Ruins of Kanina fortress near Vlore

The Kanine fortress (al: Kalaja e Kaninës) is located in the village of the same name, in southwestern Albania, near the city of Vlore, which is about six kilometers from the fortress.

Ruins of the Kanine fortress, Photo: Anna Artamonova, Dreamstime.com

Kanine fortress rises on the slope of Mount Šušice, about 380 meters above sea level. This location offers an exceptional panoramic view of Vlore, the Adriatic Sea, and the Strait of Otranto.

The fortress was built on the site of an ancient settlement, one of the oldest in the Vlore region. It is assumed that the fort was built in the 3rd century BC. In the 4th century BC, the fort was turned into a city fortress. In the 6th century, the fortress was reconstructed by Justinian I.

Ruins of the Kanine fortress, Photo: Sergey Mayorov, Dreamstime.com

The fortress was the center of the Principality of Valona in the 14th century. Today, there are ruins of a fort in that location where sheep and cows graze grass.