920, Lushnjë was a provisional capital of Albania and the place of the Congress of Lushnjë. Chieftains of Albania assembled in the town and declared Tirana first a provisional and then the definitive capital of Albania.
The Lushnjë region is known as a main provider of agricultural products to the rest of the country. It is one of very few field districts of mountainous Albania.
During the Communist Regime the town had a number of factories: among them food processing and building materials, which were closed down for one reason or another in the aftermath of the fall of Communism. Stadium of Lushnjë Abdurrahman Roza Haxhiu was the only stadium in the country where women were soccer fans as much as men were, and attended the soccer matches. This shows that the town was exceptionally liberal, peaceful and emancipated. Unfortunately that tradition has expired, and now Lushnjë resembles all the neighboring towns.
3 km away from Lushnjë is the Savra Field. This field is on the Lushnjë-Fier road. Here the first battle between Principality of Zeta and Ottoman Empire occurred in 1385 (the Battle of Savra). In this battle Balsha II was killed. Along with Fier, Lushnjë was the main district of the concentration camps during the Communist Regime; some of the camps included the villages of Savër, Gradishtë, Bedat, Gjazë, Rrapëz, Plug, etc.
Data from the 1918 census shows that the population of Lushnjë was split almost evenly between Muslims and Christians at the time of independence from the Ottoman Empire. [5] The Christians are mostly Orthodox, but there is a Catholic minority, while similarly the Muslims are mostly Sunni with a Bektashi minority. In modern days, like elsewhere in Albania, people in Lushnja tend not to be very religious if religious at all, regardless of whatever religion their ancestors professed.
Landmarks
Notable landmarks include Abdurrahman Roza Haxhiu Stadium, Vaçe Zela theater, Lushnjë Catholic Church, Lushnjë Mosque, Congress of Lushnjë Museum, Lushnjë History Museum.
Important figures
- Abdurrahman Roza Haxhiu, footballer
- Gezim Hajdari, poet and writer
- Lindita Arapi, poet and writer living in Germany
- Vaçe Zela, singer
- Hysni Zela, singer
- Margarita Xhepa, actress
- Bajram Haxhiu, founding father of modern Albania
- Qemal bej Mullai, founding father of modern Albania
- Ferit bej Vokopola, founding father of modern Albania
- Nebi Efendi Sefa, founding father of modern Albania
Also see
References
External links
- Municipality of Lushnjë (2010). "Plani rregullues" (in Albanian). Retrieved 3 September 2010.
- Law nr. 115/2014
- Interactive map administrative territorial reform
- 2011 census results
- Siegfried Gruber. "Regional variation in marriage patterns in Albania at the beginning of the 20th century". www-gewi.uni-graz.at. Retrieved 2014-06-11., Seiner's 1918 data mapped here: http://www-gewi.uni-graz.at/seiner/density.html
External links