Showing posts with label karavasta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label karavasta. Show all posts

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Fortress of Bashtove - The Inside

Fortress of Bashtove

The fortress is in the middle of a field. It is not guarded, it doesn't have information tables around or inside. Looks like it fell from the sky.

Fortress of Bashtove

Only the walls remain. It is completely stripped from everything else.

Fortress of Bashtove

You can play football inside, you can have a pick-nick or whatever. It is very flat and wind-proof :)

Fortress of Bashtove

It looks like a small passage but it's a window actually. The other side is blocked by vegetation.

Fortress of Bashtove

Two of the towers are still standing. The other two have disappeared. There are stairs to climb on the wall and walk around.

Fortress of Bashtove

A tower-less angle.

Fortress of Bashtove Fortress of Bashtove Fortress of Bashtove

My car, Polo Variant :) Plenty of space for luggage. I might start my own tour guiding business/service.


Fortress of Bashtove

This photo and the next one are taken from the same position. This is the road leading to the castle. The asphalt ends at the tower.


 Fortress of Bashtove

Another tower-less angle.

Fortress of Bashtove

Walking on the walls and looking around to find a reason why was this fortress built. There are hills only some hundred meters away. I guess this was not an actual fortress overseeing the area or something similar. It must have been some sort of a storage for goods like animals, what or corn. The river is close by and the sea is only a couple hundred meters further. Maybe people stopped here to wait for ships or whatever. In the mean time they must have stayed here to avoid pirates or thieves...


Fortress of Bashtove

Friday, December 19, 2014

Fortress of Bashtove

[caption id="attachment_2459" align="aligncenter" width="660"]Fortress of Bashtove Fortress of Bashtove[/caption]

I've seen photos of this fortress on a great Air Photography Album by Alket Islami, the first Albanian para-glider. I got my hands on the album but didn't catch the name of the fortress at that time. At first I thought it was a fortress close to Butrint but things didn't match. This one is in the middle of a field while the other one is in some sort of swamp. After a couple of years I saw other pictures of a friend of mine, biking there. It meant the fortress was accessible by car and not far from Tirana. I got the name, checked Google maps and planned for Sunday morning.




[caption id="attachment_2460" align="alignnone" width="660"]Fortress of Bashtove Fortress of Bashtove[/caption]

Getting there is fairly easy and the road is asphalted. If you're driving from Tirana, take the SH2 to Durres and then take the SH4 to Fier. Careful, after crossing Kavaje keep your eyes for Gose village. At the moment, it is found at the point where the new highway crosses the old highway, there is some sort of overpass and also a guy selling potatoes and apples in large quantities. If you see the guy or the overpass, turn right at an almost invisible roundabout and just follow the asphalted road. After some 15 minutes you will see the castle on your left. If directions unclear, give me a call beforehand and I'll be glad to accompany you there if not busy with other things.




[caption id="attachment_2461" align="alignnone" width="660"]Fortress of Bashtove Fortress of Bashtove[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2462" align="alignnone" width="660"]Fortress of Bashtove Fortress of Bashtove[/caption]