The National Museum “Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg” was inaugurated on November 1, 1982. This museum is located in the famous Krujë Castle, the capital of the Arbërit state and a symbol of the defeat of the Turkish armies three times in the 15th century. The museum is designed as a memorial, where the architecture harmonizes with medieval history and art. For its content, architects worked alongside a team of historians led by Kristo Frashëri and a group of painters led by Bashkim...
The Ethnographic Museum, also known as the “House of Llave,” is located along the main road leading to the Berat Castle. After the building was restored in 1979, it was transformed into the Ethnographic Museum of Berat. This characteristic house is currently one of the few examples of homes with a balcony. It has maintained its original features with minimal changes, preserving both its external and internal decorative values. On the upper floor, visitors are introduced to several examples of rooms...
A building where you will find inspiration more than anywhere else. The city of independence is one of the most visited places in all of Albania. Along the coast of this city, you will also find the residence of the Vlorë Government of 1912. Initially serving as a quarantine building, after the declaration of independence on November 28, 1912, it became the seat of the Provisional Government of Ismail Qemali for 14 months, until January 22, 1914. From 1936 to 1939,...
Positioned in the center of the city, not far from the Castle, is the Ethnographic Museum in Elbasan, which is a two-story house from the 18th century that recounts the culture, folklore and lifestyle of the city. What stands out the most is that in this museum the features, motifs and every piece of detail from the room where the new bride of the house used to stay are fanatically preserved. Impressive are the hand-crafted furniture, which show exceptional craftsmanship. The high...
This is the story of a very beautiful girl, the youngest sister among twelve brothers. She was so beautiful and virtuous that she had no equal, so none of the suitors dared to ask for her hand in marriage. One day, a foreign warrior, handsome and strong, but from a distant land, came and asked for her hand. Her mother and eleven brothers were against their marriage, but Kostandini, the twelfth brother, seeing his sister’s wish, asked his mother to accept...
In this legend, it is said that once upon a time there were two brave brothers who had spent their whole lives fighting with swords and spears. The biggest and most powerful had been Muji. Halil had been the smallest and most flexible. Muji had been so strong that when a passer-by had asked him where such and such a village was, Muji who had been plowing the field had raised his hands together with the plow and plow ox in the...
According to Albanian legends, an old woman went to the mountain to graze the cattle and seeing the warm and sunny weather said: “Now I will graze the cattle for fun. Goodbye winter, stick to the devil“. At this moment, April (or March) said: “February, my brother, lend me three days to freeze the old woman.” Soon after, legend says it got so cold that the old woman froze with all the cattle on the mountain, turning into rock. Mount Tomorri is...
The magnificent castle located in Shkodër holds one of the most interesting and saddest legends of the country. It is about three brothers married to three women who lived in northern Albania. The three brothers worked day and night to build a fort, but every time they finished the work, the walls of this fort collapsed. One day, an old man told them that there was a way to stop the walls of this castle from collapsing, one sacrifice and this...
It is said that here was a mountaineer named Gjergj Elez Alia, who had nine serious wounds on his body and was on his deathbed. He had fought a lot against foreign oppressors, his mother and father had died, but he had a sister who took care of him day and night. Being in this situation, a black whale, a brave one, came out of the sea. This barrage ruined and destroyed the country, cutting down all the brave who have...
Once upon a time there was such a strong wind that it shook the sea from the bottom and the sea brought out a snake. A cloud fell and threw the snake on the mountain of Sopot. The giant snake ate animals and people and destroyed crops. Until an old man got up, loaded a donkey with sacks of straw and went near the cistern and set the straw on fire. When the snake ate the donkey, the fire inside...
