Fieri Demo
Self-Guided Audio Tour

Fieri is the seventh most populous city of the Republic of Albania. This city experiences a seasonal Mediterranean climate, effected by its proximity to the Adriatic Sea in the west. Fier was founded in the 19th century by the Vrioni family, and officially in 1864 by Omer Pasha Vrioni the second, who was the father of Kahreman Pasha Vrioni. It is 11 km from the ruins of the ancient settlement of Apollonia which was founded in 588 BCE, by Ancient Greek colonists from Corfu and Corinth, on a site occupied by Illyrian tribes called Taulanti The word "Fier" is claimed to derive from the Albanian word fier, which is claimed to mean "fern". Another alternative hypothesis proposes a derivation from the Italian word fiera, translated as trade fair. Fieri is known for oil, gas and bitumen deposits nearby. The presence of asphalt and burning escapes of natural gas in the vicinity, was recorded as early as the 1st century AD. On the territory of the people of Apolonia, in Illyria, area was called a nymphaeum. It is because of a rock which emits fire. Below it are springs flowing with hot water and asphalt. . . the asphalt is dug out of a neighboring hill. These parts excavated are replaced by fresh earth, which in time is converted to asphalt. In the 14th and 15th century the location was used by the Venetian traders as a marketplace to purchase agricultural products from the Moo-zeyh-che lowlands. The settlement took city status, in 1864, when Kahreman Pasha Vrioni, the local governor, asked from some French architects to project a future city, as an artisan and trade centre. During the 1864–1865 period, a market for 122 merchants was built along the Jha-neez-saa river. The first inhabitants of the city were the servants of Kahreman Pasha Vrioni, and members of Aromanian families that had lived in the area since the early 19th century period. Today, Fieri city is twinned with Cleveland of Ohio United States. Fier also cooperates with China's Lanzhou of Gansu, and Kosovo's Peja.

The Historical Museum is the most important and the only one in the city of Fier. It has in its fund 1800 objects, most of them original, which shed light on the history of the city of Fier, from the Middle Neolithic period to the present day. The museum is organized in several pavilions adapted according to historical periods. In this museum you can visit: the archeology pavilion, where over 70% are original objects, the pavilion before and after the declaration of Independence, until 1939, the ethnography pavilion, the pavilion of historical events of the Anti-Fascist War of National Liberation, the pavilion of popular culture, religious, rich photo library and film library. The museum is open from Monday to Friday, from 8 AM to 4 PM.

The church is part of our cultural heritage. It was built by the people of Libofsha themselves, in 1776. Its frescoes were painted by the most famous masters of the 18th century, Kostandin Zografi and his son Tërpo. You have to get inside and see beautiful old paintings, and its unique wooden carvings, done typically around this area. Bells were added in the end of 19th century, when Ottoman rule was weakened. Unfortunately, most of its icons were stolen during 1980s and never to be found.

The Monastery of the Nativity of the Theotokos in Ardenica, or simply Ardenica Monastery, is an Eastern Orthodox monastery, located 18 kilometers south of Lushnja, along the national road to Fier City. Built by Byzantine Emperor, Andronikos Palaiologos the 2nd, in 1282, after the victory against the Angevins in the siege of Berat. The monastery is famous because, in 1451, was celebrated the marriage of Skanderbeg, the national hero of Albania, with Andronika Arianiti. In 1780, the Monastery started a theological school to prepare clerics in Greek Orthodoxy. It had an important library with 32,000 volumes that got completely burned by a fire, in 1932. The Church of Saint Mary within the monastery contains frescos from brothers Kostandin and Athanas Zografi, notably one of saint John Kukuzelis, born in Durrës, Albania. The chapel of Saint Trinity was already there, erected centuries before. A pagan temple, dedicated to Artemis had existed on the site before the chapel, and it is thought that the name, Ardenica, came from Greek God Artemis. As mentioned before, on April 21, 1451, in this monastery was celebrated the marriage of Gjergj Kastrioti with Andronika. The archbishop of Kanina, named Felix, held the mess in the wedding in the presence of all the Albanian princes, members of the League of Lezha, and the ambassadors of the Kingdom of Naples, Republic of Venice, and Republic of Ragusa.

Situated in southwest Albania, approximately 13 miles separate the ancient city of Apollonia from Fier. The archeological park's intriguing terrain, which has been kept in remarkably intact state, combines the natural beauty and monuments, that have been drawn to the area for a long time in a peaceful, meditative atmosphere. It was founded right after Epidamnus-Dyrrachium, and rose to prominence as one of the Adriatic most notable cities very soon after. Known by most as Apollonia of Illyria, the city was located within the Taulanti political communion, an Illyrian Tribe. The story states that Greek colonists from Corfu and Corinth founded it in the first part of the sixth century BC. Following its swift founding, the city adopted the name Apollonia in honor of the potent deity Apollo. It is situated on a high plateau, from which the hills of Mallakastra, and the fertile plain of Myzeqe with the Adriatic Sea extend. The beginning of the 1800s saw the discovery of Apollonia's ruins.