Rare exhibition of Bushatlli collection in Shkodra

TIRANA, May 2 – A rare exhibition featuring a collection of books owned by the Bushatlli family which ruled the northern Albania region of Shkodra between the 18th and 19th century was shown last weekend in the country’s biggest northern city. The collection which is preserved by the National Library in Tirana was displayed at Marin Barleti library in Shkodra for two days before turning back to Tirana under tight security measures.
National Library director Aurel Plasari said the items displayed in the exhibition were carefully selected among the many manuscripts and publications owned by the Bushatlli library, famous not only for the variety and importance of their content including religious but also philosophical, literary, legal publications.
Meanwhile, the director of the Marin Barleti library in Shkodra said the 150 items displayed in the exhibition showed the spiritual treasure of Shkodra’s pasha leaders and the autonomy it enjoyed during the 1757-1831 when Albania was still under Ottoman rule.