Yet, because of drought and low rainfall, the ruins of Old Kukës, submerged for forty years, are increasingly resurfacing, becoming a recurring phenomenon that draws attention from the media and attracts both international and local visitors eager to explore the site.

To access Old Kukës, visitors must cross the new Kukës Bridge, a key structure linking the two sides of the lake and the national highway. It has become a popular spot for tourists to take photos and videos of the bridge that spans the Drin River along the Rruga e Kombit (Nation’s Road). With a $30 million investment, the bridge also serves as an important economic link between Albania and Kosovo.

As soon as you cross the bridge, the banks come into view, clearly revealing traces of Old Kukës’ ruins, which have now acquired a special historical and tourist value.

The prolonged drought and lack of rainfall have significantly lowered the water level of Lake Fierza, causing parts of Old Kukës’ ruins to re-emerge above the surface.
Local residents say that these lakeside shores have become a tourist attraction, especially for foreign visitors, who pause to listen to the elders’ stories and to witness firsthand the history of how an entire town vanished beneath the waters.

The ruins of Old Kukës are more than just stone remnants; they stand as a vivid reminder of history, showing that while time can alter everything, it cannot erase the traces of a city.

Beslim Karakushi, now 83, a former employee of the Fierza hydroelectric plant, recalls that Old Kukës was often called the agriculture heartland of the northern city.

“I worked as a fitter, including at the hydropower plant. At that time, we were well looked after—they gave us an extra half day’s pay for the tough work, so although we worked eight hours, we were paid for twelve. Following this plant, there were plans in the 1970s for five more hydropower projects. We used to refer to Old Kukës as the ‘Myzeqe’ of the north because it was such a productive area, but then the government decided it was time for it to ‘produce’ water,” Karakushi recalls.

He states, “The flooding began back in 1972, but the ruins of Old Kukës surface for two reasons: the drought and the fact that we use the water for electricity, so there is no reserve. In the past, the Skavica hydroelectric plant used to stabilise the water level.”

He notes that the highest points in Old Kukës square were the base of Skanderbeg’s statue, the remains of the “Gjallica” hotel, and the walls of various houses.

“With the water level having dropped significantly, the foundations of Old Kukës have resurfaced. Some warehouses that once served state enterprises, the bridge near the River Tower that once connected Kukës with Prizren, and fragments of buildings around the old town are now visible,” Karakushi remarks.

He says that, together with fellow villagers, he often returns to see this phenomenon up close, which takes him back to his years working at the hydroelectric plant, and for the older residents, to their childhood spent there.

The 83-year-old Karakushi explains that some of the higher parts of Old Kukës have now sunk to the lower level of the lake, as the locals refer to this area.

Karakushi explains that this phenomenon is due to a combination of factors: insufficient rainfall and snowfall, along with global warming, which has affected temperatures in every season.

As a result, the region is experiencing drought and a significant drop in the water level of Lake Fierza, now approaching the so-called “death point” of 252 metres, according to the Albanian Energy Corporation.
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