Albanian Political Geography

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names Further reading

Gjirokastër

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. | 2011 | Copyright

Gjirokastër or Gjinokastër , Gr. Argyrokastron, It. Argirocastro, town (1989 pop. 24,207), capital of Gjirokastër dist., S Albania. A commercial center, it produces foodstuffs, leather, and textiles. There are several 18th-century mosques and churches and an old citadel (rebuilt in the 19th cent.) in the town. Dating probably from the 4th cent., Gjirokastër passed to the Turks in the 15th cent. It was captured (1811) by Ali Pasha and was the center (late 1800s) of anti-Turkish resistance. In World War II it was occupied by Italy, Greece, and Germany in succession. Enver Hoxha , the Albanian Communist party leader, was born there.

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Gjirokastër

Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names | 2005 | | Copyright

Gjirokastër, Albania Argyrókastron, Ergeri Said to be named after the Greek Princess Argyro who threw herself from the tower of the citadel (in Greek, kastron), built by the Argyres in the 15th century, rather than surrender to a besieging Turkish army. However, it may simply have been named after the Argyres tribe as the ‘Citadel of the Argyres’. Ergeri was the Ottoman Turkish name. It was occupied by the Greeks, Germans, and Italians, who called it Argirocastro, during the Second World War.

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JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Gjirokastër." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Gjirokastër." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O209-Gjirokastr.html

JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Gjirokastër." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O209-Gjirokastr.html

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