Përmet is located in the southern part of Albania, on both sides of the upper course of the Vjosa River. In the Përmet region, at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, six distinct costume areas were identified: Shqeria, Dangëllia, Cerja, Rrëza, Dëshnica, and Malëshova (also known as Labe). It should be noted that, in general, the traditional clothes of the Përmet region, for both women and men, had similarities not only among the different...
Since the population of Korça consists of both Muslims and Christians, there have been differences between the traditional clothing of the two faiths. In rural areas, these differences persisted, whereas in the city, from the last quarter of the 19th century, urban attire became the same for both Muslims and Christians. Since then, young women from Korça, whether Christian or Muslim, dressed according to the European fashion of the time, wearing woolen and silk dresses, long and wide skirts, polkas and tunics...
Dropullite folk dances are accompanied by homophonic songs (with lyrics). These dances connect people both physically and spiritually, which is why festivals are the best events in people’s lives, as they incorporate traditions and the joys of everyday life. The “double dance” is an emotional dance that is performed in a circle, tracing its origins back to the 5th century BC. According to Homer’s Iliad, the dance leader, followed by 50 people, would dance in honor of Dionysus (the god of...
Mokra is located in Southeastern Albania in the Pogradec region. The clothing of the women of this province is kept in two variants: the clothing of Orthodox women and the clothing of Muslim women. The basic elements of Orthodox women’s dress were the ankle-length shirt, with kinda on both sides, with long, embroidered sleeves. Other parts of the clothing were the cibuni, the naca (the apron with two sheets of ancient fabric with horizontal stripes), the belt, the socks and the...
The xhubleta of the Highlands is a clear legacy of our Illyrian heritage, passed down by the highland women until the 1950s-1960s, making it one of the identifying elements of traditional Albanian dress, characterized by motifs with the emblem of the eagle. While the history of other ancient peoples was preserved in “hieroglyphs” carved in stone and other circumstantial tools, for the Illyro-Albanians, this history was preserved and “embroidered” in the messages, colors, symbols, and figures of the xhubleta. Who hasn’t...
Outerwear that was thrown over the shoulders in bad weather has been widely used by the rural population of our country. A cover to protect against the rain was also the llabania, a hood made of dry shajak, which was placed on the head and extended back to the back almost to the waist and below. The written sources from ancient times on one hand, and the archaeological monuments on the other, are sufficient to prove the Illyrian character of this garment. Among...
Under the sound of gurgling water, in a green valley, surrounded by mountains, the village of Tamara looks like a natural amphitheater. Tamara lies by the river Cem, which gives it a fascinating view. The name of this village is connected with an ancient but beautiful story. Tamara was the name of the wife of a Pasha of Shkodra, who contributed to the construction of a new bridge in the second half of the 18th century over the Cem river. Thus, both...
Full of beauty and legends, Lake Ohrid remains among the best attractions in the country. A legend about this Lake says: “When God created Lake Ohrid he said: ‘I created the most beautiful Lake on the planet. However, the people here are very sinful. As a result of sin, he will also create a monster’ and God did so. None of the people knew what monster God would create. That’s why everyone was afraid to live near this Lake. One...
This wonderful natural monument is located in the Uraka Valley (Mat branch), east of Uraka village, about 150 m above sea level. The canyon is formed in limestone, by the river karst, creating a wonderful landscape with vertical walls and numerous caves of karst character. The walls of the canyon are attractive and difficult to explore, succeeding niches and caves which are often difficult to reach and understand their structure. The width of Uraka Canyon varies from 4 to 7 meters, while its...
The house of the Painter Sali Shijaku, which is considered the oldest house in the Balkans, is located in Tirana, on “Siri Kodra” street. Its construction with stone wall, adobe and wooden skeleton belongs to the year 1400. Once this building functioned as a Turkish hospital. On the first floor, there is the waiting room where various activities took place near the fireplace, and the place is filled with rare paintings. The second floor houses bedrooms, also filled with paintings and...
