The coastal area of Vlorë was one of theIllyrian sites that had experienced pre-urban activity beginning from the 11th–10th centuries BC. The area wascolonized byAncient Greeks. A large fortified port-town that was inhabited from the 6th century BC to the 2nd century AD is placed, now partially submerged, inTriport, northwest of present-day Vlorë. Substantial port activity in this site occurred from at least thearchaic period to themedieval period. It has been suggested that a transfer of the ancient city from the site of Triport to the site of modern Vlorë occurred. The center of the modern city features archaeological remains dating from late antiquity.Aulon, from which the modern city took its name, appears in historical sources starting form the 2nd century AD. It was conquered at different periods throughout history byRomans,Byzantines,Normans,Venetians andOttomans.
Between the 18th and 19th centuries, theAlbanians gathered both spiritual and intellectual strength for national consciousness, which conclusively led to theAlbanian Renaissance. Vlorë played an instrumental role in Albanian Independence as an epicenter for the founders of modern Albania, who signed theDeclaration of Independence on 28 November 1912 at theAssembly of Vlorë.
The city took its name fromAncient Greek:Αὐλών,romanized: Aulṓn, meaning "channel, glen" that resembles anaulos instrument. It is a typical toponym in the Greek world.[13] The name of the city was first recorded in the 2nd century AD, by twoAncient Greek authors,Lucian andPtolemy, the latter calling it "town and sea-port", which confirms that it was founded much earlier. However, Aulon has not been mentioned by earlier Ancient Greek and Roman authors, who on the other hand recorded the nearby town and seaport ofOricum. But in later sources Oricum is less encountered, while the toponym Aulon is more frequently mentioned.[14]
Vlorë developed from the ancientAulon-a through the evolution of thephonetic system of theAlbanian language with therhotacismVlonë >Vlorë,[15][14] which is a pre-Slavic phenomenon in Albanian. The intervocalic/n/ has regularly evolved to/r/ inTosk Albanian, while the initial/v/ has evolved from unstressed/u/ after the disappearance of the initial unstressed/a/. The evolution/u/ >/v/ should be relatively ancient, preventing the evolution of the following intervocalic/l/ to/lː/. InGeg Albanian the toponym is pronouncedVlonë, indicating that it has been in use among northern Albanians before the appearance of rhotacism in Tosk Albanian.[14] Also the accent pattern of the name observes Albanian accent rules.[16] The name itself of the inhabitants (sing.vlonjat, pl.vlonjatë) has not undergone the rhotacism affecting the toponym (if it had, it would look something likevlorat orvlorjat).
The medieval and modern Greek name isAvlónas (ΑυλώναςAulṓnas[avˈlonas], accusativeΑυλώναAulṓna[avˈlona]), and is the source of theLatinAulona, theItalianValona (also used in other languages) and of the obsolete EnglishAvlona.[17][18] During theOttoman era the city of Vlorë was known inTurkish asAvlonya.[19] InMedieval Latin sources and in Old Italian records it is mentioned with the formsAvalona,Avelona,Lavalona,Lavellona; and inOld Serbian sources asAvlona orVavlona, the latter containing theSlavic prepositionv "in".[14] InAromanian, the city is known asAvlona.[20]
The coastal area of Vlorë was one of thoseIllyrian sites that had experienced pre-urban activity beginning from the 11th–10th centuries BC.[21] During the period ofEuboean colonization of the area (early 8th century BC) the bay of Vlorë was associated with several Heroic traditions and the foundation of several settlements there,[22] as the toponym Aulon suggest which is also known in local Eubean toponimity.[23]
Due to its strategic position on theAdriatic Sea, especially theBay of Vlorë, which forms a natural harbor, Vlorë occupied a significant place inclassical antiquity as a base for trade by many peoples. Vlorë is considered one of the oldest cities inAlbania and the region.[c] In theArchaic era, the area wascolonized byAncient Greeks, who are traditionally believed to have founded Orikos, Thronion and Aulon on these shores.[24] A large fortified port-town that was inhabited from the 6th century BC to the 2nd century AD is placed, now partially submerged, inTriport, northwest of present-day Vlorë. It was delimited by three walls, the first of which dating back to the late 6th century BC.[25] The port activity in this site lasted from at least thearchaic period to themedieval period.[26] It has been suggested that a transfer of the ancient city from the site of Triport to the site of modern Vlorë occurred. The center of the modern city features walls dating from the 4th to the 10th centuries AD, as well as a wall, a quadrangular tower and ruins of a huse with ceramics dating back to the 3rd–4th centuries and to the 6th-7th centuries.[27]
The archaeological site of Triport has been identified with ancientThronion orAulon.[28]Thronion was attested byPausanias (2nd century AD) as aLocrian–Euboean colony, but also by a dedication on a monument erected inOlympia, both accounts reporting thatApollonia conquered the city around 450 BC.Aulon, from which Vlorë took its name, was mentioned for the first time byPtolemy (2nd century AD) among the towns of theIllyrianTaulantii.[29]Carl Patsch proposed the first location ofAulon in Triport being then transferred to the current location of Vlora, andPierre Cabanes proposed the location ofThronion in Triport; those identifications are not in contradiction with each other.[30] Other geographical documents, such as theTabula Peutingeriana andHierocles'Synecdemus, also mention Aulon. The city served as an important port of theRoman Empire, when it was part ofEpirus Nova.[31][32]
Aulon (Avlona) became anepiscopal see in the 5th century. Among the known bishops areNazarius in 458 andSoter in 553 (Daniele Farlati,Illyricum sacrum, VII, 397–401). The diocese at that time belonged to the papalPentarchy. In 733, it was annexed with the easternIllyricum, to thePatriarchate of Constantinople, and yet it is not mentioned in anyNotitiae Episcopatuum of that Church. The bishopric had probably been suppressed for though the Bulgarians had been in possession of this country for some time, Avlona is not mentioned in the "Notitiae episcopatuum" of theBulgarian Archbishopric of Ohrid.
During the Roman period, aLatin see was established and Eubel (Hierarchia catholica medii aevi, I, 124) mentions several of its bishops.[31]
Drawings of the fortifications of Vlorë fortresses and Kaninë fortress
Aulon, no longer being a residential bishopric, is today listed by theCatholic Church as atitular see, asuffragan bishop ofDurrës, being distinguished from a Greek titular see called Aulon by the use for it of the adjectiveAulonitanus, while the adjective regarding the Aulon inEuboea (IonianGreece) isAulonensis.[33] The diocese was nominally restored as Latintitular bishopric Aulon, or Valona in Curiate Italian; from 1925 it was (als) named Aulona in Latin and/or Italian, since 1933 it's only Aulon in Latin, Aulona in Italian. It was a bishopric from the fifth century until Bulgarian rule.
In the 11th and 12th century, Vlorë played an instrumental role in the conflicts between theByzantine Empire andNorman Kingdom of Sicily.[18] Following Norman occupation, they ruled for only four years and established a Latin church episcopal see in Vlorë.[18][34] In 1321 the city being under Byzantine control was attacked by a Venetian fleet under Giovanni Michiel as a result costing the lives of many of its Greek inhabitants.[35] Vlorë served as capital of thePrincipality of Valona, initially a vassal state to theSerbian empire, and later, independent Christian state from 1346 to 1417.[36][37]
TheOttoman Empire captured the city in 1417, while in 1432, Albanian rebels freed Vlorë and expelled the Ottomans from the area.[38][39] As part of theOttoman Empire, Vlorë became asanjak centre inRumelia Eyalet under the nameAvlonya.[when?] Later it become a Venetian possession in 1690 and the city was restored to the Ottomans in 1691, becoming akaza of theSanjak of Avlona in thevilayet (province) ofJanina. At the time the city had about 10,000 inhabitants; there was a Catholic parish, which belonged to theArchdiocese of Durrës. During the early period of Ottoman rule, Vlorë became an international port centered on a high volume of trade betweenwestern Europe and the Ottoman state.[40]
Map of Simon Pinargenti Valona in 1573
In 1426, the Ottomans supported the settlement of aJewish community involved in mercantile activities.[38] The community underwent population growth in subsequent decades with Jews migrating fromCorfu,Venetian ruled lands,Naples,France, and theIberian Peninsula.[38] Around seventy Jewish families fromValencia, including formerconversos, settled in Vlorë between 1391 and 1492.[41] Following theexpulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492, the Ottoman state resettled additional Jewish exiles in Vlorë toward the end of the fifteenth century.[38] Ottoman censuses for 1506 and 1520 recorded the Jewish population as consisting of 528 families and some 2,600 people in Vlorë.[38] The Jews of Vlorë were involved in trade and the city imported items fromEurope and exportedspices,leather,cotton fabrics,velvets,brocades, andmohair from the Ottoman cities ofIstanbul andBursa.[38] The Vlorë Jewish community took an active role in the welfare of other Jews such as managing to attain the release of war related captives present inDurrës in 1596.[38] After theBattle of Lepanto (1571) and the deterioration of security along the Ottoman controlled Adriatic and Ionian coasts, the numbers of Jews within Vlorë decreased.[38]
Between the 18th and 19th centuries, cultural developments, widely attributed toAlbanians having gathered both spiritual and intellectual strength, conclusively led to theAlbanian Renaissance with Vlorë becoming an epicenter of the movement in 1912. In 1833, Vlorë was captured by Albanian rebels forcing the Ottoman government to abolish taxes and comply to rebel requests.[42] In 1851, it suffered severely from an earthquake.[18] TheJewish community of Yanina renewed the Jewish community of Vlorë in the nineteenth century.[38]
In April 1961 the Soviet Union, resenting being pushed out after considerable investment in the naval facilities at nearbyPasha Liman Base, threatened to occupy Vlora with Soviet troops, and cut off all Soviet economic, military and technical aid to Albania. The threat was not carried out, as a result of the simultaneous international developments; most notably theCuban Missile Crisis. Hoxha, realizing the vulnerability of Albania after the 1968Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia, ordered the construction ofhundreds of thousands of concrete bunkers.[45] Under Hoxha, Vlorë served as an important recruiting centre for theSigurimi; the Albanianstate security,intelligence andsecret police service.[46]
Vlorë has ahot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification:Csa), with an average annual temperature of 16.9 °C (62.4 °F).[48] Summers in Vlorë are dry and hot while winters are mild and rainy.[49] The warmest month is August with an average temperature rising to 26.8 °C (80.2 °F). By contrast, the coldest month is January with an average temperature falling to 7.9 °C (46.2 °F).[48] Vlorë has a sunny climate with an average of 2,745.2 hours of sunshine annually, making it one of the sunniest areas in theEastern Mediterranean.[50][51][52] July is the sunniest month of the year with an average of about 12 hours of sunshine a day.[48] By contrast, the average hours of sunshine are less than 7 hours per day in January.[48] During the 1961–1990 period, on average per year, there were 82 days with more than 1 mm (0.039 in) of rainfall, 26 days with thunders, five days withhail, and one day of snowfall.[50]
The city of Vlorë remains a major seaport and commercial centre, with a significantfishing andindustrial sector. The surrounding region producespetroleum,natural gas,bitumen andsalt. The city is also the location of important installations of theAlbanian Navy. It has grown in importance as an agricultural center with a very large-scale planting of olive and fruit trees, and as a center of the food processing, oil, and bitumen export industries. Historically, the surrounding district was mainly agricultural and pastoral, producing oats, maize, cotton, olive oil, cattle, sheep, skins, hides, and butter.[18] These commodities are exported.
Vlorë is a vibrant coastal city with a well-developed and modern housing infrastructure. The city offers a variety of residential areas ranging from the coast and going inland. Vlorë is divided into three economic zones.[54] The Technical and Economic Development Area (TEDA) in Vlorë has a strategic location, some 151 kilometres (94 miles) away from the capitalTirana. The Land and Environmental Information[clarification needed] is located in a flat, saline land, partially covered by theSoda Forest. The area is suitable for industrial and environmentally friendly development. The eligible activities for the development inside the TEDA zone are: industrial, processing, commercial, goods storage, light industry, electronics, auto parts manufacturing, and port related activities. Official data from 2014 reported the employable labor force in Vlora at 125,954, of which 84,836 are currently employed; 35% of the labor force in Vlora had a high school degree, while 17% had a university degree.
Tourism which has always been a driving force for the city's economy has become a major industry in recent years, with many hotels, recreational centers, and vast beaches. The city has a good view over theBay of Vlorë, which is considered the frontier between theAdriatic Sea and theIonian Sea. The Island ofSazan is in front of the city, at the entrance of the bay. Italy is just 80 kilometres (50 miles) away. Beaches close to the city includePalasë,Dhermi, Vuno,Himara,Qeparo, andBorsh. In 2019, Vlorë was cited inFinancial Times' 'Five destinations to watch' article that listed new and exciting holiday destinations from around the world.[56]
In April 2024, it was reported thatJared Kushner, son-in-law and former aide to US PresidentDonald Trump, planned to build a resort in the city as part of plans of his company,Affinity Partners, to invest in the Balkans.[57]
Vlorë lies on the north–south transportation corridor of Albania and is served by a network of motorways and highways connecting the city to other parts of Albania. The precedingSH8 highway, beginning fromFier, links the northern districts of Vlorë with the central and southern districts, continuing along theAlbanian Riviera toSarandë. TheA2 motorway parallelly runs along the SH8 from Fier to Vlorë and terminates after entering the city in the north. Upon completion, the bypass of Vlorë will link the A2 motorway through the suburbs of Vlorë with the SH8 highway.[58][59]
Vlorë is served by thePort of Vlorë, the second busiest port in Albania, located in the northern part of the city's coast.
TheVlorë International Airport is a proposed airport development project currently under construction as part of Albania's plan to increase transportation links to destinations in southern Albania.[64][65] The proposed location for the airport lies at the village of Akërni within theVjosa-Narta Protected Landscape in the north of Vlorë, which was met with widespread criticism.[66] The construction was officially launched on 28 November 2021, and has a completion target date of April 2024.[67][68]
During the period 2020–2024, the city periodically suffered from fires at the locallandfill. The landfill, which is considered dangerous by the local authorities, was due to close by June 2021, as a new landfill was expected to begin operations. The deadline for the opening of the latter has been postponed repeatedly, and its further construction has stopped.[69][70]
Vlora is home to the second largest university in Albania. TheUniversity of Vlora was founded in 1994 as atechnological university. It retains a focus on technology, but has expanded in the areas of economics and finance, education, medicine, and law.[citation needed]
There are three journals based in the University of Vlora. There is also a scientific journal published quarterly in Albanian: Buletini Shkencor i Universitetit te Vlorës. Since 2008 it is home to the Academicus International Scientific Journal,[71] a peer-reviewed scientific publication in the English language founded by Arta Musaraj.[72]
Besides the state university there are two private universities, namelyUniversiteti Pavarësia Vlorë and Akademia e Studimeve të Aplikuara "Reald", which started as primary school and high school, and since 2011 operates also as a university.[73]
As per theInstitute of Statistics estimate from the 2011 census, there were 79,513 people residing in Vlorë and 104,827 in the municipality of Vlorë, constituting thethird most populous city andfifth most populous municipality of Albania.[1][8] The estimated population density of Vlorë Municipality was at 169.9 inhabitants per square kilometre.[1] The population of Vlorë had increased from 71,662 in 1989 to 79,513 in 2011, while a decline of the population of Vlorë Municipality from 114,497 to 104,827 was highlighted.[47]
The constitution defines Albania as a secular country with noofficial religion.[76] It guarantees thefreedom of religion,belief andconscience and prohibits discrimination on grounds of religious beliefs or practice.[76][77] Vlorë is religiously diverse and possesses many places of worship catering to its religious population, who are traditionally adherents ofIslam,Christianity, andJudaism. During the 19th and early 20th century, Albanian-speaking Muslims were the majority population of Vlorë while there was a small number of Greek-speaking families, Albanian Orthodox, Jews, and an even smaller number of Catholics.[78] In 1994 the ethnicGreek community of the city numbered 8,000 people.[79] A Greek school was operating in the city in 1741.[80]
Historical center of Vlorë at the Justin Godart Street
Vlorë is home to many cultural and historical sites that also relate to the founding of Albania. TheMonument of Independence is located on theFlag's Square and commemorates the Albanian independence from theOttoman Empire.[84] Museum of Independence is housed in a 19th-century building, where the founding fathers of Albania signed the Declaration of Independence.[85] Its balcony is considered a symbol of freedom, victory and resilience of the Albanians to prevent the occupation of their motherland.[85]
Located in a 19th-century mansion, the Ethnographic Museum close to the Museum of Independence displays the ethnographic heritage of Vlorë and its surrounding region.[85] The History Museum at the Perlat Rexhepi Street is another museum exhibiting among others artefacts from the nearbyarchaeological sites of the Illyrians and Ancient Greeks.[85] A museum dedicated to the historical Jewish population of Vlorë is planned to open in the historical center of Vlorë.[86][87]
The oldest and most popular first division team based in Vlorë is the football clubKS Flamurtari Vlorë. Flamurtari plays atFlamurtari Stadium in the center of Vlorë near the Independence Square.
^"town that is the second seaport of Albania. [...] It was strategically important during Roman times and in the 11th–12th-century wars between Normans and Byzantines" (Encyclopaedia Britannica, s.v.Vlore).
^"Bashkia Vlorë" (in Albanian). Albanian Association of Municipalities (AAM).Archived from the original on 23 September 2021. Retrieved23 September 2021.
^Babiniotis, Georgios (2019).Dictionary of the Modern Greek Language. Kéntro Lexikologías. p. 315.ISBN978-9609582148.ηκαν το αρχ. δίαυλος «πέρασμα, δίοδος» και το νεότ. πύραυλος. Η κοιλάδα που μοιάζει με αυλό λέγεται αυλών (αυλώνας). από όπου το συχνό τοπωνύμιο Αυλών | Αυλώνα, ... Αυλώνας (ο) πόλη και λιμάνι τής Ν. Αλβανίας
^Huld, Martin E. (1986). "Accentual Stratification of Ancient Greek Loanwords in Albanian".Zeitschrift für vergleichende Sprachforschung.99 (2). Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht (GmbH & Co. KG):248–249.JSTOR40848841.
^"Baynes, T. S., ed. (1875–1889)."Avlona" .Encyclopædia Britannica (9th ed.). New York: Charles Scribner's Sons." in theEncyclopædia Britannica,9th ed. 1878.
^"Apollonia and Aulon in Epirus Nova" (Bowden 2003, p. 14)
^Annuario Pontificio 2013 (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2013ISBN978-88-209-9070-1), p. 842
^Vlora, Eqrem bej; Von Godin, Marie Amelie von Godin (2010) [1956]. Contributions to the history of Turkish rule in Albania: a Historical Outline v. I . Tirana: Publishing House "55". f. 47.ISBN978-99943-56-83-6.
^Nicol, Donald M. (1984).The Despotate of Epiros 1267-1479: A Contribution to the History of Greece in the Middle Ages. Cambridge University Press. p. 92.ISBN978-0-521-26190-6.Nicholas Orsini... He stepped up his invasion of Byzantine territory... The Venetians too seem to have decided that the moment was now ripe to help him. They sent a fleet led by Giovanni Michiel to attack Valona. Many of its Greek inhabitants were killed on the spot, including the son of its admiral Gantzas
^Mandeville, John (2012).The Book of Marvels and Travels. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. p. 153.ISBN978-0-19-960060-1.
^Van Antwerp Fine, John (1994).The Late Medieval Balkans - A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest. United States of America: University of Michigan Press. p. 357.ISBN0-472-10079-3.
^Ray, Jonathan Stewart (2013).After expulsion: 1492 and the making of Sephardic Jewry. New York: New York University Press. p. 60.ISBN978-0-8147-2911-3.
^Pollo, Stefanaq (1984).Historia e Shqipërisë: Vitet 30 të shek. XIX-1912 (in Albanian). Akademia e Shkencave e RPS të Shqipërisë, Instituti i Historisë.OCLC165705732.
^Kokolakis, Mihalis (2003).Το ύστερο Γιαννιώτικο Πασαλίκι: χώρος, διοίκηση και πληθυσμός στην τουρκοκρατούμενη Ηπειρο (1820–1913) [The late Pashalik of Ioannina: Space, administration and population in Ottoman ruled Epirus (1820–1913)]. EIE-ΚΝΕ. p.52. "β. Ο διεσπαρμένος ελληνόφωνος πληθυσμός περιλάμβανε... και μικρό αριθμό οικογενειών στα αστικά κέντρα του Αργυροκάστρου και της Αυλώνας. [b. The scattered Greek-speaking population included ... and a small number of families in the cities of Gjirokastra and Vlora.]"; p. 53. "και την ακόμη ολιγομελέστερη ομάδα των Καθολικών της Αυλώνας [and even group of Catholics in Vlora]"; p. 54. "Η μουσουλμανική κοινότητα της Ηπείρου, με εξαίρεση τους μικρούς αστικούς πληθυσμούς των νότιων ελληνόφωνων περιοχών, τους οποίους προαναφέραμε, και τις δύο με τρεις χιλιάδες διεσπαρμένους «Τουρκόγυφτους», απαρτιζόταν ολοκληρωτικά από αλβανόφωνους, και στα τέλη της Τουρκοκρατίας κάλυπτε τα ¾ περίπου του πληθυσμού των αλβανόφωνων περιοχών και περισσότερο από το 40% του συνόλου. [The Muslim community in Epirus, with the exception of small urban populations of the southern Greek-speaking areas, which we mentioned, and 2-3000 dispersed "Muslim Romani", consisted entirely of Albanian speakers, and in the late Ottoman period covered approximately ¾ of population ethnic Albanian speaking areas and more than 40% of the total area."; pp. 370, 374.
Bereti, Vasil (1993). "Gjurmë të fortifikimeve në vendbanimin në Treport / Traces de fortifications dans l'habitat à Treport".Iliria (in Albanian).23:143–159.doi:10.3406/iliri.1993.1622.
Bereti, Vasil; Quantin, François; Cabanes, Pierre (2011). "Histoire et épigraphie dans la région de Vlora (Albanie)".REA (in French).113 (1).
Bowden, William (2003).Epirus Vetus: The Archaeology of a Late Antique Province (Duckworth Archaeology). Bloomsbury Academic. p. 14.ISBN0-7156-3116-0.
Volpe, Giuliano; Disantarosa, Giacomo; Leone, Danilo; Turchiano, Maria (2014). "Porti, approdi e itinerari dell'Albania meridionale dall'Antichità al Medioevo. Il 'Progetto Liburna'".Ricerche Archeologiche in Albania. Aracne:287–326.doi:10.4399/978885487245516 (inactive 1 July 2025).ISBN978-88-548-7245-5.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of July 2025 (link)
1 Includes localities with a substantial ethnic Greek population, or otherwise with any kind of cultural or other type of significance, historical or current, for the Greek minority in Albania. 2 Includes individuals not necessarily of Greek ethnicity but with important contributions to Greek civilization.
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