Gjirokastra Castle

The Gjirokastra Castle (Kalaja e Gjirokastrës) is a prominent landmark of the Gjirokastër that is said to be one of the largest fortresses in the Balkans. It overlooks the city and the strategic road in the Drino Valley below. Once a prison, it now hosts two museums. An absolute must when visiting Gjirokastër.

It is believed that the first walls were erected in the 12th century. The fortress was taken over by the Ottomans in 1419, and soldiers utilised it as a shelter. The iconic clock tower was added, and the castle was expanded to its current size during the reign of Ali Pasha of Tepelenë in the late 18th and beginning of the 19th century.

Unlike many other Albanian castles, the one in Gjirokastër is uninhabited and closes at night. It is open from 9:00 to 18:00 in high season and from 8:00 am to 16:00 in low season. There is an entrance fee of 200 leks, and separate tickets must be purchased for each museum. The entrance to the castle is at its southern end and can be reached from the Old Bazaar via a steep cobbled street lined with souvenirs and art stalls.

Just past the ticket office, you’ll find yourself in a vaulted space with many nooks, displaying weapons from World War II, such as guns and an Italian L6/40 light tank made by Fiat. A collection of older weapons can be found in the adjacent Museum of Arms (Muzeu i Armëve), which exhibits mainly the partisans’ booty acquired during WWII from the Italians and Germans. In addition to war photographs, you will see dozens of rifles and machine guns.

The museum was established on the site of the prison, which was founded by King Zog I in 1932. The prison was used by the Italians and Germans during the occupation and by the communist regime after the war. A tour of the weapons museum will take you to the cells where prisoners once lived in appalling conditions. The prison was closed down only in 1968 when the Folklore Festival started to be organized in the castle. The presence of prisoners was probably unfit for such an occasion.

TIP: Book a walking tour around Gjirokastër focusing on the Cold War era. In addition to the prison, you will visit also the Cold War museum beneath the castle.

The Museum of Gjirokastër (Muzeu i Gjirokastrës), which recounts the entire history of the city in detail, is located on the ground level of the same building. The comprehensive information panels (available in English) can keep you occupied for hours.

In the castle courtyard is one of the unofficial symbols of the city: an American spy plane, which was forced to land at the Tirana airport in 1957. The pilot was returned to the Americans, but the communists kept the jet and displayed it in Gjirokastër, the birthplace of dictator Enver Hoxha.

A massive aqueduct once stood by the castle and brought water from a spring ten kilometres away on Mount Sopot. But in 1932 it was demolished and the stone was used to build the prison. Today, only the foundations of three of its pillars stand in front of the southwestern end of the castle.

wefwe

TIP: Take a walk just outside the city to the Dunavat bridge (Ura e Dunavatit or Ura e Ali Pashës), which used to be part of the aqueduct. Now, it is used mainly as a footpath for cattle. The impressive structure wedged between two rocks is just over a kilometre uphill from the castle. The journey takes 20-30 minutes, keep to the south-west (see map below).

View Fullscreen

Booking.com