Aspects of Navigation Development in the Region of Shkodra during XVIII Century and the Beginning of XIX Century

Abstract

Navigation, as a special type of transport has played a crucial role in the economic development of Shkodra region. Its great importance in this regard was mainly determined by two factors: The very favorable geographical position of the city of Shkodra in relation to the territorial extent of the surrounding region. Proximity to the lake with the same name and the Buna River in a navigable perennial character defined it as a transit port in the circulation of goods. Ulcinj, a town very near Shkodra, inherited a very rich tradition in the field of sailing and what was more important, it possessed a powerful merchant fleet capable of sailing not only in the Adriatic Sea, which for Ulcinj inhabitants constituted the so-called courtyard of the house1, but up to the Mediterranean and Aegean seas, visiting Istanbul, Cairo, Izmir, Alexandria etc.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n1s1p156