Gjirokastër

Gjirokastër is a city in the Republic of Albania and the seat of Gjirokastër County and Gjirokastër Municipality. It is located in a valley between the Gjerë mountains and the Drino, at 300 meters above sea level. Its old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, described as "a rare example of a well-preserved Ottoman town, built by farmers of the large estate". The city is overlooked by Gjirokastër Fortress, where the Gjirokastër National Folklore Festival is held every five years.

The city is built on the slope surrounding the citadel, located on a dominating plateau. Although the city's walls were built in the third century and the city itself was first mentioned in the 12th century, the majority of the existing buildings date from the 17th and 18th centuries. Typical houses consist of a tall stone block structure that can be up to five stories high. There are external and internal staircases that surround the house. It is thought that such design stems from fortified country houses typical in southern Albania. Many houses in Gjirokastër have a distinctive local style that has earned the city the nickname "City of Stone" because most of the old houses have roofs covered with flat-dressed stones. A very similar style can be seen in the Pelion district of Greece.

Location: Gjirokastër County, Albania

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