Gjirokastër

Gjirokastër (Greek: Αργυρόκαστρον Argyrókastron, Italian: Argirocastro, Turkish: Ergiri) is a city in southern Albania at with a population of around 30,000. It is the capital of Gjirokastër District. Its old town is inscribed on the World Heritage List as "a rare example of a well-preserved Ottoman town, built by farmers of large estate".

History

Gjirokastër is an ancient city with traces of human habitation dating back to the 1st century BC. It is located on the slopes of the Mali i Gjerë ("Wide Mountain"), overlooking the Drin river. The city was probably founded some time in the 12th century AD around a fortress on the hillside. Under the rule of the Byzantine Empire, it developed into a major commercial centre known as Argyropolis ("Silver City", Greek: Αργυρόπολις) or Argyrokastron ("Silver Castle", Greek: Αργυρόκαστρον).

The city was part of the Despotate of Epirus in the 14th century before passing to the Ottoman Empire in 1417. It was captured in 1811 by the Albanian-born Ali Pasha, who carved out his own semi-autonomous fiefdom in the southwestern Balkans. In the late 19th century it became a centre of resistance to Turkish rule. The Assembly of Gjirokastër, a key event in the history of the Albanian liberation movement, was held there in 1880.

During the First Balkan War of 1912-1913, the city was claimed by Greece due to its large ethnically Greek population. In 1914 Giorgos Christakis Zografos, the former Foreign Minister of Greece, declared Gjirokastër the capital of an autonomous state of "Northern Epirus". However, this was very short-lived and was dissolved by the advent of the First World War. Gjirokastër was eventually occupied by the French before being handed to Albania. During the Second World War, the city was occupied on various occasions by Italy, Greece and Germany before returning to permanent Albanian control in 1944.

The postwar Communist regime developed the city as an industrial and commercial centre. It was elevated to the status of a "museum town" largely due to the fact that it was the birthplace of the dictator Enver Hoxha, who had been born there in 1908. His house was converted into a museum which became a focal point of Hoxha's cult of personality.

Gjirokastër suffered severe economic problems following the end of communist rule in 1991. It was particularly badly affected by the 1997 collapse of a massive pyramid scheme, which destabilised the entire Albanian economy. The city became the focus of a rebellion against the government of Sali Berisha and violent anti-government protests took place which eventually forced Berisha's resignation. On December 16 1997, Hoxha's house was blown up by unknown (but presumably anti-communist) attackers.

Since the end of the 1990s and the subsequent revival in Albania's economy, Gjirokastër's situation has improved somewhat. However, its population has fallen significantly in the past decade, with many ethnic Greeks departing for Greece. Despite this they still are a sizeable presence in the city and exert a large cultural influence. The status of the Greek community in the region has been a source of some tension between the Albanian and Greek governments, but in recent years a Greek "charm offensive" has led to the easing of this tension. ^*

Economy

Gjirokastër is principally a commercial centre with some industries, notably the production of foodstuffs, leather, and textiles.

Culture and places of interest

Many houses in Gjirokastër have a distinctive local style that has earned the city the nickname of the "town of the stones", because most of the old houses have roofs covered with stones. Due to Gjirokastër's importance to the Communist regime, its city centre was spared at least some of the thoughtless redevelopment that afflicted other cities in Albania, but its designation as a "museum town" unfortunately did not translate into maintaining the old town. Consequently many of its historic buildings have become dilapidated, a problem that is only slowly being resolved.

The Citadel dominates the town and overlooks the strategically important route along the river valley. It is open to visitors and 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 citadel dates back to the 18th century and its construction was ordered by Gjin Bue Shpata, a local tribal leader. Additions were built during the 19th and 20th centuries by Ali Pasha Tepelene and the Government of King Zog. Today it possesses five towers and houses a clock tower, a church, water fountains, horse stables, and many more ammenities. The northern part of the castle was eventually turned into a prison by Zog's government and housed political prisoners during the communist regime.

Gjirokastër also features an old bazaar which was originally built in the 17th century, but which had to be rebuilt in the 19th century after it burned down. There are more than 200 homes preserved as "cultural monuments" in Gjirokastër today, and it is also the site of the International Albanian Folk Festival held every four years (most recently in 2005).

When the town was first proposed for inscription on the World Heritage List in 1988, ICOMOS experts were nonplussed by a number of modern constructions which detracted from the old town's appearance. The historic core of Gjirokastër was finally inscribed in 2005, 15 years after its original nomination.

Education

The first Albanian school of Gjirokastra was Drita school opened in 1908. Eqerem Çabej University of Gjirokastra is the highest education school.

Famous inhabitants

Adil Çarçani, former Prime Minister
Avni Rustemi
Baba Rexhep, Bektashi religious leader
Çerçiz Topulli, Albanian resistance fighter
Eqrem Çabej, ethnologist
Enver Hoxha, dictator
Haki Toska
Ismail Kadare, author
Musine Kokalari, author
Omer Nishani

References

"Gjirokastër." Encyclopædia Britannica, 2006
"Gjirokastër or Gjinokastër." The Columbia Encyclopedia (2004).

External links

Cities in Albania | World Heritage Sites in Albania | Ancient Greek cities

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