The surrounding area in the vicinity of the present location of the city used to be inhabited even during pre-history age. There have been found traces of mid-Palaeolithic period; whereas excavations have found out sustainable habitation and life ranging from the Neolithic period heretofore in view of the fact that the area possesses a rare combination of physical factors for habitation. The artefacts have been housed in the city museum, the National Museum in Tirana, as well as several European museums. 
The archaeological finds and materials excavated at the slope edge of the Tepe Hills date back to Early Bronze Age (2000 B.C.). During the centuries V-IV B.C. there started construction work to build the castle with cyclopic stone pieces, without using any mortar. The Castle is situated on top of the hill at the city entrance, 130 meters above sea level.

The Rozafa Castle
 

During that time the region was inhabited by the Illyrian tribe of Labeates. By that time the town underwent considerable economic development evidently testified by the coin mints in the town as early as 230 B.C. The evidence provided in the coins suggests that, at that time, the town was called Scodrinon. In year 181 B.C. it became the Capital for the Kingdom of Illyria, whose ruler was Gent, likewise considerably extending to the Northern regions. During the second century B.C, wars against Rome were waged in the city castle, therefore in year 168 B.C. the city was captured by the Romans and it became one of the centres of the administrative units and entities of the Roman Empire. Thanks to the Diocletian reforms it became a regional centre. Important commercial routes leading to the Dalmatian coast from the North, and leading to Kosova, through the Drin valley, from the Eastern region, used to pass through Shkoder. 
 
Following the Slavs influx and conquest it was conquered and became the principal centre for the Zeta state in the XI century. The short-timed Bulgarian invasion comes subsequently. In the XIV century it became a significant autonomous centre with developed institutions, hence in   1360 it became the principal centre for the Principality of the Balshaj family. In 1396 it was surrendered to the rule of the Venetian Republic, which reconstructed the castle and called the town under the name Scutari. The town used to have its institutions and laws like any developed Venetian centre situated along the Adriatic coast. 
 
After the death of the national hero Gjergj Kastriot, who lead the resistance offered by the Albanian people against the Ottoman invasion, in year 1479 Sultan Mehmed II sieged Shkodra again with his army of over 100 000 soldiers, considering that it was the last Albanian town not as yet invaded. The town resistance and defence provided by a garrison of 1600 persons persisted for more than seven months, finally surrendering unconditionally. This resistance and confrontation has been described by the first Albanian and historian and eye-witness of this event, the Shkoder citizen Marin Barleti. His book “Shkodra Siege" was published in Europe in year 1504. After the town was conquered, it was ruined but gradually recovered to become the centre of the Empire Sanjak, an Ottoman administrative unit smaller than a vilayet, in the XVII century. By that time the town used to have 1800 dwelling houses and extended downtown where it is currently situated. Craftsmanship was developed; therefore the local craftsmen were decorating weapons, embellishing silk, copper and silver artifacts.
In the XVIII century it became a Paschallek centre under the rule of the local Bushatli Family.   In 1787, Mahmud Pasha of the Bushatli Family attempted for the first time to establish the Albanian independent principality, which was later suppressed by the Ottoman Empire.  



Shkoder City in the ’30-ies

In 1718 the first consular agencies were opened in Shkoder. In 1730 the Chamber of Commerce was established. The rapidly developing commercial centre was established from 1807 to 1809 in the town. In the XIX century high rates of economic growth were witnessed. The Commercial Centre or Bazaar consisted of 2500 shops and used to be the largest in the Balkans. The city had 50 000 inhabitants and became a Vilayet centre. National dresses, leather products, tobacco, and gun powder were some of the major products manufactured in Shkodër to be exported.  80 crafts were exercised. There were accredited 6 consulates of the European and neighbouring countries.  In 1867 the city became the Archbishop’s centre. A special administration was established to handle trade, a trade court, a directorate of postage services and customs services with other countries. 
 
In 1865 the castle was abandoned since the Drin River was rerouted and changed its original riverbed flow. The city was transformed into a river harbour and traded with the rest of the world through the intermediary quays of Obot, Shengjin, Ulqin, and Tivar. The city was prominent for its green premises and environs full of vegetation, as well as the flower gardens.  
 
In 1878 the Prizren League was established and targeted its efforts against the dismemberment of Albanian territories. Shkoder became an outstanding centre for the national movement.  The Shkodra armies fought in defence of the Albanian territories of Plave, Guci, Hoti, Grude, Ulqin and Tivar. Consequently a period of riots and unrests affecting the city set in likewise reflected in the rapid decline of the number of population. The Shkoder citizens took an active part in the war waged for the proclamation of the independence of Albania, contributing not only with renowned and outstanding military leaders, but also learned personalities

The Harbour by the navigable Buna River

The uprising of year 1911 in the Northern regions considerably shook the Ottoman invasion in Albania. Following the proclamation of independence in 1912, the Shkoder population successfully confronted the siege of the Montenegrin and Serbian armies for seven successive months, since they intended to conquer the city and the region surrounding it during the Balkan War.  
After World War I had started, Shkoder was attacked by the Montenegrin armies which managed to enter the city in 1915. In January 1916 Shkoder was invaded by the Austrians which turned it into their invasion area.  
When World War I was over an international administration was established in Shkoder. After the Lushnja Congress in 1920 the city was managed by the Albanian Government resulting from the proceedings of this Congress. 
 
From 1924 to 1939 the city developed industrially mainly thanks to the construction of small factories of food-processing industry and cement production. In 1939 there were approximately such factories. During the reign of monarchy the city was managed by a European-type administration with regularly functioning institutions and several progressing reforms introduced. In 1939 Albania was invaded by the fascist armies.  
The cultural heritage of Shkoder for the Albanian nation started in the XV century with the early writings in the Albanian language. Albania’s first writers, linguists, historians were brought up there.  During the XVIII and XIX century the first state institutions reflecting the connections of Shkoder with the civilised European world were established. Art and sport developed, museums and libraries were built for the first time in Albania. Photographic art and printing were introduced, to be followed by the introduction of the cinema and electric power.