ALBANIA ~ Gjirokaster - UNESCO ~

... Colorful street view of the most beautiful city not only in Albania but the Balkans... renowned as the "City of Stone," Gjoricaster’s old town is perched on a hill with an impressive castle towering over the town and surrounded by incredible nature... it was the most flourishing city in the Albanian part of the Ottoman Empire and its historic center is very well preserved... famous for its steep cobbled streets, hundreds of monumental fortified tower houses (kule) vertically built... the Old Bazaar is a bustling 17th-century five-way junction and serves as the heartbeat of the Old Town... with traditional workshops where local artisans craft wood, textiles, and stone... you will feel like you have truly traveled back in time... Thanks a lot dear Gian Luca and Raffaella! ♥(ˆ⌣ˆԅ)  

The city located in a valley between the Gjerë and Drino mountains and dates back 1336 while it was a part of the Byzantine Empire, but taken by the Ottomans in 1418. This change in ownership converted the city from being largely Christian in the 16th century, to predominately Muslim by the 19th century. The Balkan Wars from 1912-1913 gave the city to the newly formed Albanian state. 

It first became a WHS on its own in 2005, while Berat was added as an extension 3 years later.
 

Stamp:

2024 Euromed stamp

(Issued 23-01-2026)