Situated in the Drino valley between Lunxheria Mountain and Mount Gjerà«, Gjirokastra is one of the most loved Albanian cities by tourists who are attracted to its unique architecture and rich history.
The origin of Gjirokastra’s name is believed to come from Princess Argjiro, who together with her brother threw from the battlements during the final siege of the city by the Turks, so that they would not be taken alive by their enemy. Another version about the origin of the name says that the name comes from argyrà³kastron, which in Greek means silver, referring to the grey stone walls, buildings, and streets of Gjirokastra.
Quite often, the city gets a lot of attention thanks to being the hometown of Ismail Kadare, one of the best Albanian writers that is known worldwide. In some of its books, Kadare describes the beauty, mystery, uniqueness of this great city which leaves many of its readers wonder about its hometown and makes them visit his city to see for themselves different locations mentioned in his works. Recently Kadare’s house in Gjirokastra was restored and turned into a museum, so if you plan to visit Gjirokastra in the near future, make sure to check it out.
With a population of 35,000, the Gjirokastra District, includes several towns such as Libohova, antigona, Lower Dropulli, Upper Dropulli, Lazarat, Lunxhà«ri, Odrie, Picar, Pogon, etc. Besides ethnic Albanians, in Gjirokastra there is a Greek minority and some small communities such as the Vlachs and Romas. Influenced by the Ottoman Empire, Gjirokastra’s architecture easily stands out compared to other architectural style you can spot in other Albanian cities.
Here are the top 5 sites to see if you go there:
Gjirokastra Castle or the Castle of Argjiro is a must see. Situated at a height of 336 metres (1,102 ft), the castle offers a great view of the city and it is open to visitors.
The Ethnographic museum is open all year from April to September. Situated in Palorto Quarter, the best preserved district in Gjirokastra the Ethnographic Museum was once home of Albanian communist dictator Enver Hoxha. After the house was burned down, the building was turned into a museum that portrays the design of several houses in Gjirokastra.
Gjirokastra Bazaar or the Old Bazaar is still used nowadays in Gjirokastra and serves as the main bazaar of the city. If you ever go there, you will notice various buildings around the bazaar which are believed to date from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries.
Zekate House which is also located in the Palorto quarter, is one of the largest and most visited monumental stone houses in Gjirokastra. The house has gone under several restorations and is currently not occupied.
Cold War Museum is also a must see if you want to experience a little bit the feeling of how it was like in Albania some years ago. The cold war museum is an underground bunker that was build to serve the communist leadership in case of an attack.
