About

The island of Shurdhah sits in the Vau i Dejës reservoir, a few hundred metres from the southern shore. Before the dam was completed in 1971 and the Drin valley flooded, Shurdhah was a ridge of dry land holding the ruins of Sarda, a medieval fortified town with a cathedral, churches, cisterns, a bishop's palace and a street pattern that archaeologists have mapped in some detail.

The site was inhabited from late antiquity and was an episcopal centre for several centuries. The flooding was known in advance and some excavation was carried out beforehand, but most of the ruins were submerged. What remains above the waterline today is accessible by boat from the shore near Sheldi village — a journey of a few minutes — and shows walls, carved stone fragments and the outline of structures that give a sense of the town's scale.

A caretaker is sometimes present. The number on file is the best way to arrange a visit in advance.

Practical info