ELBASSAN, a town of Albania. Population (193o) 13,796, of whom 85% are Muslims and the remainder Orthodox and Roman Catholics. Elbassan lies on a fertile plain amid wooded country and is surrounded by gardens ; the climate is healthy and there is an excellent water supply. The Catholic Albanians live in the centre of the town within the ruined castle, outside are the Muslims, and beyond them the Vlachs who belong to the Orthodox Church. The town is fairly prosperous, with good public buildings and a large bazaar where rather shoddy foreign tinware, crockery and linen and cloth goods are sold. Olives and maize are cultivated. The valleys of the Semeni and Devoli afford communication with Berat, and there is a road to Durazzo, and also a light railway built by the Austrians. Elbassan was captured by the Serbs during the Balkan Wars (1912-13) but afterwards restored to Albania.