Historic Centres of Berat and Gjirokastër

The Historic Centres of Berat and Gjirokastër (Albanian: Qendrat historike të Beratit dhe Gjirokastrës) encompasses the cities of Berat and Gjirokastër in southern Albania. Gjirokastër was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 2005 while Berat was added as a site extension in 2008.[1][2] They are inscribed as rare examples of an architectural character typical of the Ottoman period.[3]

Historic Centres of Berat and Gjirokastër
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Panoramas of Berat (top) and Gjirokastër (bottom)
LocationAlbania
CriteriaCultural: iii, iv
Reference569
Inscription2005 (29th Session)
Extensions2008

Berat is often referred as the city of a thousand windows and considered one of the architectural treasures of Albania. Traces from Illyrians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans are still evident and well preserved in the city with castles and mansions, old churches and mosques and impressive wall paintings, icons and murals.[4][5] Throughout the centuries, Berat was the place where various religions and communities coexisted in peace.

Gjirokastër, referred as the city of stone, stretches on the steep side of the Drino River valley overlooking the historic landscape with picturesque stone architecture framed by mountains at every side. As most of other cities in Albania, Gjirokastër bears architectural treasures of various civilizations that previously conquered the region.

Attractions

Berat

See also

References
  1. "Three new sites inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List".
  2. UNESCO World Heritage Site. "Historic Centres of Berat and Gjirokastra". whc.unesco.org.
  3. UNESCO World Heritage Site. "Museum-City of Gjirokastra" (PDF). whc.unesco.org (in French and English).
  4. UNESCO World Heritage Site. "Advisory Body Evaluation (ICOMOS) - Historic centres of Berat and Gjirokastra (Albania) No 569" (PDF). whc.unesco.org.
  5. "Icons from the Orthodox Communities of Albania - COLLECTION OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF MEDIEVAL ART, KORCË" (PDF). helios-eie.ekt.gr. p. 20.
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