Gurra Antike e Domgjonit

Useful Information

Location:	Rruga Araxhate, Domgjoni. From Kukës E851/A1 34 km, exit Fan Center, turn right 2 km, turn left across bridge, turn left again, 2.5 km to Domgjon. In the center at the supermarket straight ahead, at the end of the village on the right. (41.96542936425776, 20.152062123277307)
Open:	no restrictions. [2024]
Fee:	free. [2024]
Classification:	Water Supply
Light:	Incandescent
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Gurra Antike e Domgjonit, Rruga Araxhate, Domgjoni, Tel: +355-.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

6th century

built during the late Antiquity by the inhabitants of the fortified settlement Qyteza (City).

Description

Gurra Antike e Domgjonit (Antique Stone of Domgjon) is a strange architecture of a water supply well. There is a 100 m long tunnel which was dug to reach the aquifer, an aqueduct which is 100 m long, 1 m wide and 80 cm to 1.30 m high. Depending on the amount of water flowing through the tunnel its possible to walk through stooping. The tunnel walls are walled up the top is covered with a vault. At the end of tunnel, 100 m from the entrance above the tunnel is a well, which is covered by a dome, and a spiral staircase leading down to the tunnel. This well is more than 2 m in diameter and 8 m deep, the staircase has 23 steps. This was the access to control the water flow. The water is pure drinking water, and as the valley has a river, a canal to the nearby town was build to avoid the mixing of the two waters, as the river water was nt suitable for drinking and would have polluted the drinking water as well.

The site is unique, this architecture must have been the design of a great man, and was never copied anywhere. The well was built in late antiquity, mainly in the 6th century AD. The builders must have had a distinguished tradition in mining. According to local lore they lived here in a fortified settlement, which the locals call Qyteza (City).

The site was declared a Historic Monoment 30 years ago, but it seems there is neither money nor the will to protect it or renovate it. On the other hand it has two separate Wikipedia pages, one even with pictures, both only in Albanian language. If you are in the area, make the 1 hour detour from the motorway and visit a unique site without any restrictions and for free.