The story of Rozafa Fortress

Albanians tell of three brothers who set out to build this castle. Every day they worked, and every night the walls fell down. A wise old man told them the only way: the wife who brought them food the next day must be walled into the foundations. The brothers swore on their besa, their word of honour, to tell their wives nothing.

The two elder brothers broke the promise; the youngest kept it. So it was Rozafa, the youngest brother's wife, who came with the basket. She accepted her fate with one request: leave openings for her right eye, hand, foot and breast, so she could still care for her baby son. The legend is recorded as early as 1505, by the historian Marin Barleti.

On this real hill, 130 metres high between the Buna and Drin rivers, the Illyrian king Gentius surrendered to Rome in 168 BC. Locals say Rozafa's milk still flows in the stalactites of the old gateway.