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[edit] From 1799 to present times

Ali Pasha tried to create good relations with the Himariotes after declaring their enclave part of his emerging semi-independent state, by financing various public works and churches. One church he built still stands today as a major tourist attraction near Himare opposite of the Porto Palermo (Panormos) Castle and is the largest and most magnificent in the region. Local people says that through his local commander he ordered the stonemasons to build the most durable structure they had ever attempted to build, so durable that it could withstand earthquakes and cannon bombardment, otherwise they would pay with their lives. After the church was complete he tested if these requirements were met by firing artillery shots at it from the castle.

The story goes that Ali ordered his soldiers to set the forest above the village of Dhermi on fire. Many Himariotes from the parts that opposed Ali Pasha migrated to Italy, settling partially to the already established Arbëreshë villages of Piana degli Albanesi and Santa Cristina Gela. Ali Pasha's rule over Himarë lasted about 20 years until it was abruptly terminated by his murder at the hands of the Turks in his castle of Ioannina. Himarë subsequently reverted to its status quo ante of an enclave surrounded by Ottoman territory. To emphasize the region's special status, the terms that the Himariotes had reached with Sultan Suleiman were inscribed on bronze tablets at the request of their leaders, who wanted to record the agreement on a durable medium so as to stress its importance. These tablets were inscribed in Turkish and are still preserved to this day in the Topkapi palace museum in Constantinople (modern Istanbul, Turkey).

Himarë was occupied by Italy during the First World War, when the Italians used Austro-Hungarian war prisoners to build a road running through Himara, which greatly reduced the region's isolation. Following WWI, the "Protocol of Corfu" was signed and granted the Greek inhabitants autonomy though the region remained part of the newly formed Albanian state.

Later, Himara was again occupied by the Italians as the rest of the Italian Invasion in Albania. The Italian Fascist Army was evicted by the Greek Army during the Greek-Italian war of 1940-41 and Himara was briefly annexed to Greece until the German invasion, April 6, 1941.

[edit] Language

[edit] Religion

[edit] Famous modern Himariotes

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  Pyrros Dimas (Greek: Πύρρος Δήμας), the world-famous Greek weight-lifting athlete, whose nickname is "the Lion of Himarra". He is the only weight-lifter in the world to have won four Olympic medals. Three of his medals are gold (1992 Summer Olympics, 1996 Summer Olympics, 2000 Summer Olympics) and the last one, from the Athens 2004 Olympics, is a bronze. He is considered a national hero in Greece.
  

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  George Tenet, Greek American former Director of CIA belonging to the Greek minority in Southern Albania. His mother was born in the village of Qeparo, Albania while his father hails from southern Greece. Tenet held the position from July 1997 to July 2004, making him the second-longest serving director in the agency's history.
  

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  Petro Marko, one of the most famous Albanian writers of the post World War II era. ^[5]
  

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  Aleks Çaçi, a well-known writer and Albanian diplomat. He was a Himariot from the village of Palasa.
  

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  Paskal Milo, leader of the Albanian Social Democracy Party, member of the Albanian Parliament and Professor of Albanian and Foreign literature. Milo has held various posts under the Albanian government in the late 1990s and early 2000s, notably that of foreign minister.^[6]
  

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  Sotiris Ninis (Greek: Σωτήρης Νίνης), another Himariot who has become famous in Greece as a young and very promising football player with Panathinaikos FC of Athens. Ninis is thought to be one of the biggest hopes for the future of the Greek National Football Team which conquered the European Championship 2004 (Euro 2004).
  

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  Spiros Milios (Greek: Σπύρος Μήλιος), General Chief of Staff in Eleftherios Venizelos govt' in Greece (1915-1936).
  

Kamëz

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From 1990 to 2005, the expansion of Tirana has brought Kamez into the conurbation.

The main football team, KS Dajti Kamëz, plays in the Albanian First Division at the Fusha Sportive Kamëz. It is the site of the Agricultural University of Tirana.

of Tirana, 1990-2005|

Kavajë

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In the Prefecture of Kavajë there are 123,000 inhabitants (according to the 2005 census). The area of the County is 393 square kilometers. Kavajë is the Capital of Kavaja County.