The town of Kruja is located about 40 km north of Tirana. Kruja Castle was built on the hilltop above Kruja town. Kruja Castle was famous for its resistance against Ottoman Turkish army in the 15th century. Today, Kruja is a popular tourist destination in Albania.
Kruja is the hometown of Albania’s national hero, Skanderbeg and the town was the center of Albanian resistance under the leadership of Skanderbeg against the Ottoman Turks in the 15th century.
The first siege of Kruja took place in 1450 when the Ottoman army of approximately 160,000 men, led by Sultan Murad II, fought against the small protective garrison of Kruja castle, comprised of about 1,500 men. The castle managed to withstand the massive attack. 16 years later, Sultan Mehmed II, the son of Sultan Murad II led an army of 40,000 men against Kruja Kruja Castle defended by a small garrison of 4400 men. The siege was again unsuccessful and the Sultan returned to Istanbul. The third siege of Kruja took place in 1467 but Kruja was hold and Ottoman army was defeated.
However, Turkish army captured the castle 10 years later during the fourth siege of Kruja when the defenders surrendered to Sultan Mehmed II due to hunger and lack of supplies resulted by the year-long siege.
A year later the Ottoman army captured Rozafa Castle in Shkodër, the last Albanian castle without Ottoman control. Due to this capture, no more Albanian forces could seriously threaten the Ottoman Empire.
The remnants of the castle stand on a 548-meter-high hilltop above the town; some parts of the castle are restored and it houses the Skanderbeg Museum. In the citadel there is a restored house from the Ottoman era which is functioning now as the Ethnographic Museum. The street leading up to the castle is built in the style of a Turkish bazaar; the old bazaar has the best selection of authentic antiques and souvenirs in Albania.