Pogradec

Pogradec is one of the southeastern cities of Albania, which is by the Ohrid lake. It is the capital of the District of Pogradec, in the County of Korçë, located at 40.87°N and 20.70°E with a population of around 30,000 (2005 est). The total area of the district is 725 km². Pogradec alone occupies about 15 km². It is by the famous Lake Ohrid, unlike Korçë. This city is surrounded by hills on the southern and western side. The lake is in the eastern and northern side of the city. The highway linking to Tirana, Elbasan and Korçë passes through the city.

The shores of Lake Lychnidus were inhabited as early as (6000-2000 BC). The Illyrian tribe of the Enkelei inhabited the areas near Pogradec. Drilon, the name of the river that flows into the lake near Tushemisht, is mentioned in early texts of antiquity. Pogradec was settled or occupied by Ancient Macedonian, Roman, Bulgarian, Serbian, Ottoman, French, Greek, Italian, and German armies. The city is Albanian from 1912 on. One of the first Albanian language schools was started in Pogradec. During the Greeko-Italian war in 1940-1941 Pogradec and the areas around were the cut in two by the war front. The town was a favorite summer escape for many communist government officials and particularly Enver Hoxha. The summer residences and the area around them were sealed off from the public.

Pogradec is well known for its famous writers and poets such as Lasgush Poradeci, Mitrush Kuteli, and lately, Dhimiter Pojanaku, Liri Seitllari, Luan Starova. Their works are a crucial part of Albanian literature. The town is also the home of nationally acclaimed painters like Anastas Kostandini, Gjergji Lako, Gentian Zeka, Edi Piqoni, and Vangjo Vasili.