Vlora port city bordered by the adriatic sea is a modern city it was destroyed by a terrible earthquake in 1851 it is the city where the albanian independence from the ottomans was proclaimed on november 28th 1912 it is ranked as the third largest albania city with about 190 000 inhabitants and is only 120 km away from italy it was founded in the 6th century bc under the name of aulona roman rule remained patriarchate of rome until the 8th century ad and then moved to the patriarchate