The mighty Gjirokastër Castle stands above gorgeous Ottoman-era homes on a rocky hilltop in Southern Albania. It’s a well-preserved structure and the pride of the UNESCO city of Gjirokastër. There are so many impressive castles in the Balkans, each unique in its way, and Gjirokastër Fortress is one of those.
Crammed with awesome features, the castle is the best way to learn about Gjirokastër’s history. It’s survived conquests, housed political prisoners, inspired poems, and now receives daily visitors from all over the world.
With its fascinating history and stunning views of the Drino Valley, it’s undoubtedly the highlight of the “City of Stone.”
A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY OF GJIROKASTER CASTLE
Built for safety purposes in a strategic part of the valley, the Gjirokastër Castle has been around since as early as the 12th and 13th Centuries. However, don’t expect to see the same structure as before. The current building differs greatly from the original design.
The initial constructions were raised by the Despots of Epirus, a successor state and branch of the Byzantine Empire. While the geographical importance can be attributed to them, the fortification’s “fantasy book looks” come from improvements made under Ottoman rule. The most recent of those–renovations and westward additions done by Ali Pasha of Tepelena.
Until the past few years, the castle had mostly been neglected since the Pasha’s time. Although, there was a short period when it was redesigned as a prison. In the 1930’s the Albanian King Zog added an extensive number of cells to Gjirokastër Castle to hold various political prisoners.
The castle’s upstairs courtyard.
WHAT YOU’LL SEE INSIDE GJIROKASTER FORTRESS
While I mentioned neglect over time in the previous section, the castle is still in pristine condition and well worth the small price to enter.
Entry | There is a 400 Lek fee to see the castle grounds. I find the cost to be fair, as you can tell that a portion of that is going towards upkeep.
While inside the complex, you’ll see several interesting sights. To start, you’ll find a captivating historical timeline of the city itself. From there you’ll pass by numerous statues and large artillery pieces. They are impressively lined up and lead to the Museum of Armaments. The museum, which is in an old section of the prison, details and displays arms from the beginning of Albanian independence in 1912 to the end of WWII.
Museum | Entry into the small museum within the castle will cost an additional 200 Lek.
In the open part of the castle, you’ll see a cistern, many towers, and the former barracks and houses. Informative signs about different local animal species appear on the stone walls and a large stage used for the National Folk Festival stands galliantly in the castle’s courtyard. The two most notable things, however, are an American airplane (which I’ll get to later) and the iconic Gjirokastër Clock Tower. If you haven’t seen it while walking around, then just look up! It lights up at night and is visible from almost every corner of Gjirokastër.
The clock tower was one of many things that the aforementioned Ali Pasha built during his reign. Another one of those creations was an aqueduct, now known as Ali Pasha’s Bridge, that brought water through the mountains to the city.
Next to the tower, you’ll learn about the interesting legend of Princess Argjiro. She holds a special place in Gjirokastër’s folk stories, going so far as inspiring a poem written by famous author Ismail Kadare.
AN AIRPLANE ON THE WALLS
Yes, you heard that right!
There’s an airplane perched on the castle walls overlooking the fascinating Gjirokastër Bazaar.
To be more specific, it’s a Lockheed T-33 that once belonged to the US Air Force. The story behind the American jet used to be one of multiple conflicting narratives, but that was before any details came out about it.
The first tale was a swirl of rumors about how in 1957 an American spy plane was blasted from the sky during the Cold War. However, that series of gossip has been shot down (pun intended) in recent years. The more reasonable explanation is that the T-33 flew off course due to technical problems and had to land at Rinas Airport near Tirana.
Either way, it’s a surprising and peculiar thing to see on the ramparts of a medieval castle.
Filled with wonderment and long-lost tales, the Gjirokastër Castle is well worth the price of entry. Exploring the hillside fortress is one of the best ways to learn about the city’s rich history.
How to get to Gjirokastër Castle?
The Gjirokastër Castle (maps) is off of Rruga Evlia Celebi at the top of the hill. Your best bet to reach it is by foot, as it’s close to the bazaar. When in doubt just head towards the clock tower.
From Outside Gjirokastër | It’s possible to reach Gjirokastër from most places in Southern Albania if you have a car. The country is small and easy to navigate. If you’re looking to get there by public transport it’s going to be a bit more difficult.
Frequent buses run daily from Sarandë / Ksamil to Gjirokastër. If you’re coming from one of these places, you can easily visit the castle on your own. For more details and a timetable, you can check out my Albania Transport Guide. From just about anywhere else in the country, or if you want to combine places such as the Blue Eye, I suggest taking a tour. You can find a few options here.
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