The ancient town Shas or Svač (Svatsh) is located on top of a hill (85m) Shas Hill, which streches on the North of Lake Shas, and which offers a beautiful view to the lake and to the whole area of the Bojana Delta.According to a legend Shas had as many churches as there are days in a year.
The truth is, however, that there were found the ruins of only about ten ancient churches, among which two can be regarded as monumental, although they were ruined.The Church of St. John (Shen Gjoni) was built inside the fortress somewhere in the XIII century.The second church, St. Mary (Shen Mrise) was built in the XIV century outside the fortress, towards the North-East. It used to be 16.6 m long, 7.1 m wide and it was made in the Gothic style.
Due to its different style of construction, experts believe that it had actually been a monastry.Svatsh achieved its culmination in the Middle Ages, although it was several times invaded by various peoples. The Serbian ruler Stefan Nemanja conquered Svatsh in 1183. In 1242 it was conquered by the Mongols and finally in 1571 the Ottoman empire totally invaded and destroyed it. Since then, Svatsch has belonged to the category of „dead towns“.
At the time as it was tresspassed by the old road Ulcinium - Svacium - Skodra, Svatsh was considered to have been the centre of the area Ana e Malit. Like other middle-aged towns as Skadar, Ulcinj and Drishti, Svatsh forged its own coins with the inscription „sovacii civitas“.This money is of special value as it shows how the old town used to look like in the Rennaissanse style, with three-floor houses, colonnades and towers.