Kardhiq Castle - Kalaja e Kardhiqit

Kardhiq Castle - Kalaja e Kardhiqit, Kardhiq, Gjirokaster County, Republic of Albania.

   In the hillside village Kardhiq you can find the remains of a castle, which dates back to the late 14th and early 15th century. It was originally built by the Zenebishi family as a garrison to control the trade route over the mountain. When Kardhiq came under Ottoman rule, Ali Pasha killed over 700 men from the area because he wanted revenge on the Kardhiqiotes for capturing and raping his mother and sister. In the early 19th century Ali Pasha restored the castle, but it was soon abandoned again and its state has declined ever since.

   You can hike up to Kardhiq Castle in about 15 to 20 minutes to see its remains, which include not much more than some of the walls and a tower, but the views from the hill are very beautiful.

Source: https://www.visitsaranda.net/see/kardhiq-castle/