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{{Infobox settlement AL
|type               = mu
|official_name      = Ballsh
<!-- Commented out because image was deleted: |flag         = Mallakaster Flag.png -->
|emblem             = Stema e Bashkisë Mallakastër.svg
|flag               = Flag of Ballsh.png
|skyline            = Ballsh.jpg
|image_caption      = Ballsh in the Distance
|county             = Fier
|municipality       = [[Mallakastër]]
|leader_name        = 
|leader_party       = 
|coordinates        = {{coord|40|36|3|N|19|44|11|E|type:adm1st_region:AL_dim:100000|display=inline,title}}
|elevation          = 231
|elevation_min      = 
|elevation_max      = 
|area_total         = 
|population as of   = 2011
|population unit    = 7657
|postal code        = 9308
|area code          = 0313
|website            = {{URL|http://www.ballshi.com}}
}}
'''Ballsh''' ({{lang-sq-definite|Ballshi}}) is a town and a former [[Municipalities of Albania|municipality]] in [[Fier County]], southern [[Albania]]. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision and the seat of the municipality [[Mallakastër]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vendime.al/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/137-2014.pdf |title=Law nr. 115/2014 |language=sq |pages=6370|access-date=25 February 2022 }}</ref> It was the seat of the former [[District of Mallakastër]]. The population at the 2011 census was 7,657.<ref name=census11>[http://www.instat.gov.al/media/195820/5__fier.pdf 2011 census results] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304053428/http://www.instat.gov.al/media/195820/5__fier.pdf |date=2016-03-04 }}</ref>

==Name==
It was centre of Malkasra (Turkish of "[[Mallakastër]]") kaza in [[Sanjak of Berat]] in [[Janina Vilayet|Yanya Vilayet]] during Ottoman rule between 1670 and 1912.<ref>{{cite web|website=Tarih ve Medeniyet|access-date=13 September 2023|language=tr
|url=https://www.tarihvemedeniyet.org/documents/makaleler/20.%20yy%20Osmanli%20Vilayetleri.pdf|title=20.Yüzyılda Osmanlı Vilayetleri}}</ref> Its name evolved from the name of the ancient town [[Byllis]], located in proximity of Ballsh. Church sources report the variants ''Byllis'', ''Bellis'', ''Ballis'' and ''Vallis''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Buda|first=Aleks|title=Problems of the formation of the Albanian people, their language and culture: conference (selection)|publisher="8 Nëntori" Publishing House|year=1984|page=89|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vZq4AAAAIAAJ}}</ref>

==History==
{{Main|Byllis}}
[[File:Byllis Wall.jpg|thumb|left|Byllis Archaeological Park]]
Ballsh is close to the ancient city of [[Byllis]], a city during the [[Illyria]] era. The Slavic invasions of the 6th and 7th centuries caused the decline of Byllis while Ballsh was built with materials plundered from Byllis.<ref>[https://apolloniaarchaeologicalpark.al/en/byllis-history/ Byllis History - A.B.A.P]</ref>
[[File:Epitaph of Gllavenica.jpg|thumb|left|[[Epitaph of Gllavenica]] made by Monk Savia from Ballsh Commissioned by [[Gjergj Arianiti]] in 1373.]]

==Economy==
The city's surrounding fields are rich in crude [[petroleum]] and are dotted by a series of [[oil well]]s established during the socialist era. Only a fraction of these wells are operating today, but the city includes a working [[Oil refinery|refinery]], and outputs of [[naphtha]]s are significant.

The refinery was owned by [[Taçi Oil]] through ARMO (Anika Mercuria Refinery Associated Oil, owned by Anika Enterprises). In 2013 ARMO was sold to Heaney Assets Corporation, an Azerbaijan corporation.<ref name="Qoraj">{{cite web|url=http://www.shekulli.com.al/web/p.php?id=28332&kat=87|title=Azerët, nga sot pronarë të ARMO-s, firmoset marrëveshja|publisher=Shekulli|date=7 August 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140313150123/http://www.shekulli.com.al/web/p.php?id=28332&kat=87|archivedate=2014-03-13}}</ref><ref name="Topchannel">{{cite web|url=http://www.top-channel.tv/english/artikull.php?id=9724|title=ARMO changes owners|publisher=Top Channel|date=2013-08-08|access-date=2014-04-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208050410/http://www.top-channel.tv/english/artikull.php?id=9724|archive-date=2015-12-08|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Sports==
The city's team [[KS Bylis Ballsh]], plays at the [[Adush Muça Stadium]].

==See also==
*[[Ballshi inscription]]
*[[Epitaph of Gllavenica]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Cities in Albania}}
{{Fier County}}
{{Mallakastër div}}

[[Category:Former municipalities in Fier County]]
[[Category:Administrative units of Mallakastër]]
[[Category:Towns in Albania]]


{{Fier-geo-stub}}