Albania: Tepelenë to Gjirokaster Fortress

Meet Ali Pasha of Ionnina

Above: Vjosa River near Tepelenë, Albania.

Gjirokaster Fortress, or its predecessor castles, have dominated the Drino River Valley for centuries. We reached the fortress from the north, first spending the night in Tepelenë, where the Drino flows into the Vjosa River.

Above: This was our hotel in Tepelenë.

Above: Tepelenë, Albania. These school boys were happy to pose for me, and very interested in trying out their English. Background: Statue of Ali Pasha (1740-1822) Ottoman Ruler, Albanian Warlord and rebel, also known as Ali Pasha of Ioannina.

This is Ali Pasha territory. Ali Pasha was an interesting fellow who ruled over much of this area. We had met him earlier in northern Greece in the town of Ionnina, which is where he eventually surrendered and was murdered, his head sent to Istanbul, where it was displayed on a revolving platter in the Palace.

Leaving Tepelenë, we headed up the river valley to Gjirokaster, where we spent the night. I covered that stop yesterday in my post on Albanian Bomb Shelters.

After the Raki adventure and the dancing, described yesterday, we slept very well, until awakened by an earthquake! The folks from California shrugged it off but it was quite scary for us flatlanders!

Then it was up to the Fortress, and a mighty castle it is!

This is the old part of the Gjirokaster Fortress, which occupies a very strategic location above the river, at an altitude of 336 meters (1100 feet).

The fortress, or parts of it, date to the 12th Century.

Today it is a museum, containing captured Nazi weapons from the bitter fighting in WWII, as well as defensive artillery.

Photographs of resistance units displaying captured Nazi flags are mingled with Socialist-era posters.

WWII Photos

I particularly liked the socialist poster art showing the bravery of the citizens as they sought to recover their country from the Nazi’s.

The views outside of the Fortress were stunning.

Here you can see down to the river, which actually begins in Greece some miles to the south.

I was taken by the bravery and resilience of the Albanian people, who continued to resist. There have been Greek colonies here, then the Roman Empire took control. Eventually made a part of the Ottoman Empire after years of fighting, Ali Pasha gained some semi-independence for the region while serving as an agent of the Ottomans. Then invasion by the Italians and Germans, followed by fifty years of Hoxha’s dictatorship. It’s quite a story.

Thanks so much for traveling along! This is one of a series of journal entries on Southeast Europe, aka the Balkans, in preparation for our river cruise down the Danube. Earlier posts included The Balkans, A visit to Macedonia, and Albanian Bunkers.

Note: This trip was six years ago, and many of my photos and notes have vanished, so I may be a bit off on some of the details. If you were on this trip please feel free to correct, edit or dispute anything! Keep on Traveling!