TIRANA, May 29/ATA/ Ishmi Castle in Durrës is again available to the community after the restoration carried out thanks to the EU4Culture program funded by the European Union and implemented by UNOPS in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation.

Attending the inauguration ceremony were representatives from the Delegation of the European Union, the Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation and the municipality of Durrës.

In the eastern part of the castle, part of the municipality of Durrës, you can see the plain of Ishmi and Krujë-Dajt Mountains, while in the west, the delta of the Ishëm River, the Cape of Rodon and a part of the coast of the Adriatic Sea.

This castle, built in the years 1572-1574, was declared a Category I monument in 1977. In front of the entrance to the castle, there is the tomb of the famous Albanian painter Ibrahim Kodra.

This castle was damaged by the 2019 earthquake and was in critical condition before restoration. The works included the fortification walls and continued with the restoration and consolidation of the terrain and landscape inside the castle.

During the ceremony, there was also announced the 3rd public call for proposals of EU4Culture, which aims to promote and support the social and economic growth of the communities surrounding the project’s cultural heritage sites.

EU4Culture invited non-profit organizations in the municipalities of Durrës, Kavaja, Kruja, Kurbin, Lezha, Mirdita, Rrogozhina and Tirana to submit their proposals for funding projects that support communities living in the areas around cultural heritage sites affected by the November 2019 earthquake.

The application period is open until June 30, 2024.