View source for Burrel (town)

{{Redirect|Burrel}}
{{Infobox settlement AL
| type               = mu
| official_name      = Burrel
| image_flag         = 
| emblem             = 
| skyline            = Burrel Square.jpg
| caption            = Burrel City Center
| image_location     = 
| county             = Dibër
| municipality       = [[Mat, Albania|Mat]]
| mayor              = Agron Malaj
| party              = 
| coordinates        = {{coord|41|36|30|N|20|00|40|E|type:adm1st_region:AL_dim:100000|display=inline,title}}
| elevation          = 316
|area_unit=2.24| elevation_min      = 
| elevation_max      = 
| population_as_of   = 2023<ref name="2023pop">{{cite web |title=Census of Population and Housing|url=https://www.instat.gov.al/en/themes/censuses/census-of-population-and-housing/|publisher=Institute of Statistics Albania}}</ref>
| population_rank    = 
|population_unit=7928| postal_code        = 8001
| area_code          = 0217
| website            = 
}}
'''Burrel''' (alternate forms ''Burrel'', ''Mat'') is a town in northern [[Albania]], 91&nbsp;km from [[Tirana]]. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision and the seat of the municipality [[Mat, Albania|Mat]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vendime.al/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/137-2014.pdf |title=Law nr. 115/2014 |language=sq |page=6367|access-date=25 February 2022 }}</ref> It was the seat of the former [[District of Mat]]. The population as of the 2023 census is 7,928.<ref name="2023pop" />

==History==
[[File:Burrel Monument.jpg|thumb|left|150px|King Zog's monument in the center of Burrel]]
The last archaeological researches has explored different trails which demonstrate the population of the area from the [[Paleolithic]] era. The valley of [[Mat (river)|Mat]]i, has been populated during all the historic periods. In antiquity the region was inhabited by various [[Illyrians|Illyrian]] populations including the [[Pirustae]]. In second century BC the region came under [[Roman Republic|Roman]] control.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.blue-albania.com/GeneralInfo36-Mati.htm|title = Blue Albania}}</ref>

A famous native of Burrel was Ahmet Zogu, first [[King of the Albanians]] (born Ahmet Zogolli, later changed to Ahmet Zogu; 8 October 1895 – 9 April 1961), who reigned as [[King Zog I]] from 1928 to 1939. He had previously been a [[Prime Minister of Albania]] between 1922 and 1924 and [[President of Albania]] between 1925 and 1928.

At one time, Burrel was referred to as the "city of apples" because of the apple trees that lined many of the town's streets, however, during the time of the Communist regime and the unrest following the change of government, the apple trees were cut down for profit or personal use as firewood. There are hardly any apple trees left in the town now.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.anthropologymatters.com/index.php/anth_matters/article/viewFile/33/59 |title=Temporality in participation and observation: perspectives from Albania and Georgia  |first=Martin Demant |last=Frederiksen |year=2008 |journal=Anthropology Matters |volume=10 |issue=2 |format=pdf |page=4 |access-date=19 July 2017}}</ref>

Burrel was a miners' town during [[Communist Albania]], but the mines closed, with the exception of a [[ferrochrome]] plant still operational near Burrel.

During the [[Kosovo conflict]] there was a refugee camp near Burrel for 2,000 people. With food and water and supplies from [[NATO]] and [[United States Armed Forces]].

==Demographic history==
{{historical populations|1955|2141|1960|2577|1969|3700|1979|6400|1989|10343|2001|12123|2011|10862|2023|7928|align=right|cols=1|source=<ref>{{cite web |title=Cities of Albania|url=http://pop-stat.mashke.org/albania-cities.htm}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Albania: All places/communes|url=http://pop-stat.mashke.org/albania-census1989.htm}}</ref><ref name="2023pop" />}}Burrel (''Burjil'') is recorded in the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] ''[[defter]]'' of 1467 as a settlement belonging to the [[timar]] of the local Albanians Kali Gjergji, Gjonima, Gjergji, and Todori in the [[vilayet]] of Mati. The village had a total of six households which were represented by the following household heads: ''Tanush Shurbi'', ''[[Abbot|Abati]] Gjergj'', ''Andrija Riçi'', ''Gjergj Aleksi'', ''Peter Shpani'', and ''Gjon Skura''.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Caka |first1=Eduart |title=Defteri i hollësishëm për zonat e dibrës i vitit 1467 |date=2019 |publisher=Akademia e studimeve albanologjike instituti historisë |location=Tiranë |page=164}}</ref>

==Prison of Burrel==
{{main|Prison of Burrel}}
The city used to be the site of one of the most terrible prisons of the communist regime, where both ordinary criminals and political prisoners such as [[Bashkim Shehu]] and [[Fatos Lubonja]] or the Catholic priest [[Dom Simon Jubani]] were held. Another famous inmate was [[Pjetër Arbnori]], later to become a member of the free Albanian Parliament. Arbnori was known as "the Mandela of the Balkans" because of the length of his internment, which lasted for over 28 years. It was one of the [[Forced labour camps in Communist Albania|Labor camps]] in the [[People's Socialist Republic of Albania|PSRA]]. The political prisoners used to be condemned for attempts at overthrowing the state or [[Anti-Albania agitation and propaganda|anti-communist propaganda and agitation]], for terms of at least 20 years. Often they were re-condemned while in prison. After the fall of the communist regime, the government of the [[Democratic Party of Albania]] closed the prison and made it a museum. However, in 1997, [[Sali Berisha]] re-opened it as an active prison.

==Archaeology==
The region of [[Mat District|Mati]] is a real archaeological museum and an ancient cradle of the [[Illyrians|Illyrian]] culture. Dilaver Kurti explored objects which demonstrate fact for all ancient historic periods, cultural development not only from the region of Mati but even for all the surroundings. It is a very important zone for the study of the Illyrian culture. The Museum of Mat is a real gem of the Illyrian culture, displaying many artifacts of the [[Illyrians]] also displayed and analyzed in the book Trashigime Iliro-Arberore by Dilaver Kurti. Kurti also traveled from village to village collecting ethnographic materials and photographs which make up the material of his books Shenime Etnografike Neper Mat and Foklor Nga Mati.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.blue-albania.com/GeneralInfo36-Mati.htm|title = Blue Albania}}</ref>

==Sports==
Klubi Sportiv Burreli ([[KS Burreli]]) is an Albanian football (soccer) club based in Burrel. Its home stadium is [[Liri Ballabani Stadium]], also known as the Burreli Stadium, which has a capacity of 3,000 visitors.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cityseeker.com/burrel/917934-liri-ballabani-stadium |title=Liri Ballabani Stadium |website=CitySeeker |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170723221834/https://cityseeker.com/burrel/917934-liri-ballabani-stadium |archive-date=23 July 2017 |url-status=live |access-date=23 July 2017 }}</ref> Founded in 1952 under the name "KS 31 Korriku Burrel", the club first participated in the Albanian First Division in 1982. As of the 2022–2023 season, KS Burreli finished in 10th place, while playing in the Kategoria e Parë.

==Climate==
{{Weather box
|width = auto
|location = Burrel
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes

|Jan high C =  7.3
|Feb high C =  9.1
|Mar high C = 12.6
|Apr high C = 16.8
|May high C = 21.7
|Jun high C = 25.9
|Jul high C = 28.4
|Aug high C = 28.4
|Sep high C = 24.3
|Oct high C = 18.6
|Nov high C = 13.1
|Dec high C =  8.9

|Jan mean C =  3.9
|Feb mean C =  5.5
|Mar mean C =  8.3
|Apr mean C = 12.1
|May mean C = 16.6
|Jun mean C = 20.5
|Jul mean C = 22.7
|Aug mean C = 22.6
|Sep mean C = 18.8
|Oct mean C = 14.0
|Nov mean C =  9.5
|Dec mean C =  5.6

|Jan low C =  0.5
|Feb low C =  1.9
|Mar low C =  4.0
|Apr low C =  7.4
|May low C = 11.5
|Jun low C = 15.2
|Jul low C = 17.1
|Aug low C = 16.8
|Sep low C = 13.4
|Oct low C =  9.4
|Nov low C =  5.9
|Dec low C =  2.3

|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 137
|Feb precipitation mm = 125
|Mar precipitation mm = 108
|Apr precipitation mm =  99
|May precipitation mm =  90
|Jun precipitation mm =  59
|Jul precipitation mm =  42
|Aug precipitation mm =  47
|Sep precipitation mm =  80
|Oct precipitation mm = 113
|Nov precipitation mm = 161
|Dec precipitation mm = 152

|source = <ref name="Climate-Data.org">{{cite web
|url = https://en.climate-data.org/europe/albania/burrel/burrel-37587/
|title = Climate: Burrel
|publisher = Climate-Data.org
|access-date = 20 February 2019}}</ref>
}}

==Notable people==
*[[Tarhoncu Ahmed Pasha]] - [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] [[Grand Vizier]]
*[[Ador Gjuci]] - football player
*[[Kurt Agë Kadiu]] - one of the signatories of the [[Albanian Declaration of Independence]]
*[[Hysni Milloshi]] - Communist
*[[Juliana Pasha]] - singer
*[[Saimir Patushi]] - football player
*[[Zog I of Albania]] - king of Albania from 1928 to 1939
*[[Xhelal Bey Zogu]] - Albanian prince
*[[Xhemal Pasha Zogu]] - father of [[Zog I of Albania]]
*[[Rexhep Pasha Mati]] - [[Marshal, Governor and War Minister]] 
*[[Armando Dobra]] - Albanian footballer 

==See also==
*[[Ulëz|Ulëz Lake Regional Nature Park]]
*[[List of cities in Albania]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Cities in Albania}}
{{Dibër County}}
{{Mat div}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Former municipalities in Dibër County]]
[[Category:Administrative units of Mat (municipality)]]
[[Category:Towns in Albania]]