Peshkopi

Peshkopi is a town in the mountainous areas of northeastern Albania, in Dibër County. It is special because it is the capital of both the county and the district of Dibër, and it is the only county capital in Albania that does not share its name with the county. As of the 2023 census, the town has a population of 14,710 people.

The town lies east of the Black Drin river, about 187 kilometres northeast of Tirana, Albania's capital, and only 20 kilometres from the Macedonian border. Peshkopi sits at an elevation of 651 metres above sea level.

Peshkopi is known for its warm thermal waters, farming all year long, and beautiful natural surroundings. It is becoming a popular place for tourists who enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, camping, mountain biking, and rock climbing. Nearby, you can find Mount Korabi, the third tallest mountain in the Balkans, and the birthplace of Gjerg Kastrioti, a national hero of Albania. The area also has important mineral resources such as chromium, sulfur, and marble, and it plays a big role in Albania's agriculture.

History

The name Peshkopi comes from the word peshkop, meaning bishop in Albanian. Old maps from the 1100s show the town with a different name, Presolengrad. By the year 1020, the area became part of a church group led from Ohrid, and Peshkopi became an important church center. Even though the church center moved later, the town kept its name. We know about Peshkopi as early as the 1400s under the name Peskopia.

Long ago, the area was home to an ancient tribe called the Penestae. By the 1500s, the Ottoman Empire ruled the land. Peshkopi was a small market town, smaller than nearby Debar. Most people there followed the Muslim faith by 1583. In 1873, the Ottomans built a large military camp there.

In the early 1900s, people in Albania were fighting against Ottoman rule. Albanian fighters took control of Peshkopi on August 16, 1912. Later, armies from Serbia, Bulgaria, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire entered the town. After World War I, Italian forces invaded Albania and reached Peshkopi in 1939. During World War II, Albanian resistance fighters took back the town in 1943. German forces briefly occupied Peshkopi in 1944 but were pushed out soon after. The fighting ended in early September 1944, with Albanian resistance groups taking control.

Geography

Peshkopi is a town in northeastern Albania, located in Dibër County. It sits in the valley of the Drin river, right at the base of the Korab mountain range. The town is where people manage the local area and is home to about 14,000 people.

The Korab mountains, some of the tallest in the Balkans, lie to the east. The Drin River, the longest river in Albania, runs through the valley. It helps provide water for farms and makes power for the area. The valley’s soil is rich and good for growing food, such as corn, wheat, and vegetables.

Climate

Education

Peshkopi has many schools for children, offering subjects like math, science, and language. The schools also have activities such as sports, music, and art. Education is important in Peshkopi, and the government keeps working to improve schools there.

Tertiary

Peshkopi once had a small part of Aleksandër Moisiu University, but it closed in 2017.

Secondary (grades 10-12)

• Said Najdeni High School
• Nazmi Rushiti Professional School

Elementary/middle (grades 1-9)

• Selim Alliu
• Demir Gashi

Tourism

The main type of tourism in this area is enjoying the mountains, thanks to the hilly land and big forests. The Dibra district has two special places set aside for nature lovers: Lurë National Park and Korab-Koritnik Nature Park. These parks are great for fun activities like climbing, walking, skiing, and more.

There is also a museum near a school that shows local clothes, carpets, kitchen tools, and shiny jewelry. In the middle of Peshkopi, Elez Isufi Boulevard is a street just for walking, with tall linden trees and stones from far away. Nearby, there are warm mineral water springs and special baths that many people visit for their health. These baths are a short walk from the city, along a small stream.

Sports

Main article: KF Korabi Peshkopi

The most popular sport in Peshkopi is football. The town's main team is KF Korabi Peshkopi. They play their home games at Korabi Stadium, which can hold 6,000 fans. The team currently competes in the Albanian First Division. They were runners-up in the 1961 season and also in the 2015–16 Albanian First Division, moving on to the Albanian Superliga. The club also uses the Bashkim Lala Sports Palace for other sports, which can accommodate over 2,000 spectators.

Transportation

Peshkopi is a key place for travel, sitting where many important roads meet. These roads connect Albania with Kosovo and North Macedonia. The nearest big airport is Rinas Mother Teresa International Airport in Tirana, about 200 km west of Peshkopi. Regular buses run between Peshkopi and cities like Tirana and Durrës.

Buses go from Peshkopi to Tirana and Durrës. They leave in the morning on set times. There are also minibuses and vans called furgona that go to more places. They leave when they have enough passengers. These minibuses to Tirana and Durrës usually cost a bit more than the buses.

The main road to Peshkopi is SH6 (State Road 6). A new highway named the Arbër Highway, or Rruga e Arbërit in Albanian, is being built. It should finish in Spring 2023. This 200 km road will connect Tirana to Debar in North Macedonia and link up with SH6.

There are no trains that go to Peshkopi.

Notable people

Peshkopi has been home to many interesting people. Some of them are Gëzim Alpion, an academic, and Cen Elezi, a leader in Dibra. Others include Bashkim Gazidede, a politician, and Elez Isufi, a nationalist figure.

The town has also seen Denisa Kola, who was Miss Albania in 2003, and several footballers like Gentjan Manuka, Elvis Prençi, and Qazim Laçi. Symir Zuna was a fighter in World War II, and there are also notable academics and military officials from the area.