Tamare Village

Tamara has served as the administrative center of Kelmendi since 1935. It is situated on the edge of Cemi i Selce, where Cemi i Selce converges into a single river with Cemi e Vukli, at an altitude of 235 meters above sea level. The village derives its name from Tamara, the wife of the Vizier of Shkodra, whose funds were used to construct a new bridge over the Cemin e Vukli, spanning 75 meters. This bridge was named after Tamara, and subsequently, the village adopted this name as well.

Historically, Tamara functioned as the winter pasture of Selca before becoming an administrative center. In 1945, the village comprised 19 households with 116 inhabitants, covering an area of 8.6 hectares. Presently, with an expanded land surface of 8.7 hectares, Tamara is home to approximately 500 residents. The villagers have origins in Selca, Vukli, Broja, Kozhnja, and other areas. Situated in a deep depression around 1000 meters below the mountain peaks, Tamara features residential houses, apartments, a high school with a well-equipped sports facility, a two-story hospital, churches, shops, and bars-restaurants.

The primary economic activity in Tamara is animal husbandry, encompassing sheep, cows, and ungulates. Additionally, the cultivation of crops such as corn, alfalfa, and vegetables is prevalent. The cultivation of figs, plums, mulberries, peaches, vines, and grapes is also practiced. Tamara experiences a relatively cold winter and a hot summer, with warm air masses from Shiroku preventing the climate from becoming as severe as in other parts of Kelmendi.