Llogara-Pass

Pass road overlooking the Maja e Čikeš

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The Llogara Pass (Albanian Qafa Llogara ) is a mountain pass in southern Albania. It is part of the National Road SH 8 and a watershed between the Adriatic Sea in the north and the Ionian Sea in the south. The pass leads along a western branch of the Ceraunischen Mountains, the Akroceraunisches Mountains, which continue to follow the coast and ends in the Karaburun Peninsula in the sea in front of Vlora. The Llogara Pass lies between the Maja e Čikeš ( 2045 m above sea level. A. ), the highest elevation of the Ceraunischen Mountains, and the Maja e Gjipalit ( 1446 m above sea level. A. ) in the west to 1027 m above sea level. A.. The pass is located in the National Park Llogara.

Geography

In the north of the pass the valley of Dukat leads to the southern end of the Bay of Vlora in Orikum. In the south it falls from the steep pass to the Ionian Sea off the coast just three kilometers in a straight line, but more than 1000 meters deep lies. In contrast to the North, with a narrow v-shaped valley, the pass opens to the south, where only a few notches in the cliff lead to precipitation water. The pass offers impressive views of the sea and with good visibility over the entire Albanian Riviera, 50 kilometers away to the Greek island of Corfu.

The mountain pass is part of the Albanian coast road SH 8, which is the only paved road the Ionian coast - connects with the northern Albania - the Albanian Riviera. The road over the Qafa Llogara was expanded in 2008 and extended. The whole mountain range northwest of the Qafa Llogara including the Karaburun peninsula is uninhabited and not very accessible.

North and south sides of the pass are significantly different. Although on the south side with 2000-2500 mm, almost twice as much rain falls per year as north of the pass (1200-1400 mm), the southern slopes of the north slope is very bare and rocky, but wooded and green. The temperatures are on the south side also some deeper.

History

In the year 48 BC Gaius Julius Caesar landed in the Civil War at the village at the southern foot of the Palasa Llogara Pass, crossed it and headed north against Pompey in the Battle of Dyrrachium. Some historians assume, however, that Caesar ten or 15 miles to the north landed in a small bay, which would rather correspond to the described march time after Oricum. He would then not even crossed the mountains on Llogara Pass.