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 Castle

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

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.

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.

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…

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.