Albanian Cultural Heritage - Eng

7/30/2019 Albanian Cultural Heritage - Eng

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yours to discover


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Greetings,

Welcome to our beautiful country,land of the eagles. Albania is anattractive tourist destination, not

only due to its varied landscapes,but also thanks to its rich culturaland historical treasures.

Albania is located in a veryimportant section of the BalkanPeninsula, facing ancient Romeand en route to Byzantium and the

capital of the world at that time,Istanbul. As such, many conquerorshave passed through the region,leaving traces of their cultures.

The treasures and remains of theregions great civilizations are stillvisible today, including the Hellenes,Romans, Byzantines, Ottomans,Venetians and modern Italians.And at our archaeological parks,you will have the opportunity totouch the ruins of some of thesemighty civilizations.

An assortment of Byzantine andpost-Byzantine churches, mosques,

monasteries with valuable frescoesand icons, old bridges and othermonuments will all enrich yourvisit to Albania. And crowning theheights of many of the countrysrugged mountains are castles datingback to the time of the Illyriansand into the Middle Ages.

The castle cities of Berat andGjirokastra, with their traditionalarchitecture, have also been

highly praised throughout thecenturies by the countless visitorswho traveled through Albania.

Fans of archaeology will surelymarvel at the mystic atmosphereof Butrint castle and will enjoythe beautiful panorama of the

ancient Roman city of Apollonia.UNESCO has also honored us byadding three of our sites to theculturally prestigious WorldHeritage List.

Albanias living connection to itsrich cultural heritage is also

complimented by its commitmentto keep in pace with a highlyvibrant and contemporary life,echoing its spirituality andpresence in the European culturalenvironment.

We are happy you have chosen to

visit, and we hope you will have apleasant stay. In this brochure youwill nd a summary of our choice

recommendations for sites to visitduring your stay.

Welcome to Albania!


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SHKODRARozafa Castle

The Tumuli Burials of ShtojSarda

The Lead MosqueMesi Bridge

Historic MuseumMarubi Atelier of Photography


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SHKODRA

Shkodra is one o the most signicant andancient cities in northwestern Albania.It was ounded in the 4th century BCE asthe center o the Illyrian tribe o theLabeates, and became the capital o theIllyrian kingdom under the rule o KingGent. Coins rom this period o prominencehave been discovered in Shkodra.In 168 BCE it was occupied by the Romans,eventually becoming part o Claudiussempire. In 395 CE Shkodra became thecenter o the Byzantine Prevalis province.Following centuries o substantial political

power, Shkodra came under Serbian rulein 1040 CE.

The Tumuli Burials o Shtoj: The Plain o

Shtoj is situated about 5 km to the north-east o the city o Shkodra, in the vicinityo the villages o Boks and Drago, on thewestern side o the Kir River. The excavatedtumuli, or burial mounds, appear to havebeen used or centuries, rom the earlyBronze Age until the late Iron Age. Mosto the unearthed eatures o these tumuliare artiacts o the Iron Age, specically

rom the 7th

- 5th

centuries BCE.

Due to its Mediterranean location and itsgeographical proximity to some o themain centers o the worlds civilizations,a number o important archaeologicaldiscoveries have been made in Albania.The sites in the North as well as in the

South are great tourism destinations orthose who are interested in ancient history.

The Tumuli Burials of Shtoj

Old picture from

Shkodra Dugajet e Reja

Kol Idromeno street


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SHKODRA

Mesi Bridge: Northeast o Shkodra, wherethe river Drin divides the elds rom thehillside o Drishti and the Cukalis highland,there is a stone bridge with many archesthat is named ater the village near it. Themonument is one o the biggest o its kindin Albania, constructed around the 18th

century CE by Mehmet Pasha Bushatlliu,who governed his province wisely byensuring that this important port regionwas able to develop extensive trade withthe West. The bridge made it possibleto transport carriages and agricultural

products rom the armers living in thehighland areas to the Adriatic coast.

The orm and the direction o the routewas dened rom the clis massi andthe water ow variations. The bridge wasmade with a causeway and reaches alength o about 120 meters. Thirteencantilevers sustain it, and it makes a turn5 m away rom the central cantilever at a15 degree angle. The arch is combined withtwo discharger windows, which dierentlyrom the arch does not have a circle orm.The replacement o the old bridge, whichwas oten submerged rom the rivers highwaters, added other cantilevers at both

sides. The bridges width is 3.4 meters andthe track has the orm o a staircase.


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SHKODRA

In the city o Shkodra you may visit also theHistoric Museum and the Marubi Ateliero Photography.

The ruins o the medieval town o Sardacan be ound on Shurdhahu Island in thearticial lake o Vau i Dejs, 35 km awayrom Shkodra. Sarda is a very picturesque

location, surrounded by 24.7 hectares oresh, blue waters.

The ruins o a castle dating back to the6th- 8th centuries BCE are also on theisland. But the islands main attraction isthe residence o the Dukagjini amily, oneo the most important Albanian eudalamilies in the 11th century. Among theremains are the deensive walls, churchruins and the gate to the Dukagjini palace.

Located behind the Rozaa Castle, theLead Mosque was built in 1773 CE byMehmet Pasha Bushati and is one o themost prominent cultural and religious

monuments in the city o Shkodra. Oparticular signicance is its architecturalsimilarity to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul.This stands it apart rom other mosques inAlbania, which were designed and builtbased on typical Arabic architectural styles.

Sarda, on the Island of Shurdhahu

Catholic Women, an old picture by Marubi


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The HistoricMuseum


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LEZHALezha Castle

The Memorial of SkanderbegThe Church of Rubik

The Church of St. Anthony of Padua in La


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Lezha Castle, originating rom Illyriantimes, is located at the top o a186 meterhigh hill to the east o the town o Lezha.In 1440 CE it was reconstructed by theVenetians, and then again in 1522 CE aterthe Ottoman conquest. The castle bearstraces o Illyrian, Roman, Byzantine andOttoman architecture.

Interesting places to visit include the ruinso the Ottoman buildings inside the castle,

the tower at the southeastern wall with itsRoman arch, the mosque and the Illyriantower on the southern wall. In addition tobeing a cultural monument, the castleoers a beautiul view o the elds oLezha and the Adriatic Sea.

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LEZHA

The Memorial o Skanderbeg was

inaugurated in 1981 CE in honor oAlbanias national hero, Gjergj Kastrioti. Itwas built at his burial place, over the ruinso the Church o San Nikolas in the towno Lezha. Ater the Ottomans invadedLezha, they destroyed the church and thetomb o Skanderbeg. The church was laterreconstructed in the beginning o the 20thcentury. Inside the memorial, a copy o

Skanderbegs sword and helmet are ondisplay, along with emblems o Albanianeudal amilies during the period.

The helmet of

Scanderbeg

The Womans Ensemble, Zadrima


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LEZHA

The Church o St. Anthony o Padua in La(Kisha e Shn Anoit) is located close to thetown o La, 3 km away. The church wasbuilt in 1557 CE in honor o Saint Anthony

o Padua, a Catholic saint who was born inLisbon and died in Padua. This church isamous or hosting the largest Catholicpilgrimage held in Albania. The peak othe ceremony is organized on June 13.

The Church o Rubikis located on the topo a rocky hill overlooking the small towno Rubik. The church represents one o themost important religious monuments othe 12th - 13th centuries CE. Its constructionwas completed in 1272 CE and has servedas a Benedictine abbey and as a Franciscanmonastery. O particular value and

importance are the Byzantine style wallrescoes that adorn the churchs interior.

Saint Anthony of Padua

The Church of Saint Anthony of Padua


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The Memorial of Scanderbeg


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DIBRAGrezhdani Castle

Ethnographic Museum of DibraHistoric Museum of Mat


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DIBRA

Grezhdani Castle is located 11 kmsoutheast o the town o Peshkopia, not arrom the village o Maqellar. The castledates back to the 4th century CE, duringthe late Roman period. During the MiddleAges, it was supposedly the StegradiCastle, which was under the control oAlbanian national hero Skanderbeg. It wasstrategically located, linking the region oDibra with Kosova and Macedonia. It wasdeclared a historical monument in 1963 CEand covers an area o 34 hectares.

The Historic Museum o Mat opened in1983 CE in the town o Burrel. The museumprovides a description o the historicalrecords o the area. A particularlyinteresting display is a layout o powderproduction, something that the regiono Mat was well known or.

The Ethnographic Museum o Dibra.It is located in Elez Isu boulevard inthe town o Peshkopia. The objects othis museum are housed in a traditionalbuilding with typical architecture. Thereare round 2.000 objects displayed to thevisitors. The items include a complex onational olk dresses, rugs and carpets,dierent arms since the Illyrian period,

coins etc.

A Typical Albanian

House (Kulla), close to Klos

Grezhdani Castle


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KUKSThe Towers of Bujan

The Tomb of Dervish Luzha


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The Towers o Mic Sokoli and Sali Maniare two traditional towers located in thevillage o Bujan, a ew kilometers southo Bajram Curri. The village o Bujan hasbeen mentioned as a dwelling place sincethe 14th century CE. Mic Sokoli, born inBujan, was a notable ghter o the AlbanianLeague o Prizren. He died in battle ghtingagainst the Ottoman orces in 1881 CE.The tower o Sali Mani is the place wherethe Conerence o Bujan was heldduring the Second World War.

The Tomb o Dervish Luzha in the villageo Luzha, located southeast o Bajram Curri,is a religious monument o the Bektashiorder o Su Islam.

In Kuks there are many typical Albaniatowers (kulla), especially in northernKuks in the district o Has. They includethe tower o Kurpali, the tower o AvdulQerimi in the village o Helshan, the towero Gjonajve in the village o Kostur,the tower o Dem Zenuni in the villageo Vranisht and another tower in the

village o Gajrep.

An Illyrian settlement has recently beenunearthed in Rosuj, close to Bujan in thedistrict o Tropoja. The excavations haveuncovered a ortied settlement indicatingthat Rosuja has been inhabited since thesecond millennium BCE until the 5thcentury CE. A lot o gold and silver coins,

tools and weapons were ound at the site.

KUKS

The museum of Tropoja

The tower of Mic Sokoli, Bujan


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TIRANAThe Prsqop Fortress

The Tirana MosaicKapllan Pashas Tomb

Preza CastleThe Tunners Bridge (Ura e Tabakeve)

National Historic MuseumArchaeological Museum

The Mosque of Ethem BeyEthnographic Museum of Kavaja

Bashtova Castle


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TIRANA

The Tirana Mosaic can be ound on NaimFrashri street. It is the oldest object oundin Tirana, and the archaeologists think that

it was part o the oor o a Roman villarom the 3rd century CE. The place waslater used as a site or the constructiono an early-Christian church. It is alsoknown by the name The Mosaic o theChurch o Saint Georges Spring.

In Tirana, you will have the opportunity tovisit the largest and the most importantmuseums in Albania: the NationalHistoric Museum and the ArchaeologicalMuseum, the Mosque o Ethem Bey andthe newly excavated walls o the JustinianCastle. In the region o Kavaja you mayalso visit the Ethnographic Museum oKavaja and the Church o eta near the

village o Zig Xhaaj.

The Prsqop Fortress is located south oTirana, near Petrela Castle. The inhabitantso Petrela Castle once used this ortressperched atop the Vila Mountain.

The Illyrians constructed the basic structureand then eventually the Romans expandedit. Remnants o an aqueduct are still visibleto the northeast o the ortication.

The Tunners Bridge (Ura e Tabakeve) is asmall stone bridge, 7.5 meters high, locatedon Jeanne dArc Boulevard in Tirana. It wasalso called Saint Georges Bridge. Todayit is a restored monument, originally built inThe National Gallery o Fine Arts the rsthal o 19th century CE.The National Gallery of Fine Arts


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TIRANA

Kapllan Pashas Tomb is located on28 Nntori street in Tirana. It is part o amonumental cemetery complex o therst Tirana Mosque, which was destroyedduring the Second World War. The complexincluded six other monumental graves othe same type, but with varyingdimensions. The only tomb remainingtoday is that o Kapllan Pasha, a ormerruler o Tirana. The tomb has an octagonalshape reaching 4 meters in height. KapllanPashas remains were later exhumed andreburied in Istanbul.

Bashtova Castle is situated close to the

village o Bashtova, about 3-4 km northo the Shkumbini River estuary. The castlewas built in the 15th century CE and wasused by the Venetians. In the past, theBashtova region was known as a harboron the Shkumbini River and as a center orthe export o cereal grains. The castle hasa rectangular shape, 60 x 90 meters, with9 meter high walls. The western part o the

castle was rebuilt in the 18th

century CE.

Preza Castle overlooks the village with thethe same name and is located on a hilltop.It is a small castle, the construction owhich was started in the 14th centuryCE and was completed in the early 15thcentury CE. It belonged to the Topias, alocal eudal amily. It has our towers, onein each corner. The clock tower was erected

between 1800-1850 CE. People appreciateit or its location, with a view overlookingthe plain o Tirana. The castle is quite closeto the Mother Theresa InternationalAirport. A restaurant and other serviceacilities are located inside the castle.

Bashtova Castle


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Petrela Castle


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ELBASANThe Castle of Elbasan

The Monastery of Saint John VladimirThe Roman Road Station of Ad Quintium

The Church of Saint Nicolas in ShelcanThe Ethnographic Museum of Elbasan

The Castle of Peqin


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The Castle o Elbasan is a eld castle inthe city o Elbasan. Cristobel, the secondMehmet historian, reered to it rst.The Ottoman chronicler, Evlia elebiu,visited the city in the 18th century CE anddescribed the castle in detail. During theAustrian invasion, the castle becamesubject to extensive study. Austrianarchaeologist Prashniker and Shcober, whovisited the castle during the First World War,noticed that there are ancient orticationsunder the medieval walls. The castle hasa quadrangular shape with 308 x 48 m

dimensions.

Today there are only eight towersremaining rom the original twenty-sixat the begining o its construction.During the late antiquity period, Skampini,the city within the castle, started as a centeron the Egnatia Road, connecting Rometo Constantinople. Turks reconstructed the

castle or strategic purposes. The castle isstill inhabited today, and important Muslimand Christian religious objects can beound within

ELBASAN

The Monastery o Saint John Vladimir(Shn Gjon Vladimiri) in Shijon is locatedonly 4 km away rom Elbasan. It was builtin 1381 CE by the Albanian prince, Karl

Topia, who brought the remains o SaintJohn Vladimir. Saint John Vladimir wasthe Duke o Krajina (Montenegro). He wasdeclared a Saint and is well know in theBalkan Peninsula. A large pilgrimage wasorganized in his honor at this monasteryuntil 1967 CE, when the communist regimeorcibly closed religious institutions all overthe country. Nowadays this pilgrimage is

organized every 3-4 June. The monastery,with its rich library, was a very importantcultural center or Albanians. Unortunately,Nazi Forces burned a part o the monasteryduring the Second World War. Themonumental gate o the monastery,carved rom stone, is currently beingpreserved at the National Historic Museumin Tirana.


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KORAThe Tumuli Burials of Kamenica

The Monumental Tombs of Selca e PoshtmeThe Mosaics of Lin

The Ristozi Church of MborjeThe Churches of Voskopoja

The Churches of VithkuqiGoliku Bridge

The Mosque of Ilias Bey MirahoriThe Museum of Medieval Arts

The Island of Maligrad

The Village of Boboshtica


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The Monumental Tombs of Selca ePoshtme (Lower Selca) are 2,400 yearsold, located 40 km rom the modern city oPogradec. Selca was a town ounded by theIllyrian tribe o Desartes in the 6th centuryBCE. It is thought that Pelion was theresidence o the Illyrian king, Klit, located inSelca. The settlement reached its greatestprominence in the 3rd - 4th centuries BCE,

when its protective surrounding wallsencircled an area o 3 hectares. Fivemonumental tombs in Ionic style havebeen excavated rom this archaeologicalsite. Four o the carved tombs are locatedinside tunnels. Although examples o thesetypes o tombs can be ound throughoutsouthern Italy, ew are known to exist in theBalkans. It is suspected that vast treasures

were buried inside the tombs.

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The Tumuli Burials o Kamenica arelocated in the southern part o Kora,along the national road linking Kora withErseka. This is one o the most importantmonuments, representative o Albanianprehistory. Visitingthe site, you willhave the chance to be acquainted withprehistoric community lie rom the13th - 6th centuries BCE.

The basilica, where the mosaics can beound, is located in the village oLin, 22 kmnorth o Pogradec. They date back to the6th century CE and have dierent motives,including oral and geometrical. They aresimilar to other mosaics ound in Durrs.

KORA

A Detail from the Mosaics of Lin


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KORA

The Churches o Voskopoja are in a smallmountain village perched at a height o1200 meters above sea level, 21 km west oKora. It was once a very prominent cityalong the Egnatia Road, reaching itsheight in the middle o the 18th century CEwith 24 churches and monasteries. Onlyseven othese twenty our churches remaintoday.

The Monastery o Saint Prodhom was builtin 1632 CE and the Church o Saint Nicolas(Shn Kolli) in 1721 CE. The amousmasters o iconography, David Selenicasiand the Zoogra brothers, painted therescoes o the church.

The Church o Saint Michael (Shn Mhilli)was painted 1726 in by the Zoograbrothers.

The Church o Saint Athanas (ShnThanasi), together with the cemetery, arerom 1724 CE. The church was built by vemasters rom Kastoria. The Church o SaintIlias (Shn Ilia) and the Church o Saint

Mary (Shn Mria) are rom 1722 CE.The church of Saint Mary, Voskopoj

The Monastery of Saint Prodhom, Voskopoj

The Church of Saint Athanas, Voskopoj


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Maligrad Island


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BERATThe Ancient City of Dimal

The Saint Triad ChurchThe Red Mosque

The Gorica QuarterThe Gorica Bridge

The Ethnographic Museum


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BERAT

Dimal: The rst excavations began atthis site in 1963 CE. Since that time, a 30mlong stoa (covered walkway) has beenunearthed. The monument clearlyresembles the stoa o Apollonia, indicatingthe strong links between these two cities.Many stamped tiles have also been ound,bearing the names o the workshopowners, but also the word DIMALITANindicating that the workshops wereproperty o the city. The writer Polybiusmentions the role o the city in the SecondIllyrian-Roman war, around 218 BCE. An

eort was undertaken to urther ortiythe city at this time. The Roman historian,Titus Livius, mentions Dimal again in theevents o 205 BCE when the city was ruledby Romans. The excavations discoveredseveral inscriptions hinting at the advancedpolitical status o the ancient city. When theIllyrian regent Demeter Fari organized theuprising against Rome ater the year 228

BCE, he gathered his army in Dimal.The campaign against him was leadby Roman general Paul Emilius.

The remains o the Red Mosque are visible

to the south o the upper ortress, nearthe west surrounding-wall o the castle.It is believed that this monument is themosque that Elvia elebiu identies asSultan Bajazitis mosque when he waswriting about the castle. The buildingcontains the hall or prayers with an almostsquare-shaped oor plan and orms avestibule in ront o it with the same width.

On the let side o the hall is the minaret.This placing, dierent rom other mosques,seems to be due to the close proximity othe boundary wall to the southwest.The shrines walls, as well as the oundationo the minaret, were built using theopus mixtum technique with two lineso horizontal bricks and one or two verticalbricks between the calcareous stones.

The date o the mosque is uncertain,however, based on elebius data, thetechnique used and its position, the likelyconclusion is that the mosque is rom the15th century CE. Whether Sultan Bajazitibuilt it, or i it is an earlier construction,makes it even harder to give a precise date.The Turkish garrison was stationed herebetween the second hal and the end o

the 15th

century CE.


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BERAT

The Saint Triad Church was built betweenthe second hal o the 13th century CE andthe beginning o 14th century CE. It is thebest example o the inscribed cross-typechurches with a cupola. It is composed oa naos supported by our pillars and

narthexthat was built later on. It has sidewings made by an archway system, and inthe center is the cupola. The churchs wallscontain stones, pieces o brick in the lowerpart and opus mixtum in the upper part.There are also mural paintings in theinterior o the church.

The Lead Mosque, known as a charity oAhmet Skura, was built in the middleo 16th century CE. The social, cultural andreligious structure embodies the topologyo classic Turkish portico style halls with acupola and the mosque at the right sideo the entrance. Together with the mosquea tekke, a halveti tarikatand a bathroomwere built with water supplied rom theaqueduct built in 1640 CE by the imperialarchitect Reiz Mimar Kasemi. It is unknownwhen these constructions were ruined,but at the end o 19th century CE, the

portico o the mosque was reconstructed.According to Evlija elebiu, the old porticohad arcades and was covered with sevencupolas. The remaining traces indicate thatit is not according to the original plans, butthe reconstructions hinder exact detaling.


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The Gorica Quarter home has two oorsand a basement. A porch, a crib onthe let side and a stere on the right sideorm the ground oor. Two pairs o stairsare connected to the balcony on the rstoor. The rst oor is shaped like ahorseshoe, with the church at the center.The house passed through various phaseso construction and restoration. Originally,the home was o the garret type, wherethe wooden columns that hold the joist,upon which the roo sits, joined with acarved wooden pillar at the roo s zenith.

Later, the house went through three morephases o construction and restoration.

The rst phase was the construction oadditional areas on the let o both oors.In the next phase, they extended theareas on the right side and the closed thegarret. In the last phase, the house wasdivided in two parts, suited or two amilies.At the threshold o the basement there isthe inscription the year 1864, which wasmade during the third phase o

construction. Though the home itsel isthought to have been built in the 18th

century CE.

BERAT

The Monastery of Saint Spiridhon, Berat

A Typical Lane

n Mangalem Quarter, Berat


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BERAT

Gorica Bridge is one o the biggest stonemedieval bridges in Albania, with a lengtho 129.3 meters. In the 13th century CE,during the war between the Byzantinesand the Anzhuins, it was only possible tocross this spot on the Osumi River by rat.In 1670 CE the Turkish traveler Evlia elebiuwas very impressed by this monumentand made a short, but very interestingdescription o it: Gorica Bridge had ninecantilevers, which lay upon stone bankseat and oak joints. This monument had aparticular interest or the local inhabitants,

who preserved with extra care the woodsnear the neighborhood, where the rawmaterial or the bridge reparation was tobe ound.

In 1777 CE the local lordship Ahmed KurdPasha built the Gorica Bridge with stonecantilevers. In December 1888 CE, theOsum River damaged Gorica Bridge, which

then suered more damage during theFirst World War 1914-1918.

The Gorica bridge is made o seven vaultswith light openings that vary in heightrom 6.7 m (the rst vault right) to 16.5 m(the second vault right). In six o its bankseats discharger windows were opened,and in ve o them there are two smallerwindows.

This bridge on the Osumi River has linkedthe administrative center o the city oBerat with the Gorica neighborhood.According to a local legend, the originalwooden bridge contained a dungeon, in

which a girl had to be incarcerated andstarved to appease the spirits responsibleor the saety o the bridge.

Its current state is due to a total restoration,done on the same spot and on the sameoundations. The monument presents astone bridge with many vaults, with a atcauseway and inclined ramps on both

sides.


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Saint Michaels Church


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FIERApollonia

ByllisNikaia (Klos)

GurzezaThe Monastery of Ardenica

The Monastery of Saint Mary in Pojan


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Apollonia: Cicero, the amed Roman orator,was captivated by the beauty o Apollonia,and in his Philippics, reerred to it asmagna urbs et gravis, or the great andimportant city. The ancient city, ounded inthe 7th century BCE by Greek settlers romCorinth and Corcyra, is located 11 kmwest o the modern city o Fier. A Frenchmission lead by Pro. Leon Rey discoveredApollonia. Archaeological excavations haveshown that Apollonia reached its zenithduring the 4th 3rd century BCE.Studies estimate that around 60,000

inhabitants lived inside the city gates.The city has a 4 km long wall encirclingan area o 137 hectares. Sources depicta ourishing culture with a busy harboralong this active trading route. Amongthe most interesting remains are the citycouncil building, the library, the triumphalarch and the temple o Artemis.

The odeon, rom the 2nd century BCE, is

also noteworthy, as it once accommodatedapproximately 10,000 spectators. There isalso a spectacular 77 m long stoa with acovered walkway. An earthquake in the 3rd

century CE, in addition to causing damageto inrastructure, altered the path o theVjosa River and the harbor eventually siltedup. This eectively changed the tradingroute, and the once proud city declined

until it was nearly uninhabited. Apolloniawas rediscovered in the 18th century CE,and archaeological eorts have continuedintermittently throughout the 20th centuryCE. Today the site is easily accessible romthe nearby city o Fier and it oers bothunique views o the Adriatic coastline andnumerous historical and archaeologicalitems o great interest to visitors.

FIER

The Marble Head of Artemis, Apollonia

The Agonothetes Monument, Apollonia


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FIER

Byllis, established in the 3rd centuryBCE, once ourished as a political,economic and cultural center in the region.Being governed by a body o civil servants,the introduction o a bronze currencysystem and a reputation or having skilledartisans were the hallmarks o this powerulsociety. The surrounding wall o Byllisis very well preserved, measuring 2,250m long, 3.5 m wide and 8 - 9 m high. Itsurrounds an area o 30 hectare and has atriangular shape. The theater built in themiddle o the 3rd century BCE is located in

the southeast corner o the agora. Thetheater exhibits several unique eaturesincluding a sculpture display area. It wasan immense construction with the abilityto accommodate an estimated 7,500spectators. Interestingly, historians believethat the design o the individual stepswould allow or standing room only.

The adjacent stoa, measuring 60 x 11.4 m,remains partially preserved. The basilicalocated in the site measures an impressive33 x 22.8 m. Inside are many beautiulexamples o mosaics depicting a varietyo subjects. To the south o the basilica liesthe remains o a school, which dates backto the 3rd century BCE. This area eaturesa series o alcoves and the rectangular

ootprint o the original building. Thecathedral is perhaps the most impressivearea within Byllis. It consists o thebasilica, the baptistery and the diocesecomplex. The cathedral underwent severalreconstructions, rst in 470 CE and again in547 CE. Ater each reconstruction, thecathedral increased in size. The basilicao the cathedral exhibits a much more

elaborate conguration than the otherbasilica in Byllis. The threshold leadingto the entryway is made with an extensivemosaic. Notably, it is the largest mosaicdiscovered in Albania to date. It displaysdiverse motis and scenes reecting thedaily lie o shepherds, anglers and others.The walls o this cathedral had beautiulrescoes at the time, and several depicting

geometrical shapes remain.


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FIERI

Nikaia (Klos) is an ancient city locatedsoutheast o the modern city o Fier, near

Byllis. The city eatures a protective wallthat is notable or its length, 1850 meters,dating back to 425 BCE. The use opolygonal and trapezoidal blocks or itsconstruction is typcial. Three deensivetowers guarded the single entrance to thecity. Among the most importantarchaeological nds are a small theater,a stoa and the ruins o a stadium. The

theater had a capacity o approximately900 spectators. There are even inscriptionspreserved on one o the theater wallsgranting citizenship to several individuals.They date back to the 3rd century BCE.The stoa (covered walkway) is partiallyexcavated and measures 10 x 40 m. Liein Nikaia came to an abrupt end in 167BCE when the invading armies o Paulus

Aemilus ravaged the region.

Gurzeza is located near the modern towno Cakran, dominating the plain o Vjosaand oering visotors a view whichextends to the Karaburun peninsula andthe island o Sazan in the bay o Vlora.The partially preserved walls cover anexpansive area o over 15 hectares.Settlements o the site appear divided intothree distinct phases: the Protourban,Urban and Late Antiquity periods. Severalimportant coin hoards were ound in thevicinity o this site, one with about 2,000bronze coins rom Apollonia and Epirus.

200 silver coins were included in this nd,orty o which belonged to the Illyrianking Monunios. Based on this nd, somearchaeologists and historians speculatethat this may have been Monuniosactual residence. In the town o Ballshyou may also visit the Basilica o Ballsh.

TheBasilica of Ballsh.


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The Monastery o Ardenica is a Byzantinestructure occupying a surace area oabout 2,500 m. This monument consistso the Saint Mary Church, the Saint Triadchapel, the konake, the oil mill, the ovenand the stall. In the center is situated theChurch o St. Mary, partly built with pumicestones brought rom Apollonia. It occupiesa large area, covered by a wooden roo anda at ceiling. The church is composed o anaos, a narthex and a two-story exonarex,which at the one end connects with the24 meter tall bell tower. At the southern

part o the complex is an open portico builtwith columns and cantilevers. The naos ismade o three parts, each o them dividedin two lines by wooden columns. Aniconostasis divides the naos rom the altar.The church oor is paved with stone tiles,as are the narthex and exo-narthex. In 1743CE, with the initiative o Berats bishop,Metod, the monastery, including Saint

Marys Church, underwent restoration. TheSaint Triad chapel lies at the northwestpart and its dimensions are 7.5 x 3.7 m. Itsentrance is situated to the west, and it hastwo small windows on its southern acade.

This chapel was built with pumice stonesand its semicircular wall divides it rom arainwater collection tank. A stonecantilever covers the chapels portal.Near the eastern window is a ceramicbasso relie.

The Monastery o Saint Mary in Pojan islocated within the complex o theApollonia Archaeological Park. It wasbuilt in the 13th century CE. By the endo antiquity, Apollonia was largelydepopulated, hosting a small Christiancommunity that built this monastery ona hill, probably the site o the old city.Byzantine Emperor Andronicus

Paleologus the Second reconstructed it.The chapel was built in the Byzantine style.The Monastery o Saint Mary is one o themost beautiul structures o this kind inAlbania.

In the region o Myzeqe you may also visitseveral churches in the villages oKolkondas, Karavasta, Vanaj, Libosha,

Hoxhare, Krutje and Kadipashaj.


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The Church

of Kurjan


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VLORAThe Ancient City of Amantia

Butrint (Bouthrotos)Finiqi (Phoenice)Orikum (Orikos)

Aulona (Vlora)Cape of Treport

Onchesmos (Saranda)The Fortied Settlement of Karos

The Porto Palermo CastleThe Monastery of Saint Nicolas in Mesopotam

The Muradie Mosque


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Amantia was the historical capital o theIllyrian tribe o Amanties, ounded aroundthe 5th century BCE. Its present location isnear the village o Plloa in the river valleyo Vlora. At its peak, Amantia eatured anacropolis and a Doric style templededicated to Aphrodite. The most notablearcheological object among the preservedeatures is the stadium, measuring60 x 12.5 meters. A signicant sculpturalobject is the bas-relie o the God oFertility, which can be seen at theNational Historic Museum. Additional

relics rom Amantia are on display at theArchaeological Museum. Finiq (Phoenice) is located near the

modern city o Saranda and is about 20 kmnorth o Butrint Lake and the Albanianborder with Greece. During antiquity theterritory surrounding the settlementbelonged to Chaonia, part o the Epiruskingdom. The site is rich in ndings romthe Classical to the Byzantine period.

Ancient sources mentioned the wealtho the city, especially during the Hellenisticperiod, between the 3rd and 2nd centuriesBCE, when Finiq was a prominent city inthe Epirote League. The city o Finiq hostedthe historically signicant signing o thetreaty ending the rst Macedonian War.This document took the name o ThePeace o Phoenice. The citys prosperity

continued throughout the Romanand Byzantine periods. The Ottomanoccupation appears to have caused theshrinking o the city o Finiq. Phoeniceboasts several archaeologically importantrelics, including a small prostylos temple,a theater, exemplars o Hellenistic houses,and several Roman water cisterns.This picturesque site also contains an

important Byzantine church.

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Butrint (Bouthrotos) is located on thesouthwestern coast o Albania. A narrowstretch o sea separates the city rom theGreek island o Coru. The site has beenoccupied since approximately the 8th

century BCE, but legends hint at the citysoundation by Trojan exiles. By the 4th

century BCE, a walled settlement hadbeen established and the city beganto develop through trade. Augustusounded a colony at Butrint and the townremained a relatively small Roman portuntil the 6th century CE. Following the

all o the Roman Empire, the city shrankin population and signicance. Butrintthen entered a turbulent period andcontrol o the city was bitterly ought overby the Byzantine, Norman, Angevin, andVenetian states. The Ottoman Turks andbriey the French disputed ownership lateron. By the time it became a part o Albaniain 1912, it was virtually deserted. Various

archeological eorts began in the 1920s,and continue today.

Butrint was declared a UNESCO WorldHeritage Site in 1992. The ground oButrint eatures an impressive array ohistorically signicant archaeological sites.Foremost among them is the theater,which dates bak to the 4th century BCE,hosting approximately 1,500 spectators.Perormances are still staged there at asummer estival each year. An impressivebaptistery (with extensive mosaics) anda basilica rom the 6th century CE attest tothe various occupations o the city. A canaland vestiges o Roman courtyard houses lie

near the theater. Additionally, kilometerso imposing walls surround much o thesite. Nearby, the recently renovated ButrintMuseum houses many ascinating objectsunearthed during the various archeologicaldigs. Though one must travel to theNational Historic Museum in Tirana to viewthe amous head o Apollo, unearthed bythe Italian archaeologist Luigi Maria Ugolini

during his excavations in the 1920s.

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Behind the Independence MonumentSquare in Vlora, the excavated remains oa rectangular castle are visible. The castlecomprised a portion o the ancient city oAulona and was built in the 4th centuryCE to withstand Gothic invasions. Othernds in the area indicate that it was rstsettled during the 4th century BCE.The most amous nd rom this periodis a sculpture known as the aulonian girl,depicting a girl wearing an Illyrian dress.Historical sources mention Aulona in the2nd century CE, in relation to Roman

eorts to improve roads in this part othe western Balkans. In various itineraries,Aulon is mentioned as a principal stoppingplace on the main road rom Dyrrachiumto Butrint. Following the Gothic invasionso the 5th century CE, an archdiocesewas established inside the castle. Duringthe reign o Justinian, the castle wasurther ortied by his direct orders. Late

in the 6th century CE, Slavs invaded thecity, causing widespread damage and anevacuation by many citizens to the islando Sazan, where traces o this settlementhave been discovered. The city might havenever regained its status, appearing tohave diminished signicantly in size andimportance. Aulona is mentioned again inByzantine documents, around 1100 CE.

VLOR

Treport: Excavations near the Cape o

Treport, located in the lagoon o Narta,have revealed traces o an ancientsettlement dating back to the 7th centuryBCE. Over the centuries, the settlementexpanded and a new wall was built aroundit in the 4th century BCE. Between the 4thand 2nd centuries BCE, the city prospered.The original name o the city is unknown,but according to nds in the area, the

indicated name is Daulia. The city wasmysteriously abandoned ater the 2nd

century BCE, but this might have beenrelated to the Illyrian-Roman wars.

The Archaeological Ruins of Aulona, Vlor

The Independence Museum of Vlor


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Orikum (Orikos) is located in southwestAlbania, about 40 km south o thearchaeological site o Apollonia. Accordingto Pliny, colonists rom Colchis establishedthe city o Orikum. Its geographicalposition made it an important harborand a trading center on the Adriatic coast.Orikum was important to militarystrategists as well. It was used by theRomans as a deensive base in the warsagainst the Illyrians as well as in the 3rdcentury BCE against the Macedonians, wholater occupied it in 214 BCE. Julius Caesar

used the area as a troop encampmentor several months until PompeiusMagnus took them. Being subject tosuch varied cultural inuences, Orikumbecame a thriving urban center. This isevident by various archaeological ruins,such as part o an orchestra platorm

and a small theater with the capacity tohold 400 spectators. Additionally, ruins oprotective walls and streets are visiblelying underwater in a lagoon. The emperorTheodore commissioned the nearbyMarmiroi Church, o Byzantine origin, inthe 13th century CE. It has a small 6m x 9mmain hall and a dome approximately 3min diameter that is supported by ourRoman arches. Its internal walls eatureragments o murals that reect variousaspects o Byzantine culture. The churchhas three entrances and is renowned or its

elaborate construction and architecturalsignicance. Today Orikum is an importantcity, which has been part o many regionaldevelopment programs and has seen adistinct increase in the tourism sector.This is a result o its proximity to theAdriatic Sea and its relative position toother nearby cities.

VLOR


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Onchesmos (Saranda) is the name o theancient town derived rom Anchises, theTrojan warrior whose mythological unionwith the goddess Aphrodite resulted in ason named Aeneas. Aeneas, along with hisather and his son, Ascanius, escaped thesacking o Troy, and journeyed throughoutthe Mediterranean. Dionysos oHalicarnassus calls Onchesmos the Harboro Anchises, and the Byzantine historian,Procopius, mentions that Anchises died atOnchesmos. During the 6th century CE,the towns name changed to Hagia

Saranda or Forty Saints. The circumstanceso this name change are unclear, butmight be related to the construction o agreat basilica overlooking the moderncity o Saranda. Various monumentsand archaeological nds o the city havebeen excavated. Among the moreimpressive nds are the ruins o asynagogue, a portion o a Roman imperial

archway, and the ruins o a late antiquityhouse. Also noteworthy are an apsidalbuilding, an odeon, a cemetery, and anelaborate mosaic widely known as theDolphin Pavement.

Porto Palermo Castle, located in the Vloraregion, was built by Ali Pasha Tepelena inthe late 18th century CE. It has arectangular shape with our bastions in itscorners. Along the terraces parapet is apositioned loophole or canons. The innerspace is made o halls, stores and otherareas. Stone stairs leading to the terrace are

located in the central part. Walls protectthe entire area with gun loopholes at theront and at the side. On the outside, in thearchway entrance, is a stone balcony in theorm o a cantilever.


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The Monastery o Saint Nicolas inMesopotam is a beautiul monumentlocated in the village o Mesopotam,not ar rom the touristic city o Saranda.It is quite accessibile thanks to its locationon the national road linking Sarandawith Gjirokastra. It is a Byzantine church,reconstructed two times in the years

1793 and 1843 CE. The main characteristico the monastery is its distinctive deenseeatures. The ortied wall surrounding themonastery includes rectangular towers.As it is also near the National Park oButrint, it attracts numerous visitors.

Muradie Mosque is located in thevery heart o the city o Vlora. It is asultan style mosque, with a dome builtin the second hal o the 16th century CE.It consists o a prayer hall and a minaretbuilt o carved stone. This monument hasa harmonious distribution o its windows.Mimar Sinan Aga the Great, an architecto Albanian origin who was one o themost important mosque builders in theOttoman Empire, carried out the designand construction o this mosque. It issupposed that he was born in the village

o Gjergaj (modern day Sinanaj) in theregion o Tepelena, southern Albania. Heis considered the greatest architect o theclassical period o Ottoman architecture,oten compared to Michelangelo. MuradieMosque is the only structure that hasremained rom this master in Albania.


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The region o Vlora is very rich with othersites. We should mention a number oorthodox churches along the AlbanianRiviera, including the Chuch o Saint Maryo Mesodhia (1783 CE) and the Church oSaint Spiridhoni (1778CE) in Vuno, theChuch o Ipapandia in Dhrmi, the Church

o Saint Mary o Athali in Himara andthe traditional houses o Odise Kasneciin Vuno and Lilo LLazari in Himara.

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The Fortifed Settlement o Karos islocated near the village o Qeparo, alongthe Qeparo River. The location was clearlychosen or its natural deenses, as theortress is situated atop a hill. Approachersrom virtually any direction would ace adifcult climb up a rocky slope. The originaldeensive walls apparently had only oneentrance. The present state o the walls is amere shadow o what it used to be, but itstill extends or 350 m and is approximately3 m thick. It varies in height, but reachesa maximum o 1.5 m in its ruined state.

Two structures behind the entrance gatewould have provided additional barriersor attackers and suggests just how heavilyortied this location once was. Origins othe settlement are unknown, but artiactsunearthed during the archaeological digrepresent a wide range o inhabitants romthe Early Iron Age to the 4th century C.E.

VLORA

The Church of Qeparoi

The Towers of Dervish Aliu, in Dukati


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Other monuments in the district o Vlorainclude the Church o Marmiroi (13th

century CE) close to Orikum, the towers oDervish Aliu in the village o Dukat, theCastle o Kanina and the Gjon Boari Castlein the village o Tragjas. In the district oSaranda, you may also visit the ruins o theMonastery o the 40 Saints (close toSaranda), the Lkursi Castle (2 km southo Saranda) and the small castle at theentrance o the Vivari channel near Burtint.

As regards museums in the city o Vlora,you may visit the Museum oIndependence, the Ethnographic Museumand the Historic Museum.

The Kanina Castle

The Lkursi Castle

TheMonument of Indipendence, Vlor


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GJIROKASTRAThe Ancient City of Antigonea

The Ruins of HadrianopolisThe Tepelena Castle

The Bazaar of GjirokastraThe Residence of Zenaja of Zekatve

The Church of Saint Mary in Labova e KryqitThe Tekke of Melan

The Libovoha CastleThe Church of Saint Mary in Leus


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The Ancient city oAntigonea lies onthe east side o the Drinos Valley, nearthe modern day village o Saraqinisht.The ruins o an extraordinary wall, whichmeasures approximately 4 km in length,surround it. Until recently the signicanceo the site was unknown. Excavationsspanning the last ty years, however, havepositively identied the site through thediscovery o a bronze tesserae inscribedwith the word ANTINEN. Unearthedcoins rom many once-powerul regionaleconomies hint at the thriving trade that

once ueled this civilization. The historicalorigins o the city are unclear, but literarysources suggest that Antigonea wasounded either by King Antigonos Gonataso Macedonia, or, more probably, by theMolossian King Pyrrhus around 300 BCE.Several other prominent eatures grace thelandscape o Antigonea. Near the centralagora, an impressive stoa with a covered

walkway measuring 9 x 59 meters has beenexcavated. An early-Christian basilica witha triangular design dating back to the 6th

century CE boasts extensive mosaicsdepicting a variety o historical subjects.

Hadrianopolis is located in the DrinoRiver Valley near Gjirokastra. This city wasknown as Adrianopolis in Roman times,and the site eatures a theater whichcould accommodate approximately 4,000spectators. It was excavated in 1984.

Tepelena Castle was built by Ali Pashain the end o 18th century CE in the town

o Tepelena. The construction o thismonument was nished in the year 1819.It has an area o 4 - 5 hectares and isprotected by three towers. The height othe walls reaches 10 meters. The easternentrance is called Porta e Vezirit, uponwhich is an inscription.

GJIROKASTRA


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GJIROKASTRA

Gjirokastra Castle is mentioned or therst time as a city and a castle in 1336 CE.

At that time, it was the center or theAlbanian eudalist amily, Zenebishve.Later, during the lordship o Gjin BueShpata, it was included in the Despotateo Epir. According to them, the castleunderwent two construction phases, therst one during the Gjin Bue Shpata rule,and the second in the 19th century duringthe regime o Ali Pasha o Tepelena, who in

1812 CE occupied the ortress with agarrison o 5,000 soldiers. The castlehas various underground storehouses,which were used to secure munitions andood storage. Chronicles o the periodmention that 1,500 people worked on theconstruction o Ali Pashas castle. Duringthe First and Second World Wars, the castleserved as a bomb shelter or the town

habitants.

The Bazaar o Gjirokastra (Pazari iGjirokastrs) is situated on top o thecastle hill, where even today the site isknown as The Old Bazaar. The urbanlocation o this site indicates that thebazaar belongs to the 17th century CE.According to Elvia elebiu, rom around1771 - 1772 CE the old bazaar startedgradually relocating towards the citycenter, where it exists today. At the end othe 19th century CE, a destructive redestroyed the entire bazaar. Ater thistragedy, the bazaar was rebuilt according

to contemporary architectural standards.Changes were made to the original urbanplan to reconstruct the bazaar withragmented blocks and steps, due to therugged terrain. The top ront o the shopsare made o wooden and metallic eaves,while later, the entrances o the shopswere closed with metallic roller curtains.The narrow streets o the bazaar spread

out rom a small city center in vedierent directions. Every street is linedwith ragmented blocks o buildings.


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GJIROKASTRA

The Residence o Zenaja o Zekatve hasbeen through two phases o housing. Therst phase was during 1811 - 1812 CE,and the second phase was around thebeginning o 20th century CE. Theresidence o Zekatve wan constantlyutilized or habitation until the 1990sCE, but today it is unutilized. Zapanaja,a secondary construction inside thespace o the rst yard, is inhabited today.The residence o Zekateve is a typicalrepresentative o Gjirokastra homes, whileat the same time it is unique amongst

Gjikokastra residences. It is representativeo Albanian homes during the 18th - 19th

centuries CE. The residence o Zekatvehas three yards. In the yard to the westis the building o Zapanaja, an auxiliaryconstruction and a grass depot. Oneresidence is a variant marked by twocantilevers. Due to the rocky, slanting land,the house wides, and where the easterncanilever has three stories, the westerncantilever has our. In its design, thebuilding is separated into three complexes,the central, courier and two laterals withequal operation. The ground oor andthe rst o the eastern cantilever are

uninhabited. The stairs climb in the centralpart, while in the eastern cantilever is thekatoi. Tn the western part is the main areaor the accumulation o rain water with theharvesing o water by the courier spacesthat dominated under the divan. Abovethat is cellar or zahirese, the only spaceor storing ood products. The mezzanineormed two areas, where the amily

would spend the winter. The top oor ismore notable because it widens at themezzanine with two alcoves or cooking,one or each oor. Also, in the central part,a pervious garret with a kiosk was added.In the western cantilever, a guest room wasbuilt, while on the let side are twohabitable alcoves. In the central part,the design appears dynamic, lavished by

decorations almost void in the upstairs,with ull lighting and amenities. Inside,with lavish urnishishings and architecture,the guest room shows prominencewith a special ceiling inside an arch. Thetwo ceilings are visually decorated withurnishings, rosettes, borders, partlypainted oral gures, decorative chimnes,tapestries and more.


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In its present condition, the Zekatveresidence does not suer rom seriousstructural problems.

The Church o Saint Mary in Labovae Kryqit has an inclusive cross-style witha typical provintial Byzantine type roo.Inside, arches on two oors are used tosupport the roo, thus making reerence

to some o the churches o Constantinople.The date o origin has not yest beenprecisely determined due to a lack owritten documents, but verbal accountsindicate that it dates back to the 14th -18th

century CE. This is urther conrmed by thesimilarities to churches in Kosturi and Ohridat that time.

The wall construction is similar to theother churches o Southern Albania,using an opus mixtum style (a decorativecombination o stone, bricksand plaster).

In Gjirokastra you may also visit theEthnographic Museum o Gjirokastra,

the churches o Saint Mary in Leus andKosin near the town o Prmet, theLibovoha Castle (18th century CE), theHoly Virgin Monastery in Goranxi,

(Dropulli), and the Tekke o Melan (closeto Libohova).

A Decorated Chimney in the Zekate House

The Church of Saint Mary, Labova e Kryqit

The Church of Pepeli


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Church of Leusa


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RRITJE ALBANIAFROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE COMPETITIVE ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT


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REPUBLIC OF ALBANIAMINISTRY OF TOURISM, CULTURE, YOUTH AND SPORTS

NATIONAL TOURISM AGENCY

Albanian Cultural Heritage - Eng

Documents

Transcript of Albanian Cultural Heritage - Eng