Its old town is noted on UNESCO’s World Heritage List as “a rare example of a well-preserved Ottoman town, those of a citadel town built by notable landowners” Gjirokastra (Gjirokastër) is situated in a valley between the Gjerë mountains and the Drin (Drino) River. The city is overlooked by the caste of Gjirokastër Kava. This city is the birthplace of former Albanian communist leader Enver Hoxha and notable writer Ismail Kadare. It is also home to Eqerem Çabej University. The city appears in the historical record in A.D. 1336 by its Greek name, Argyrokastro (Argyrus), under the Byzantine administration of the Despotate of Epirus. From 1386 to 1418 it was the capital of the Principality of Gjirokastër under Gjon Zenebishi, before falling under Ottoman rule for the next five centuries. Taken by the Greek Army during the Balkan Wars (1912-13), on account of its large Greek population, it was eventually incorporated into the newly independent state of Albania in 1913. This proved highly unpopular with the local Greek population, who rebelled and after several months of guerrilla warfare established the short-lived Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus with the city as its capital in 1914. The city was
definitively awarded to Albania in 1921. As a fine example of Ottoman-style architecture, this “City of a thousand steps” comprises hundreds of Ottoman-style tower houses with distinctive “tule,” turret
roofs, wooden balconies, and whitewashed stone walls. Dominated by the sheer flanks of its vast castle, Gjirokastra (Gjirokastër) is a magical city with a tumultuous past. From feudal stronghold to Ottoman jewel, to the Italian colony, the city has known many rulers and has inspired poets, authors, and artists alike. Also known by many as the City of Stone, Gjirokastra (Gjirokastra) is a developing center for cultural heritage tourism. A walk through its network of cobbled streets that climb steeply out of the bazaar will transport you back in time. A visit to its vast 13th-century castle brings adventurous tales of medieval rulers as well as provides context to Albania’s period of Communist rule.

The castle contains a military museum featuring captured artillery and memorabilia of the Communist resistance against German occupation, as well as a captured United States Air Force plane to commemorate the Communist regime’s struggle against the imperialist powers. The northern part of the castle was turned into a prison by King Zog’s government (1928-1939) and housed
political prisoners during the communist regime. Visitors can also visit the Ottoman bazaar and neighboring mosque, which dates from 1757.