Albania
The country which we know as Albania today has been inhabited for over 100,000 years and has been occupied and influenced by the Romans, Greeks, Turks and Italians. The first inhabitants of the present day Albania were Illyrians tribes, a group of Indo-European people.
In the 2nd century B.C. the Illyrians were conquered by the Romans, and from the end of the 4th century AD, the country became part of the Byzantine Empire. Having been invaded by the Visigoths, Huns, Bulgarians, and Slavs, the Albanians were finally conquered by the Ottoman Turks in the 15th century.
After almost five centuries of Ottoman rule, Albania proclaimed independence on 28 November 1912.
Through most of the Second World War Albania was invaded by Italian and German forces. At the end of the War, Albania became a Communist state and remained isolated until its transition to democracy after 1990.
In December 1990, a vague type of democracy and an open market economy were more or less installed, marking the start of social and economic reforms.
Ancient prehistoric sites, Mediaeval castles, entire towns of uninterrupted charming 15th century Ottoman houses and Cold War bunkers are a few of the examples of the places you can visit to get a clearer idea of Albania’s long, rich and turbulent history.
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Activities
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Butrint
With its beautiful coastal setting, Butrint is undoubtedly the most outstanding of Albania's ancient sites. 18 km from Saranda, it dates back a lot later than the town, probably to the 6th century BC when the Greeks from Corfu came to live here.
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Butrint, Albania
Inhabited since prehistoric times, Butrint has been the site of a Greek colony, a Roman city and a bishopric. Following a period of prosperity under Byzantine administration, then a brief occupation by the Venetians, the city was abandoned in the late Middle Ages after marshes formed in the area. Read more .
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Gjirokastra Fortress
Gjirokastra Fortress dominates the town and overlooks the strategically important route along the river valley.
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Saranda City (Sarandë)
Named after the nearby Byzantine monastery of the Forty Saints (Agioi Saranda) by which it became known from the high middle ages. (1000-1250 AD) Today Saranda is a sprawling modern city with mostly over crowded beaches. It is of no particular interest, apart from being close to the ancient city of Butrint, a UNESCO World Heritage site which is about 20 km south of the city.
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The American Aeroplane, Gjirokastra Castle
Nobody is quite sure what brought this American military plane to the castle.
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The Artillery Gallery, Gjirokastra
Turning left from the main entrance, you will find yourself in a long gallery lined with artillery pieces.
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The Bazaar of Gjirokastra
Until the mid-20th century Gjirokastra was an important market town surrounded by vast feudal landholdings in the lush valley, so there was an important market for agricultural machinery as well as leather and wood for the artisans.
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The Bektashi Turbe (tomb), Gjirokastra
Situated to the right, about 50 metres inside the main gate, you will see a small building tucked into the walls of the castle in the middle of a pretty garden.
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The Clock Tower, Gjirokastra Castle
The clock was built by Ali Pasha of Tepelena in the 19th century to determine the time of five daily prayers. It was restored in the 1980s and the current clock was installed in the 1990s but doesn’t work.
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The Ethnographic Museum, Gjirokastra
Formerly the home of Enver Hoxha, the communist dictator of Albania from 1944 to 1985, the ethnographic museum is in the Palorto Quarter, the best preserved district in the old town of Gjirokastra.
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The Festival Stage, Gjirokastra Castle
The stage was erected in the 1980s and has for some years been the home of the Albanian National Folk Festival, held every four years (last held in 2015). During the year the stage is used by the municipality on public holidays to present music and dance events.
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The Gjirokastra Museum
Within the castle’s walls, this museum explains the history and the culture of the city and its surroundings from the prehistoric times until the present day through archeological and historical objects and archives.
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The Monastery of the Forty Saint Martyrs, Saranda
This ruined Eastern Orthodox monastery overlooking the port of Saranda dates back to the 6th century AD. Today only a part of the side walls of its basilica-type church survive.
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The National Museum of Armaments, Gjirokastra
Originally opened in 1971, the National Museum of Armaments occupies what was once the castle’s prison.
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The Prison, Gjirokastra
Completed in 1932, the prison was used by King Zog’s regime followed by the Italian and German occupation forces during the Second World War, and finally the communist regime until 1968.
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Zekate house, Gjirokastra
This is the best surviving example of a typical kullë (tower-house) in Gjirokastra which was occupied by the rich, usually administrative officials, merchants or landowners. You have to climb a steep hill to get there, but it’s worth every step..
