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{{Infobox settlement (Albanian)
| type = m
| name = Librazhd
| flag = Flag of Librazhd.gif
| emblem = Stema e Bashkisë Librazhd.svg
| skyline = Librazhd, Albania 2018 01.jpg
| caption = 
| county = Elbasan
| mayor = Mariglen Disha
| party = [[Socialist Party of Albania|PS]]
| coordinates = {{coord|41|11|N|20|19|E|display=inline}}
| elevation = 249
| area munic = 793.99 
| population as of = 2023<ref name="pop23">{{cite web|title=Main Results of the Population and Housing Census 2023|url=https://www.instat.gov.al/en/themes/censuses/census-of-population-and-housing/publications/2023/main-results-of-the-population-and-housing-census-2023/|publisher=[[Institute of Statistics (Albania)|INSTAT]]}}</ref>
| population munic = 23312 
| population unit = 6787
| postal code = 3401-3413
| area code = (0)514
| website = {{URL|https://bashkialibrazhd.gov.al/}}
}}

'''Librazhd''' ({{lang-sq-definite|Librazhdi}}) is a town and a municipality in [[Elbasan County]], southeast [[Albania]]. The municipality was reformed at the 2015 local government reform by the merger of the former municipalities [[Hotolisht]], Librazhd, [[Lunik, Albania|Lunik]], [[Orenjë]], [[Polis, Albania|Polis]], [[Qendër Librazhd]] and [[Stëblevë]], that became municipal units. The seat of the municipality is the town Librazhd.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vendime.al/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/137-2014.pdf |title=Law nr. 115/2014 |language=sq |pages=6368–6369|access-date=25 February 2022 }}</ref> The total population is 23,312,<ref name="pop23" /> in a total area of {{cvt|793.99|sqkm}}.<ref name="LAU">{{cite web |url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/345175/501971/EU-28-LAU-2019-NUTS-2016.xlsx |title=Correspondence table LAU – NUTS 2016, EU-28 and EFTA / available Candidate Countries |access-date=2019-09-25 |publisher=[[Eurostat]]|format=XLS }}</ref> The population of the municipal unit as of the 2023 census is 6,787.<ref name="pop23" />

{{historical populations|1955|801|1960|961|1969|2700|1979|3200|1989|5018|2001|7216|2011|6937|2023|6787|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>{{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>}}

Librazhd is the nearest town to the [[Shebenik National Park]].

== History ==
[[File:Vilson Blloshmi Genc Leka Memorial.JPG|200px|thumb|left|Monument in honor of two poets ''Vilson Blloshmi'' and ''Genc Leka''; In 1977 they were executed by the communist regime.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gazeta Tirana Observer: Memorialëve të Vilson Blloshmit dhe Genc Lekës, iu vidhen shkronjat prej bronzi për skrap! |url=http://www.peshkupauje.com/2011/04/memorialeve-te-vilson-blloshmit-dhe-genc }}</ref>]]
Librazhd (''Liburazhda'') is attested in the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] ''[[defter]]'' of 1467 as a village belonging to the ''[[timar]]'' of Karagöz in the [[vilayet]] of [[Çermenikë|Çermeniça]]. The settlement had a total of 33 households, represented by the following household heads: ''Ilia Berishi'', ''[[Priesthood (Eastern Orthodox Church)|Pop]] Mihali'', ''Gjergj Vaskuqi'', ''Ivo Stajo'', ''Nikolla Todini'', ''Miho Gjirgashi'', ''Todor Sqavi'', ''Mihal Arassi'' (''Arrasi''), ''Gjurko Papa Sedani'' (possibly, ''Papasdani''), ''Gjergj Arassi'', ''Gjergj Gjonjo'' (possibly, ''Gjonevi''), ''Miladin Simko'', ''Dimitri Gjinko'', ''Todor Kalini'', ''Petër Simko'', ''Ivo Nikoto'', ''Pop Nikolla'', ''Todorec Nikoto'', ''Stan Mali'', ''Dimitri Kozmo'', ''Petko Stajko'', ''Stajo'' son of ''Semini'', ''Gjin Franku'', ''Bogdo Kalini'', ''Frank Radoslani'', ''Gjon Prokopi'', ''Petër Rado'', ''Gjon Birko'', ''Simo Birko'', ''Stan Kaliqi'', ''Pejko Stajo'', ''Miho Makini'' (possibly, ''Magjini''), ''Gjergj Budisha'', ''Manec Berishi'', ''Dimitri Kostovi'', ''Gjoni'' son of ''Rado'', ''Dimitri'' son of ''Miho'', ''Dimitri'' son of ''Aleko'', and ''Nenada'' son of ''Niko''.<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 |pages=136–7}}</ref>

Librazhd was one of the newest cities in Albania and was proclaimed as such on 18 February 1960.<ref name="telegraf.al">{{Cite web|url=http://telegraf.al/aktualitet/historiani-shaban-gjuralibrazhdi-me-historine-e-tij-50-vjecare/|title=Historiani, Shaban Gjura:Librazhdi me historinë e tij 50-vjeçare}}</ref> Librazhd is also famous for being connected to the [[Via Egnatia]] road that stretched from [[Istanbul]] all the way on to [[Durrës]]. The people of Librazhd also participated in the [[Albanian Declaration of Independence]] in the 28 of November 1912.<ref name="telegraf.al"/> During [[World War II]], two battalions of the [[National Liberation Movement (Albania)|National Liberation Movement]] ambushed defeated [[Nazi Germany]] troops near Librazhd, killing over 200 German soldiers.<ref name="Pearson2006">{{cite book|last=Pearson|first=Owen|title=Albania in Occupation and War: From Fascism to Communism 1940-1945|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P3knunC7z_oC&pg=PA271|access-date=14 January 2011|date=2006-07-11|publisher=I.B.Tauris|isbn=978-1-84511-104-5|page=271}}</ref>

==Transportation==
===Trains===
There is no train line that can go to or from Librazhd. Elbasan-Pogradec extension has been closed.

===Highways===
The only main road in Librazhd is the [[Highways in Albania#Expressways|SH 3]] ({{Langx|sq|Rruga Shtetërore SH 3}}, {{Literal translation|State road SH 3}}) that starts in [[Tirana]] and ends in [[Korçë]] and passes by Librazhd.

==Sports==
The [[association football|football]] club [[KF Sopoti]], a team founded in 1948, is based in Librazhd. The team plays its home matches at [[Sopoti Stadium]], built in 1964 and capable of accommodating 3,000 spectators. While participating in the [[Kategoria e Dytë|Albanian Second Division]] group A, the team faced challenges with the outdated stadium during the 2017-18 season. However, the stadium has undergone renovations since then.
[[File:Librazhd, Albania 2018 10.jpg|left|thumb|Sopoti Stadium]]

==Notable residents==

*[[Taulant Balla]] (born 1979), politician

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikivoyage|Librazhd}}
* [http://www.bashkialibrazhd.gov.al/ Municipality of Librazhd Official Website]
* [https://tourisminalbania.com/things-to-do-and-see-in-librazhd/ Librazhd tourist guide]

<br />
{{Municipalities of Albania}}
{{Elbasan County}}
{{Librazhd div}}

[[Category:Librazhd| ]]
[[Category:Municipalities in Elbasan County]]
[[Category:Administrative units of Librazhd]]
[[Category:Towns in Albania]]