Draft:Lazerati

Lazerati. is a village in southern Albania, known for its cultural heritage, historical significance, and evolving identity. ^[1]

Geographical and administrative considerations, borders, relief, climate

Administratively, Lazerati is part of the Gjirokastra District, the district with the same name. The District is a unit of local government in Albania, which is administered and governed by the District Council, as a legislative body, which is organized and supports its activity in accordance with Law No. 8652 dated 31.07.2000; "On the organization and functioning of the local government. The Gjirokastra region lies in the southeast of Albania and borders the regions of Berat, Fier, Vlora and to the southeast and east with Greece.

From the administrative composition, there are three regions: the Gjirokastra region, which is also the administrative center of the region, the Përmet region and the Tepelena region. Lazërati is administratively included in the Municipality of Gjirokastra

Lazërati is located in the southern part of Albania. It belongs to the southern mountainous region, on the eastern side of the Gjerë Mountain, with its highest elevation of 1601.9 m, which belongs to the Makërxhimë Peak, and the lowest elevation of 195 m, which belongs to the level of the Drino River at the Kollorca Bridge. The village of Lazërat is currently located at an altitude of 550 m, belonging to the Sopot water reservoir (called Lëmi i Skëndere), up to the 200m elevation, this elevation of the national highway Tirana-Gjirokastër-Kakavie.

Its geographical location is: Eastern longitude: 200 07' 52" Northern latitude: 400 04' 51" From the east to the westernmost border, the village has a length of .4.3 km, while the distance between the northern and southern borders is 8.1 km. The structure of the Gjerë Mountain is crossed by a dense network of streams, with a south-west, north-east orientation, all of which flow into the Drino River, the Drino River itself, has an almost north-south orientation.

In the western part, Lazërati borders the Delvina district and starts from the Gorjan Peak, on the Bido Mountain, continues northwards with the Sopot Pass at an altitude of 1353 m, ascends to the northwest along the watershed at an altitude of 1598.2 m, the Makërxhimë Peak at an altitude of 1601.9 m. In the northeastern part of Makërxhimë is the Ristë Peak at an altitude of 1508 m. The western border continues along the watershed with the peaks at an altitude of 1554 m, 1492 m, 1518 m, up to the Vajurës Pass at an altitude of 1487 m. From the north it borders the territory and city of Gjirokastra. At the Vajurës Pass, the eastern slope of Mali Gjerë begins, a dozen proskas, with their expansion from the west, joining in the shape of the palm of the hand, at an altitude of 1131 m, where the Gjunekata (Gjorkanës) Stream originates, which continues alone towards the northeast until it joins the Draçit Stream near Vreshtave e Këputura and flows into the Drino River near the former Gjirokastër Machine and Tractor Station (S.M.T.).

Geographically, Lazërat has a wide and diverse limitation.

To the east, it borders the villages of Asim Zenel and Suhën. To the west it borders the Delvina area, from the village of Kakodhiq, and in the west-north line with the villages of the Rëzoma Zone. To the south it borders the village of Derviçan. To the north it borders the city of Gjirokastra. The approximate total area of ​​the village is about 37 km².

Climate

The climate of Lazërat is the same as that of Gjirokastra, the village is part of the transitional climatic zone, with cold and humid winters and hot summers, with little rainfall where temperatures reach high values, the annual maximum 42.6° C. The average air temperature reaches 14.3° C. There are an average of 130-140 sunny days.

The annual amount of rainfall is on average 1300-1600 mm. The hilly and mountainous relief dominates with a maximum height of 1601.9 m, with the Peak of Makërshima and below is the Pllakalli-Kunupic-Pjesakut plain with an altitude of 212 m... above sea level.

In recent years, due to population growth, the need for residential expansion and increased economic well-being, the village has expanded north and south, but especially east, joining Kollorca.

We believe that in determining geographical boundaries, if not historical ones, we should also take into account the region where Lazërati is located. In this sense, Lazërati is part of the Gjirokastra region and we should analyze it as an integral part of it. Shared traditions, the clothing of men and women, polyphonic Labe songs, dance, wedding and funeral ceremonies, the common canon of the past, migration, etc., mutual migration of the population, complement the idea that Lazërati is part of Labëria. Referred to by Rami Memushaj in "History of Kurvelesh", Labëria consists of several ethnographic areas, among which the most important are: Kurvelesh, Rrëza e Tepelenas, Lopesi, Kudhësi, Dukati, Mesapliku, Bregu i Detit, Rrëzoma, Kardhiqi, and Rrëza e Malit i Gjerë, from Lazërat to Mashkullorë. The areas of Dropulli and Vurg were once part of Labëria, but for at least two centuries they have been populated by Greek minorities.

According to the author A. Agaj, the borders of Labëria are: "In the west to the Adriatic, in the north-east, the Vjosa to the Zagori Gorge, the western part of the Libohova mountains to Nepravishte, and from here to the Muzina Pass, it takes the southern foot of the northern Delvina mountains, forming a half-arc, reaching Nivicë-Bubar and up to the Ionian Sea. From this land area, only Narta is excluded, some villages of Myzeqe e Vlorës with a few Vëllehë enclaves, in Selenica and Topallti and further south some villages of Dropulli, which are not Labëria.

The author Rami Memushaj also agrees with the author A. Agaj, except that in the area north-east of the Drino, he does not treat it as Labëria.

Geological and morphometric data

The treatment of this paragraph, on the geology of the land, at first glance seems empirical. Today, moving towards the civilized world, more than ever, the knowledge, popularization and return of geology is laid out, as best as possible, for the benefit of each community. This is directly related to the administration of each territory that covers a region or municipality. In order to best administer the territory where these administrative units extend, necessary knowledge of the land where they are located and that they have under administration is required.

We mention that ancient settlements, medieval castles were built on different geological formations. The city of Antigonea was built on the terrigenous formations of Burdigalian, 20.5 million years old, Andrianopoja and the Castle of Palokastra are located mainly on alluvial and proluvial rocks, the Castle of Gjirokastra is located on slope breccias, partly on sandy-flysch rocks, etc. Works of Cult such as monasteries, tekkes, are built on carbonate and terrigenous rocks. The city of Gjirokastra, the most important center of south, with a dominant position over the Drino River Valley, is located on the terrain of four rock types: on limestone rocks, flyschoidal sandstone rocks, on alluvial and proluvial deposits, as well as on slope breccia. On the limestone rocks of the Eocene, the old part of the city is built, on the Oligocene flysch the south-eastern and northern part of the city, while some of the current buildings are concentrated on the stream cones and their terraces, on the fragmentary poplar proluvial rocks. The buildings of the village of Lazërat are located on carbonate rocks dating from the Upper Cretaceous (Cr.) 98.9-145 million years old, of the Sopot Stream, as well as on the Oligocene flisch deposits, as in while Kollorca is mainly placed on the proluvial deposits Behani, Cafo, etc. Lazërati and Kollorca are on the southern side of the City of Gjirokastra and preserve almost the same construction features as it.

The houses of Lazërati and Kollorca, were built with stone walls and covered with stone roofs. Today, new buildings have changed their structure by being built with bricks and covered with tiles, etc. In the Kollorca area, where the new Quaternary deposits up to the deposits of the present day are concentrated, new constructions have a considerable spread. These deposits, have their origin from the Sopot Stream, which flows from the Holocene (al. pr.d.Q-h) which cover a considerable area initially in a narrow bed and expanding towards the east in the Haliqi Sandstone takes the full shape of the cone, from the Kollorca Bridge to the Derviçan Hill. In the northern flank, these geological deposits spread in the Draç Zone, the Vreshtave e Këputura and the surrounding area.

Proluviations are more noticeable in the cones of the streams of Lazërat, Makërxhimë, Draç, Gjorkana, etc. Their formation was influenced by the rugged relief crossed by a dense network of streams, the composition of the geological formations of the slopes, climate, rainfall, etc.

The eluvial-proluvial and deluvial deposits of the Quaternary-Holocene (e.d.p.Q.p3-H), are found in the part of carbonate formations, carbonate sands, possibly gravitational blocks, karstified and placed on flysch deposits of the Upper Oligocene of Spilos and are represented by Both of these rock formations are important, one for the concentration of waters from karst reservoirs and the other as an insulating floor for retaining the water that today flows into the Spilos Spring.

It is important for the community to know the present-day alluvial deposits (al. Q-H), in the Drinos Valley and Suha, represented by gravel, sand, silt, and clay. These geological formations are distinguished by a high water-holding potential. These geological deposits supply the village of Lazërat, partly the City of Gjirokastra, but also many private economies.

Lazërat, like the City of Gjirokastra and the other villages on the western side of the Drinos Valley, lie to the east of Mount Gjerë. In terms of its location, Lazërat has the same nature as Gjirokastra, not only because it is located on the eastern slope of Mount Gjerë, but also because their constructions are hypsometrically almost the same, at around 550 m above sea level, and have the same geomorphology and geological-formational construction. They are mainly built from carbonate rocks of the Lower and Upper Cretaceous (Cr1-Cr2), which date back about 65-145 million years. These rocks have created amazing relief, karst fields and pits, which fill with snow during the winter. There are erosional forms with a very attractive geomorphology for nature enthusiasts, with geo-tourist, didactic and educational values.

On the eastern slope, karst forms prevail, conditioned by the geological structure itself of carbonate rocks of the Lower and Upper Cretaceous (Cr1-Cr2) as well as Paleocene-Eocene limestones (Pg1-Pg2). A development of surface and underground karst is observed, expressed in their forms, such as lapislas or fingerings, karst fields and valleys; such as Sheshi i Lloizit, Gjorkanës, Gropat e Selgjikes, deep streams such as those of Sopot, Makërxhimë, Gjorkanës, Manalati, Draç, etc., which often take the form of canyons with a special beauty. Likewise, underground forms of the development of underground karst expressed by caves and wells as well as other cavities are also noted. Canyons or waterfalls are attractive natural phenomena in Mali i Gjerë, with the diversity of their forms, constituting an asset for the development of ecotourism (family tourism).

In the southernmost part, the Sopot Stream takes its course. During its flow and erosive force, the Sopot Stream has formed a powerful terrace, which is called the Qisha e Sopotit.

These proluvial-deluvial deposits, with pieces and pieces of limestone, poorly processed and poorly connected, are like a warehouse for water retention, where we see it in the outlet of water sources. The climb from an altitude of 200m, to 1353m, which is the Sopot Pass, would make anyone envy its mountain climate. This climate is enriched even more by the water of the Sopot spring and the rare Picunari water, with pronounced curative values.

The values ​​of the nature of Lazërat are also added by its panoramic view. In front is the Shëndëlli-Lunxhëri-Bureto mountain range and in the background is the Nemërçka Mountain with the Papingu Peak, with an altitude of 2485 m above sea level, it is the 44th most important mountain peak in Europe. Opposite is the Çajup Pass with its karst-glacial valley, one of the rare beauties of Albanian nature. This area has its own history and origin of polygenetic creation with the climate, the special water and the special water, make it even more attractive, but still not properly exploited, as one of the geo-tourist nodes of the area. Likewise, opposite are the oldest cities of the Drinos Valley: Melani and Antigoneja, but also Labova and Libohova, with their role and contribution to Albanian life and history.

History

- Origins and early settlement - Key historical events - Modern developments

Cultural heritage

- Traditions, festivals, and rituals - Poetic and oral storytelling - Shoqata Lazerati and cultural preservation efforts

Geography and demographics

- Location, population, and landscape - Notable features or landmarks

Recent initiatives

- Restoration of historical photos - Memorial proposals and cultural showcases - Integration of wellness practices

References

1. Autor Halil Hallaçi and Ali LLakatura, "Lazërati Në Vite", ISBN 978-9928-4468-2-4