Petrela Castle

Petrelë Castle (Albanian: Kalaja e Petrelës) is a castle in Petrelë, central Albania. Its history dates back to the 6th century, when it was built by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I. Petrelë Castle is 329 metres (1,079 ft) above sea level. It is one of the tourist locations close to Tirana that attracts a great number of visitors. In the castle, the prominent wooden structure is a restaurant, perched on a rocky hill, above the village with the same name. It has a triangular shape with two observation towers. Although it was first built in ancient times, the present building dates from the 15th century. The Petrela Castle was part of the signaling and defense system of Krujë Castle. The castles signaled to each other by means of fires. During Skanderbeg’s fight against the Ottomans, the Petrela Castle used to be under the command of Mamica Kastrioti, Skanderbeg's sister. Today there is a restaurant inside the castle. The castle site has views of the Erzen valley, the hills, olive groves, and surrounding mountains.