Avlonya is the Ottoman Turkish name of the town of Vlorë in southern Albania, which is known as Valona in most Western languages and traces its origins to the ancient settlement of Aulon. It is situated on the shores of a magnificent bay that is protected against high seas by the island of Sasan. Throughout its multi-millennial history, it served as the chief harbour of southern Albania and was often used as springboard for military action in the Balkans or against Italy. In the Ottoman period (1417-1912), Avlonya