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Gjirokastër Essentials

Gjirokastër, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is defined by its unique Ottoman-era architecture and gray slate-roofed houses. This selection features the 13th-century Gjirokastër Castle, which houses a military museum and a captured US Air Force plane. Notable landmarks include the 19th-century Zekate and Skënduli houses, examples of fortified tower houses, and the 17th-century Old Bazaar. The list also covers the city’s complex history through the Cold War tunnel and the birthplace of writer Ismail Kadare.

Gjirokastër Essentials — Mapa

Marcin Konsek / CC BY-SA 4.0

A

Gjirokastër Castle

Gjirokastër Castle is a fortress in Gjirokastër, Albania. Gjirokastër Castle is situated at a height of 336 metres.The castle dominates the…

B

Military Museum

Located within the castle, this museum displays weaponry from the Albanian resistance during World War II and the subsequent communist regime, including artillery and captured tanks.

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Ali Pasha's Bridge

A 19th-century stone aqueduct bridge in the Dunavat quarter, once part of a 12-kilometer system built by Ali Pasha of Tepelena to supply the castle with water.

Malenki / CC BY-SA 4.0

D

Zekate House

Zekate House, is a house in Gjirokastër, Albania. The house was built in 1811–1812 by Beqir Zeko, a local Albanian general administrator in…

E

Skënduli House

An 18th-century Ottoman mansion featuring original woodwork, stained glass, and a complex layout with 64 windows and 9 fireplaces. It is one of the city's most authentic fortified tower houses.

F

Ismail Kadare House

The reconstructed childhood home of Albania’s most famous writer, Ismail Kadare. The museum showcases traditional architecture alongside exhibits dedicated to his life and literary works.

OlePinguin / CC-BY-SA

G

Clock Tower

A 19th-century Ottoman tower situated on the castle ramparts. It was added by Ali Pasha of Tepelena to regulate prayer times and market hours for the townspeople.

H

Ethnographic Museum

Built on the site of Enver Hoxha's birthplace, this museum displays traditional Gjirokastër life through folk costumes, household tools, and period furniture arranged in a classic Ottoman interior.

I

Old Bazaar

A 17th-century marketplace featuring steep cobblestone streets and artisan shops specializing in woodcarving, embroidery, and stone work. It was largely rebuilt in the 19th century after a fire.

J

Cold War tunnel

An 800-meter-long underground bunker built in the 1970s. This 59-room concrete complex was designed to protect the local communist leadership from a potential nuclear attack.

K

Xhamia e Gjirokastrës

Also known as the Bazaar Mosque, this 18th-century structure features a distinct octagonal minaret and is the only surviving mosque in the historic market area.

OlePinguin / CC-BY-SA

L

Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star

A United States Air Force jet displayed on the castle grounds. It was forced to land in Albania in 1957 and remains a prominent relic of the Cold War era.