Pukë

Pukë Albania Puka
Puka Albania
Country	Albania
County	Shkodër County
District	Pukë District
Government
• Mayor	(PD)
Elevation	890 m (2,920 ft)
Population
• Total	6,495
	2005 Est.
Postal code	4401
Area code	0212
Car Plates	PU

Pukë is the capital of the Pukë District in northern Albania. The town has a population of 6,495 (2005 est.). The local football club is called KS Tërbuni Pukë.

The town is 838 m high over sea level, being so one of the highest towns of Albania. It has a distance of 150 km from Tirana. Situated along the Adriatic-Kosovo road, during 4th-2nd centuries B.C. was developed known with the name of Picarea and Pezhve. This area has a 2000 years tradition in labored resin. The ruins of this tradition are located in a quarter of Puka town that holds this name. This ancient town was destroyed by the barbarian invasion. In the 20th century Puka was expanded as a military base and a centre of Catholic Education. The distinguished Albanian poet Migjeni worked there during 1936-1937. The school where he worked as a teacher is a tourist attraction. The town is surrounded by a green massif of 400 hectare of pine trees. Since the end of the communist era there has been a spread of processionaria disease in the pines and nests of the processionary moth are visually evident.

The hotel standing in the town square has been upgraded and now boasts a micro brewery producing Puka Beer which is a lager in draught form.

References

• Puka A Web page dedicated to the Area of Puka
• [http;//www.Hotel-puka.com/en/birra] A Web page dedicated to Puka Beer
• Through The Embers of Chaos ISBN 0-7195-6232 5 (2002) Dervla Murphy Page 213

The author refers to the processionaria disease in Puke on a cycle "trip" through Albania when she stayed in the town