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Museum of Oriental Art Korçë History: The Museum of Oriental Art “Bratko” (Albanian: Muzeu i Artit Oriental “Bratko”) is an Albanian national museum dedicated to Asian art in Korçë, Albania. The museum was established and opened in June 2003, thus fulfilling the dream of George Dimitri Boria, an Albanian-American photographer, who donated his own collection of Asian art to the museum.  Collection which Boria began during […]

Resurrection Cathedral Korçë History: The Resurrection of Christ Cathedral of Korçë (Albanian: Katedralja “Ngjallja e Krishtit”) is the main Albanian Orthodox church in Korçë, Albania. The cathedral was built by Orthodox Church of Albania in 1995 . A previous cathedral in Korçë named after St. George was destroyed by the Communist authorities in 1968. It received the money for construction from Greeks and also from Orthodox members […]

Horse Riding Zagoria The valley of Zagoria stretches from 160 to 900 meters and is one of the largest valleys in the region. It has a varied relief, sometimes it widens and sometimes it narrows, it creates canyons and amazing landscapes. A beautiful trail stretches from Gjirokastra along th valley and continues up this mountain […]

Viroi Park Description: Viroi Park is one of the most beautiful natural attractions so close to Gjirokastra city. You can see it in the entrance of Gjirokastra in the road Tepelene Gjirokaster. Viroi is a karstic water source, which is full of water during the winter time and spring, but dry in summertime. It is […]

Sheshi Çerçiz Topulli History This is a historical square, the main one in Gjirokastër and is located on the Eastern side of the Bazaar. It received this name in honor of the revolutionary figures Cerciz Topulli, who is a national hero. He was born in Gjirokastër in 1880 and fought against the Ottoman wars at […]

Gjirokaster Mosque History: he Bazaar Mosque (Albanian: Xhamia e Pazarit), also known as Memi Bey Mosque (Albanian: Xhamia e Memi Beut), is a mosque located in Gjirokastër, Albania. The Memi Bey mosque was built in 1757 and is located in the Old Bazaar neighbourhood. It is one of fifteen mosques originally built in the city during the Ottoman era, of which thirteen survived till the communist period. The […]

Ismail Kadare’s House Description: The home of the world-famous Albanian writer, Ismail Kadare, has been turned into a museum, and is open to the public. This is where Ismail Kadare was born and spent his childhood. The house will be familiar to everyone who has read his book ‘Chronicle in Stone”, in which Kadare describes […]

Antigonea Archaeological Park Description: The city of Antigonea was founded by Pyrrhos, the King of the Molossans, in the year 295 BC. The Molossans were one of the three tribes of Epiros (in today’s southern Albania and northern Greece), which grew to a strong state in this period. Antigonea developed as an important economic, social, […]

The Cold War Tunnel History   The Cold War Tunnel Museum (also called the Color War Tunnel) is an underground bunker that served as an emergency shelter in the latter part of Albania’s communist era (1944-1990).  This bunker, and the innumerable small bunkers found throughout the country, reflects the paranoia of Albanian’s communist dictator, Enver […]

Zekate House History: Zekate House (Albanian: Zapanaja e Zekatëve), is a house in Gjirokastër, Albania. The house, built in 1812, is said to be “one of the grandest examples of Gjirokastër architecture in the Ottoman style”. Fortified tower houses, (known as kullë in Albanian), belonged to wealthy people, such as government officials or merchants. All rooms have a basic design: […]