Farkë

Overview

Farka is located 7 km in the south-eastern part of Tirana, along the national motorway Tirana-Elbasan. Its territory is limited in the east with Dajt Mountain and in the south with Petrela village and in the west with Vaqarr village. 

The reservoirs and the hilly relief create an attractive panorama increasing the interest of the local tourists and mainly of the foreigners for swimming, biking, etc. 

The highway Tirana-Elbasan with a length of 3.5 km passes through the territory of Farka turning Farka into an important centre not only of economic development but even of architectonic one. Due to the strategic geographical position and the favourable infrastructure, this area is becoming an attractive residential and touristic region. 

The presence of two parks and recreational services and of an important shopping centre like – TEG, increases on a qualitative way the offer of Farka for a good quality of life and services. 

On the other hand, Tirana offers for Farka the daily urban dynamics and the employment opportunities, and making business for residents who choose to live in Farka.  

History 

Farka is an ancient Illyrian dwelling. The main road called “Vram” passed between the two streams near Farka. It was a branch of Via Egnatia. The population of this region belonged to the Illyrians and later on it was included in the federation of Taulants. 

The legends say that the name of the village Farka comes from the fact that in its southern part, in the border with the village Lundër, there was a blacksmith’s shop where tools, weapons, coins of the ancient times were manufactured.
Another document that testifies the Illyrian origin is the finding of a coin’s treasure in Sauk, which are thought to have been minted in the workshop and they belonged to a Roman official, the owner of the land in Sauk and Farka.  Farka was populated considerably during the I-IV centuries of the Roman invasion as it was a very low and protected area. 

Upon the establishment of the agricultural company “Gjergj Dimitrov” in 1958, it became one of the most recognized areas for production of vineyard and arboriculture, being popular even for the cultivation of olives. In 1969, a Military Helicopter Unit was established in Farka. 

Tradition

The crafts-wok in the region of Farka date back in early times. It is important to be mentioned: leather-tanning, pottery, looming, etc. The neighbourhood “Doxh” has been mentioned. In Latin, it means “the holy leader of the crafts”. 
The names of the places have been inherited even these days, such as: “Lama e Tabakeve” for the leather-tanning, “shpella e hudhres se Lazit” (“the cave of Lazi’s garlic”) for the pottery. Pottery mud was found in the place called “Kodra e Vorbaxhinjeve”, as the raw material for the pottery production. Only man have applied the profession of pottery and it was kept as a secret for women and for the others.  
The ceramic productions of this area have supplied the entire Middle Albania. This tradition continues even today with some small crafts workshops, which guarantee not only the living incomes with their products, but they also keep alive the old and very interesting tradition.