Gjirokastra Demo Self-Guided Audio Tour

In 2005, the city of Gjirokastra was inducted into UNESCO, as a unique illustration of an Ottoman-era architectural character. The remarkable two-story homes of Gjirokastra, located in the Drinos river valley in southern Albania, date back to the 17th century. The town still has two churches from the same era, as well as a bazaar and a mosque from the eighteenth century. The city's historical center has been extremely well kept, with their vernacular structures being especially well-preserved. Large landowners constructed this city. The town features turret-crowned homes, known as "Turkish kule", typical of the Balkans, centered around the old castle from the thirteenth century. This form of home is found in several exceptional instances originating from the 17th century in Gjirokastra, as well as more complex examples from the early 19th century.

The Old Bazaar in Gjirokastra, also known as "Qafa e Pazarit" by locals, is the heart of the Old Town. The origins of Bazaar can be traced back to the 17th century. In truth, not much from that time period remains. According to records, the old bazaar was destroyed by fire in the third quarter of the nineteenth century. Following it, the bazaar was completely reconstructed. As a result, the buildings have the same architectural, some with two and others with three stores, but they are structurally identical in every way. The first floor is where the artisans worked all day, but the second floor served a distinct purpose in each of them. Some stores featured a rear door that was only utilized by the owner. The architecture of this Bazaar is comparable to that of the Korca Bazaar, which historians believe was erected about the same time, in 1879, and was rebuilt after a fire. The distinction is that it was designed to fit the sloping topography of Gjirokastra, and it is here that the beauty of this bazaar can be found. What we have now has been conserved to the greatest extent possible. When viewed from above, the radial design is particularly interesting, connecting it to several streets in the old city. There are still some artisans working in the traditional manner, and people are attempting to pass on the technique to the next generation. Many souvenirs, t-shirts, handicrafts, curtains, and carpets are available in this bazaar.

The residence of famous Albanian author Ismail Kadare has been transformed into a museum, and is accessible to the general public. It opened it's doors on Kadare’s 80th birthday. Ismail Kadare House is located in the middle of the historical Palorto neighborhood. Inside the house you can see some original objects belonging to the family. Ismail Kadare was raised and born in this location. Anyone who has read Kadare's book "Chronicle in Stone," in which he recounts every inch of this mansion, will recognize the house. You will envision Kadare throughout the visit as a young child, sitting near the windows, and taking in the horrors of World War II. Originally constructed in 1799, the house was designated as a Cultural Monument in 1991. Under their auspices, UNESCO and the Albanian Ministry of Culture have refurbished and renovated the structure. On January 28, 2018, the Museum officially opened to the public.

The Ethnographic Museum is housed in former residence of communist dictator, Enver Hoxha. The original hause where Enver Hoxha was born, in 1908, was detroyed by fire. Rebuit between 1964-1966, not as riproduction of Hoxha's house, but as model of Gjirokastra's traditional hauses. Dispite the fact that is labeled as the dictators home, there is nothing related to Enver Hoxha, his belongings, objects, or furniture from his real home, or anything regarding his past. The interiors are replicas of the greatest Gjirokastra homes from the 19th century. The rooms are set up exaclty as they would have been used. Cultural relics, domestic goods, traditional costumes, clothing and kitchenware, among other things are used as decorations.

This is a well-known tourist attraction in Gjirokastra. In reality, it is merely a street with nothing spectacular to notice at first glance. However, the story is intriguing, and it may be mentioned in Ismail Kadare's works. Albanian name of this road is "Sokaku i të Marrëve, which translated means "The Mad's Street". This street is rife with legends. One of them is quite amusing. The street is paved with irregular loose stones, and when people walk down it, the stones move and follow them. So they're creating a racket behind the folks, and it appears that they're fleeing, but stones are behind them, making noise like wild people. In additional to this story, it is known that many Mad people lived here, making noises, which strengthen the name of this road. During communist time it was called the “Street of Pioneers”, because they repaved the street with smaller stones. But after the regime collapsed, it took again the original name.