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Arapaj

Coordinates: 41°18′11″N 19°30′20″E / 41.30306°N 19.50556°E / 41.30306; 19.50556
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Arapaj
Village
The ruins of the Paleochristian Basilica of Saint Michael in Arapaj
The ruins of the Paleochristian Basilica of Saint Michael in Arapaj
Arapaj is located in Albania
Arapaj
Arapaj
Coordinates: 41°18′11″N 19°30′20″E / 41.30306°N 19.50556°E / 41.30306; 19.50556
Country Albania
CountyDurrës
MunicipalityDurrës
Municipal unitRrashbull
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)

Arapaj is a village in the former municipality of Rrashbull, Durrës County, Albania.

At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality Durrës.[1] It is a southern suburb of Durrës, located near the Mediterranean coast, approximately 6 kilometres south of this city.

Arapaj is a noted archaeological site, containing the substantial Basilica of Saint Michael dedicated to Saint Michael, an early Palaeo-Christian church which is believed to back to the fifth or sixth century.[2][3] It has been declared a Cultural Monument of Albania because of its architectural significance.[4] A mosaic unearthed in the Basilica also demonstrates how engrained its culture was later on with the early Byzantine Empire.[5]

"Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu Winery", is distilled in the village of Arapaj.[6]

The etymological origin of the name Arapaj is hypothesised to come from the word Arap which means Arab in Albanian and it comes from the Turkish word which is the same. This possibly indicates there was an Arab settlement in this village , Durrës did receive Arab traders along the coast.

Fatos Arapi, the known poet has roots from this village.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Law nr. 115/2014" (PDF) (in Albanian). p. 6368. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  2. ^ Albania today, 1981, p.46
  3. ^ "Shen Mehill Arapaj Basilica - holiday Albania". Tixik.com. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved November 7, 2010.
  4. ^ "Religious buildings with the "Culture Monument" status". Republic of Albania National Committee for Cult. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved October 28, 2010.
  5. ^ Winnifrith, Tom (1991). "Perspectives on Albania". Warwick studies in the European humanities. Macmillan. ISBN 0-333-51282-0.
  6. ^ Elite, Trademark. "GJERGJ KASTRIOTI SKENDERBEU BRANDY KANTINA E PIJEVE GJERGJ KASTRIOTI SKENDERBEU DURRES ALBANIA Trademark of Kantina e Pijeve Gjergj Kastrioti Skenderbeu sha. Serial Number: 87315864 :: Trademark Elite Trademarks". www.trademarkelite.com. Retrieved 2024-06-10.

External links[edit]

Media related to Arapaj at Wikimedia Commons

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