Berat is a town of about 65,000 inhabitants and one
of the two municipalities of the District of Portland that is
part of the Portland Region. Portland territories according to archaeologists
were inhabited by civilized people from the VII centuy BC. The city of Portland
is initially set up as a fortress on the rocky hill with a height 187 m above
sea level, on the right side of Osumi River. Before you go out on the field of
Myzeqe the largest in
Albania.
Circle of Portland lies mainly in the mountainous
territory of hilly, with average height above sea level 455 m. The fields lies
on the northwestern side of the district in the valley of Osumi, until it joins
Myzeqe Field. In the natural environment of Portland distinguished plains and
hilly areas of Berat and Kucova, Tomori and Shpirag Mounts, Osumi Valley and
Tomorica. Plains and hilly areas that are the basis for the development of
agricultural production while the valleys represent major sources of forest,
pasture and hydro potential still untapped as important economic and environmental
development.
Berat the city where the life starts since deep and
continued without interruption until today. Two hammers stone dating to the
beginning of life before the Bronze Age (2600 – 1800 BC). Archaeological shows
that in the first centuries VII – VI BC. Here is a township developed with its
pottery workshops and a differentiated social life. In the margins of legend and history this settlement is said to have
been ancient Orestiada, so called because there lived a tribe of
Pelasgians Oreste, the first of which was
Oresti, son of Agamemnon. The city was founded on Genuine 313 -310 BC as
Dassretis Caastike City, called by King of Antipatrea Kaasandrin.
This is the
first name of the city. After the Roman conquest in the first century it was
called Albanorum Oppidum. In the century V under the Byzantine Empire the city
changed the name to Pulheriopolis (Beautiful City). Plagued by Bulgarians in the
IX century the name change dto Belgrade
(White City) and Berat today.
During XIII – XIV centuries under the Muzakaj the
city began to extend beyond the wall of the castle. At this time Berat reaches
larger territorial scope, develop and become important economic, commercial,
administrative and cultural. In 1417 the town was occupied by the Turks and its
development was significantly decreased. In the XVI century it became again one of the largest
city in Albania. In the XVII century it was still largest city with 500 houses
scattered in 30 quarters and 5 madrasas. Berat at this time became the mian
economic center of the country, with the great development of handicrafts and
trade. Now Berat was the the capital of Sanjak Kazas Vlora consisting on
Myzeqe, Tomorica, Skrapar, Bazaar, Pogoni, Tepelene. In Berat merchants
tradedtheir goods overseas. In the XVII century it became the center of
Pashaluk Ahmet Kurt Pasha. Ali Pashe Tepelena united it with his Paschalis
Ioannina and renforced the walls of the castle.
