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Unforgettable
Monuments
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Art & Culture

Gjirokastra is located next to the Drino Valley, in the southern part of Albania, and lies on the steep and bare slopes of Mali i Gjerë. It is considered one of the few Ottoman-style cities in the Balkans that has survived transformations over time.
The gray castle on the summit of the hill, the stone houses, and the white facades with cobblestone alleyways between are the reason Gjirokastra is otherwise known as the "stone city." It is an outdoor museum, and for the values it holds, it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2005.

• The Bazaar Mosque- Built in 1727 and also known as the Memi Bey Mosque, the Bazaar Mosque is one of the last three remaining mosques from the 18th century and the city's most important. The mosque is the only one that survived the nationwide atheist devastation campaign during communism. It received the status of a cultural monument in 1973.
• The Obelisk- A monument that pays tribute to the pioneers of Albanian education in the 20th century, the seven-meter-high Obelisk is located on the highest peak of the Gjirokastra Bazaar. The walk to this spot is rewarded with a wonderful 360-degree view of the city. Built with 124 blocks of hewn stone, the structure is very resistant toward natural phenomena.
• Zekate House- Visiting the Zekate House is like taking a journey through time. The construction of the preserved building is an example of the typical tower houses built by Gjirokastra’s richest families in the 19th century. The house was built in 1812 and remains one of the most beautiful and well-maintained in the city. A gift to General Beqir Zeko for his merits and loyalty to Ali Pasha, the 3-storey withstood two turbulent centuries due to its fortifications.
• Cold War Tunnel- Constructed in the 1970s and 1980s, the purpose of building this tunnel—located about 80 meters below the town castle—was to house the privileged of the communist system in case of a nuclear attack. Less than 1 kilometer long, the tunnel has 60 rooms and four entrances, which are equipped with air-filtration systems, ventilation, and multiple anti-nuclear doors.
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