The UNESCO World Heritage City of Gjirokastra needs your support to help sustain it as one of Albania’s greatest historic sites and to guarantee the inheritance of its future generations. Here’s how you can help:
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OLD BAZAR TOURS
“It was a strange city, and seemed to have been cast up in the valley one winter’s night like some prehistoric creature that was now clawing its way up the mountainside. Everything in the city was old and made of stone, from the streets and fountains to the roofs of the sprawling age-old houses covered with grey slates like gigantic scales...”
The UNESCO World Heritage City of Gjirokastra needs your support to help sustain it as one of Albania’s greatest historic sites and to guarantee the inheritance of its future generations. Here’s how you can help:
Gjirokastra is often known as “the City of Stone” and its most distinctive feature is the silvery-colored limestone which gives the city its character. The stone is quarried nearby and is used in the construction of buildings, roofs and streets
Gjirokastra is in the south of Albania, situated on the east face of the steep Mali i Gjerë mountain range. It lies 232 km from Tirana, the capital of Albania; 31 kilometres from the Greek border crossing at Kakavia; and 56 kilometres from Saranda, the seaport that connects southern Albania to Corfu
The early history of Gjirokastra is relatively unknown. Due to the proximity of the Hellenistic settlement of Antigonea (near Jermë) and the Roman city of Hadrianopolis (close to the village of Sofratika) it has been frequently assumed that the medieval fortress represents the first occupation of the site.
As the Ottoman Empire expanded into Europe in the late 14th century, Gjirokastra fell under their dominion and its lords were for a period of time vassals of the Sultans. It is believed that by 1420 Gjirokastra and the entire Drino Valley became part of the Ottoman Empire.
During King Zog’s reign (1928-1939), Gjirokastra established itself as one of the most important cultural and economic centers in the country, although it was also known for the large prison constructed in the castle during Zog’s reign.
Gjirokastra was declared a Museum City by the communist regime in 1961 in an effort to conserve the unique cultural heritage of the town. As well as more specialist craftsmen, a large conscripted workforce – consisting mainly of young people, known as Volunteer Youth Brigades – was assembled to maintain the old town.
Until the mid 20th century Gjirokastra was an important market centre for agricultural products from the region, leatherworking and woodworking. The combination of administrative positions and vast feudal land holdings provided the basis for the wealth of the town. By the 1580s the town had more than 400 dwellings, and in the 17th century Memi […]
Originally opened in 1971, the National Museum of Armaments is located in what was once the part of the prison. The current displays cover Albanian arms from independence in 1912 to the end of World War II, and most of the museum is dedicated to the Partisan struggle against the Italian and German occupation forces […]
Situated to the right about 50m inside the main gate you will see a small building tucked into the walls of the castle amidst a lovely garden. It contains the remains of two Bektashi Babas.
Turning left from the main entrance, you will enter a long gallery lined with artillery pieces. All of these guns were either abandoned by, or captured from, the Italian and German occupation forces during World War II. Within this gallery there is also a small Italian tank built by Fiat.
