Free
I TI N ERA RY 3
MINISTRIA E ZHVILLIMIT
URBAN DHE TURIZMIT
National Tourism Agency
Rr. Sermedin Said Toptani, Tiranë - Shqipëri
+355 42 273 778
[email protected]
Visit Albania
@Visit_Albania
www.albania.al • www.akt.gov.al
Church of Lady of Rosary is located in Arra e Madhe neighbourhood. This church was built
around 1800 and is the first church of this neighbourhood. In 1900s, the new church was
rebuilt and is functional even today (old church is on its side). The old church houses the
remains of Frats Father Gjalaj, Father Gjeçaj, Father Makaj and Father Zef Pëllumbi, who
witnessed the sufferance of the communist prisons. He is the author of several works, among
whom the most popular one is "Live only to tell". It is interesting to note that the Lady of
Rosary Church was the last object that was opened after the anti – religious wipe in 1967.
Monumental Catholic Cemetery of Rrmaji is located in the north eastern part of the city
on “Hil Mosi” street. This cemetery is a “cultural monument”. It has a monumental tomb
with works of various kinds of styles by using elements such as Syrian basalt, Karraras
marble, Muranos glass, etc. It is interesting to note that tourists visiting Albania this site is
visited by tourists arriving in Albania before the 1990s. Itineraries were organised by the
national tourist enterprise "Albturist". Behind the cemetery wall and on the river bank (Kir),
after 1944 renowned Catholic clergy and other personalities were shot without trial by the
communist regime.
Other sites of interest to visit in Shkodra are:
Rozafa castle perching over a rocky hill in the west of Shkodra.The castle is surrounded by
three rivers: Drin, Buna and Kiri. It is one of the most important castles in Albania and the most
important touristic site in Shkodra. It has an Illyrian origin and the historian Titus Livy quotes it
as “the stronghold of the Labeat clan”. The Illyrian queen Teuta has used the castle as a
basecamp in wars against Rome. The present name “Rozafa” emerged in Middle Ages. It is
related to a popular legend on “living by the given promise and upholding loyalty”. According
to the legend, for the walls of the castle to hold, a sacrifice was needed. Thus, Rozafa was
sacrificed. The present shape of the castle comes from the period when feudal family of
Bushatllinj ruled (15th Century). There are also traces from the Venetian and Ottoman periods.
The walls of the castle stretch along an 880 meter-long perimeter and encircle an area of 9
hectares. After a strong resistance, the castle and the city fell under the Ottoman rule in 1479.
Water cisterns of 15th century, Saint Stephen’s cathedral of the 18th century, which was into
a mosque, after the Ottoman conquest are inside the castle, which houses also the “Rozafa
Museum”.
Historical Museum of Shkodra is located on “Oso Kuka” street in very heart of the city of
Shkodra. This museum opened in 1947, and is housed in a monumental dwelling of the 19th
century. The archaeological and ethnographic collections of Franciscan Convention and Jesuit
Seminary were the initial items on display when the museum opened.
Today, the museum has several sections, such as the archeological, historic and ethnographic
ones. The museum has its own library boasting 15.000 titles by Albanian and foreign authors.
The oldest books belong to the 17th century. Worth mentioning is the “Christian doctrine”
written by Albanian author, Pjeter Budi. The section of archaeology has 500 items, while the
section of ethnography holds 1.500 items. There is also a numismatic collection.
Atellier Marubi is located in the city center. It was established in 1970 and preserves
negatives starting from 150 ago, among them, the first negative of the first Albanian photo
made by Pietro Marubi. There are 500 negatives in total. Most of them are from the famous
Marubi family (Pietro, Kel and Geg) but there are also works of other prominent photographers
from the region of Shkodra such as, Shan Pici, Jakova, Raboshta, and Nenshati
Traveling from Shkodra to Shiroka. Shiroka is a picturesque village on the slopes of mount
Tarabosh above Lake Shkodra. This village is home to the church of St Rocco. The village takes
its name from this patron saint. Saint Rocco was born in France (Montpelier). During his
travels, he came to this area and assisted the local population during the epidemic period.
Every 15 August, pilgrims come to St. Rocco. After this date, it is not advisable to swim in the
lake. In and around Shirokë, the visitors may taste the local food and lake fish restaurants are
very popular.
VISITING
TIRANA
In the capital Albania, there are several interesting sites to visit. One of them is the house
where the family of Mother Theresa lived for a number of years. This house is located not
far from the city center in “Hajdar Hidi” street. A plaque placed on the outside wall
testifies to this fact. Drande Bojaxhi (mother of Mother Theresa) and Age (Agetina) Bojaxhi
(sister of Mother Theresa) are buried in the public cemetery of Tirana.
The Catholic church “The heart of Christ” is located on Kavaja street. It was built in 1856,
commissioned by Franz Joseph, the Austro – Hungarian Emperor. During the communist
regime, when the practice of religion was forbidden in Albania, the church was converted
into a theatre.
Mosaic of Tirana is located in the west side of Tirana, in “Naim Frashëri” street. This
mosaic represents the oldest monument found in Tirana. It has been on the floor of a
Roman villa from 3d century. Then, this place was transformed into a paleochristian
church. The mosaic of Tirana is also known as the mosaic of the Saint George’s springs.
National History Museum. It is Albania’s biggest and the most important museum.
It was inaugurated in 1981 and exhibits various periods in the history of Albania, since
the prehistoric times until modern days with original artefacts from different periods
of history, being displayed, among others. The museum is divided into pavilions each
representing different stages in the history of Albania from antiquity, middle ages,
national renaissance, independence, and world wars. There is also a special pavilion
of iconography, one on the communist regime and another on ethnography. A very
special pavilion is the one on the persecution against the clergymen and other
renowned personalities.
This museum keeps some unique items such as the “Epitaph of Gllavenica” dating
back in 1373. This is an embroidery in silk with gold and silver thread depicting the
figure of Jesus Christ. Another item is the marble head of Dea (the goddess of the
ancient city of Burtint), and the mosaic called “the beautiful woman of Durres”. The
largest mosaic in Albania may be seen on the front façade of the National History
Museum.
ALBANIAN
CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS
TIRANË
DURRËS
LEZHË
SHKODËR
DU R R Ë S
I T I N ERA RY 2
WITH ITS 3000 YEARS OF
HISTORY, THE CITY OF
DURRËS IS CONSIDERED
AS ONE OF THE GREATEST
CITIES OF THE ANCIENT
MEDITERRANEAN.
The Christian settlements in the territory of Illyria are very well known. Paul the Apostle
is believed to have preached the gospel in these territories. "So from Jerusalem all the
way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ" (Romans 15:19).
The first Christian community in Durrës dates around year 58 A.D.
St. Asti, who served as the bishop of Durrës during the period of the Emperor Trajan
(98-117 AD) is the first Christian saint in the territory of Albania. During this period,
many Italians fled to Albania to escape the persecution of Christians in their homeland.
Saint Asti was arrested by the Roman governor Agricola around 98 A.D. He was
tortured and eventually executed. Allegedly, the reason for that was the denial of the
cult of Dionysus.
The church of St. Asti bears the name of the saint in the city of Durrës in his honour
(originally this church was built in the 14th Century). St. Asti is commemorated on June
6 every year.
The cult of Saint Vlash (or Blaise) has entered in Europe about 8th Century. The
monastery of St. Vlash is found in Vrinë, near the city of Durrës. Pilgrims used to visit
this place hoping to find a cure for their inflictions. In modern days, pilgrims visit St.
Vlash in honour of St. Mary, on August 15. The monastery of St. Vlash was rebuilt in
1996 as a dedication to Saint Vlash.
Another attraction we may find nowadays in Durrës is the Byzantine forum (Rotonda).
In its vicinity, a cemetery of 80 graves has been found. This is a Christian-type
construction. The monument is similar to Roman constructions and is dedicated to the
first Christian emperor, Constantine the Great. The monument has a diameter of 40
meters and an area of 1,600 square meters. The floor was paved by stone tiles, while the
columns are of white marble. Interestingly, it is thought that this monument has inspired
Theodoric the king of the Goths for the construction of his Mausoleum in Ravena, Italy,
after visiting Durrës in 483 A.D.
In the 13-14 centuries, under the aegis of the Franciscan and Dominican orders, the
churches of Çetë (13th century) (near Kavaja, south Durrës) and St. Anthony at the
Cape of Rodon (north Durrës) were constructed. These are typically of the Roman – Gothic
style. Every June 15th pilgrims visit the church of St. Anthony of Rodon. The pilgrims
people touch the walls of the church believing to boost fertility.
The church of Çetë is in the village of Zig – Xhafaj, north Kavaja. It is a very special
church, whose construction dates back to the thirteenth century. Frescoes decorate its
interior, superimposed in several layers. The church is called St. Friday and is follows the
Roman – Gothic style architecture, a clear sign of the impact of various influences. The
central wooden iconostasis was painted by Konstandin Shpataraku, a renowned Albanian
iconography painter.
Durrës boasts its amphitheatre, the second largest in the Balkans by size, after that in
Pula, Croatia. It was built in the second century A.D., during the rule of the Roman Emperor Hadrian. The amphitheatre seats 15 - 20 thousand spectators and resembles the style
of construction of monuments in Capua and Pompey in Italy. In the 10 century, "Chapel"
was built in its galleries, known for its rare wall mosaics.
Besides these monuments, one can visit the Hellenistic and Roman pavilions in the
Archaeological Museum of Durrës.
The Mosaic and Basilica of Arapaj is situated on a hill, south of the city of Durrës. This
is an early Christian basilica of the sixth century A.D. The part unearthed in 1974, is the
part of a monumental building. It belonged to the basilica church of St. Michael burned by
the Normans. This basilica consists of the apses, salons, funeral yard and two annexes.
In one of them, the famous 50 sq. meter mosaic of Arapaj is found. Consisting of two
emblems bearing pastoral motifs, it is one of the largest mosaics in the Balkans. To
protect the mosaic from atmospheric agents, it is covered with a plastic mesh. A special
permission from the Institute of Cultural Monuments is needed for visiting it.
Traveling along the old road named "Via Egnatia" connecting Rome with Constantinople,
you will arrive in the city of Kavajë (20 km south of Durrës).
The Ethnographic Museum of Kavajë is located in the Zgurraj neighbourhood housed
in a traditional-architecture building. Exhibits consist on traditional local artcrafts such as
embroidery, copper handicrafts, pottery, and costumes.
Heading more south, the visitors may divert from the road to visit the Castle of Bashtova,
at a distance of 3 - 4km north of the Shkumbin River Delta. The castle was built in the
15th century and served the Venetians. The Bashtova area is mentioned as a river port
and as a grain export center. The castle has a rectangular shape, 60m wide, 90m long and
its walls are 9m high. The western part of it was rebuilt in the eighteenth century.
Back on the main road, the journey continues towards the small town of Peqin, known in
antiquity as Klaudiana.
An interesting site to be visited is the Castle Peqini. This is a medieval castle build on
the fifteenth century, and is believed to have been built on ancient foundations. A turret
for cannons and the polygonal towers stand out. The Castle is located near the Shkumbin
River and has been subject to three periods of reconstruction.
Following the journey towards the city of Elbasan, we encounter the traces of the old road
"Via Egnatia". This route has been mentioned for the first time by Polybius in 120 B.C.
The "Ad Quintum" station, built in the second century A.D. is site to be visited. This
monument is a rectangular complex site with a size of 45 x 12 meters. The thermal baths
have a surface of 130 meters underground.
Another site of interest for visitors is the Skampa castle and the walls that surround
the residential neighbourhood of the city. This castle was built in the time of Emperor
Diocletian. With an area of 10 hectares, this site has served primarily to house a Roman
legion. The modern city was built expanding from the original castle.
Within the walls of the castle there is a Unified Church (the only one of its kind in Albania)
of Catholic rituals. Its aim was to unify Catholic and Orthodox worshipers.
In Elbasan, visitors may enjoy the Ethnographic Museum located in a characteristic
two-floor house of the 18th century. Via Egnatia runs along the Shkumbin valley to the
border with Macedonia at Qafë Thanë border crossing.
While travelling from Durrës to Laç, visit the church of St. Anthony, which is located 3km
from the town of Laç. This is the largest Catholic pilgrimage site in Albania. Until 13 June, over
500 thousand pilgrims from all faiths visit this site. It is believed that this church has healing
properties and supernatural powers. St. Anthony of Padua (Italy), in whose honour this church
was built, was born in Lisbon in 1195 and died near Padua on 13 June 1231. His cult is quite
powerful in Albania. From the hill where the church is located, one may enjoy the beautiful
landscape towards the west, with the coastal plain and the Adriatic Sea at the distance.
Having left Laçi, the next place to visit is Lezha with the burial place of Albania’s national
hero Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg as a landmark. Skanderbeg is known, among others, as
a defender of Christianity. His burial place is next to the ruins of the church of St. Nicholas,
where he was buried after his death on 16 January 1468. A replica of his sword and helmet
(the originals are in the Museum of Vienna in Austria) are displayed above his grave and the
walls of the memorial feature emblems of Skanderbeg’s coeval feudal families. This
monument was inaugurated in 1981. At the Skanderbeg burial place you can also visit the
archaeological site of ancient Lezha (known as Lisus).
The Castle of Lezha rises on top of the hill, 186 meters east of the city. The castle originates
from Illyrian periods. In 1440, it underwent a reconstruction by the Venetians, and in the 1522,
after the Ottoman conquest, it was rebuilt by them. Traces of Illyrian, Roman, Byzantine and
Ottoman architectures may be identified in this castle. Some of the interesting objects to visit
are the ruins of Ottoman buildings, inside the castle, mosques, south-east tower with a Roman
arch, and Illyrian tower in the southern wall. Lezha Castle is a monument of culture. It offers a
beautiful view of the plains of Lezha and the Adriatic Sea.
The route continues to Shkodra with several Catholic churches of interest to visit such as,
the Church of St. Prende in Balldren village. This Catholic Church belongs to the Benedict
order, and was built during 14 - 15 century on a small hill above the village, in a Gothic style.
When driving along the national road Lezha - Shkodra, a signboard invites you to divert to
the village of Kallmet. Following along the road of the village and climbing the slope of the
hill you reach the Catholic Church of Saint Euphemia. Kallmeti is well known for its
vineyards and the high-quality "Kallmet" wine, which is recognized in the whole country.
Fishta is a village situated 7 km from Kallmet. It is the birthplace of an illustrious Albanian
Catholic clergy and Albanian literature Father Gjergj Fishta. The place boasts "Mrizi i
Zanave", a traditional restaurant serving bio products. The restaurant is named after one of
Gjergj Fishta’s works. Another church in this area, St. Stephen’s Church in Blinisht, is in
fact somehow in severe shape.
The city of Shkodra offers a wide range of places to visit. Mother Theresa lived in this city
for a short period of time. The house is on "Ludovik Saraçi" street, on the eastern side of the
city. A commemorative plaque is put on the front wall of the house. Shkodra is also a major
center of Catholicism in Albania, and host to a number of catholic sites such as St.
Stephen's Church (also known as the big or major church). During his visit to Albania in
1993, Pope John Paul II delivered a mass in this church. Permission for the construction of
this church was given in 1849. During the communist rule, when all religions and religious
institutions were outlawed, the church was converted into a sports arena.
Frats Church is located near the city center. Gjergj Fishta is buried in one of the premises of
the church.