Gramsh

Gramsh
Municipality
Sotira Waterfall from a distance
Seal
Gramsh
Coordinates: 40°52′N 20°11′E / 40.867°N 20.183°ECoordinates: 40°52′N 20°11′E / 40.867°N 20.183°E
Country	Albania
County	Elbasan
Government
• Mayor	Luljeta Dollani (SP)
Area
• Municipality	739.22 km^2 (285.41 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Municipality	24,231
• Municipality density	33/km^2 (85/sq mi)
• Administrative Unit	8,440
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal Code	3301
Area Code	(0)513
Vehicle registration	AL

Gramsh (definite Albanian form: Gramshi) is a town and a municipality in Elbasan County, central Albania. The municipality was formed at the 2015 local government reform by the merger of the former municipalities Gramsh, Kodovjat, Kukur, Kushovë, Lenie, Pishaj, Poroçan, Skënderbegas, Sult and Tunjë, that became municipal units. The seat of the municipality is the town Gramsh.^[1] The total population is 24,231 (2011 census), in a total area of 739.22 km².^[2] The population of the former municipality at the 2011 census was 8,440.^[3]

The town is connected with Elbasan, Korça, Pogradec, Skrapar, Librazhd and Berat. The town is crossed by the river Devoll.

Etymology

During the Ottoman period and before the Albanian Declaration of Independence in 1912, it was known as Grameç in Turkish.^[4]

History

Gramsh has been inhabited since ancient times, as is confirmed by archaeological findings in the Tumulus of Cëruja.
In the Middle Ages, the area was under the possession of Prince George Arianiti. During Ottoman rule, it was a kaza administrative division within the Sanjak of Elbasan of the Monastir Vilayet.^[4]
From 1912 until 1947, this was the center of Gramsh area. With the new administrative division, it became the center of Gramsh district, in which were placed various state institutions. Gramsh was declared a city on July 10, 1960. Since 1965, it has been a municipality.

Economy

The city was home of one of the main military weaponry factories during the communist era. Devolli Hydro Power started in 1980, but was left between work due to the death of communist leader Enver Hoxha, and the beginning of a Transitional period until the 1990s that culminated in the overthrow of that system.
On October 2013, it was reported that the municipality debt was high and the municipality was close to bankruptcy.^[5]

Sports

The football (soccer) club is KF Gramshi.

Notable people

• Adriatik Llalla, General Prosecutor of Albania
• Architect Kasemi, famous architect of the 16th century
• Ismail Qemali Gramshi, signatory of the Albanian Declaration of Independence
• The name of Antonio Gramsci, famous Italian politician with Arbëresh origins refers back to an ancestry in Gramsh, Albania.

References

1. Law nr. 115/2014
2. Interactive map administrative territorial reform
3. 2011 census results
4. HÜSNÜ YAZICI – Yazdiği Konular
5. GRAMSH, BASHKIA 800 mln BORXHE [Gramsh, the municipality in debt of 800 mill LEK] (YouTube) (in Albanian). Skampa TV. 9 Oct 2013. Retrieved 9 Nov 2013.