Shurdhahu

Shurdhahu Island is a small island in the Vau I Dejs Reservoir in northern Albania. It was formed when the Drin River Valley was flooded during the construction of the HPS. With a surface size of 7.5 hectares, it is the reservoir's largest island. It is estimated to be 390 meters long from the island's most northern point to its most southern tip (1,280 ft). In the summer, it can be reached by tourist boat from the Vau I Dejs dam or Rragam.

It is one of the most beautiful islands in Albania. The castle of the medieval town "Sarda," which, along with the castle of Gajtan, forms the castle of "Dalmacija," is located on this island. Until the end of the 15th century, Sarda was an important cultural center and a meeting point for the three main cultures of the northern region, Malesia, Mirdita, and Zadrima, which have resisted time and cultural currents borrowed from various invaders due to their distinct characteristics.

The remnants of an 11th-century medieval castle can be visited, which comprise two rings of defensive walls and towers (part of which are regrettably drowned in the lake), a Byzantine church, and other early medieval walls. The scene atop the sheer cliffs that rise from the lake is very stunning.

Location: Vau i Dejës Reservoir