Visit Berat, Lithuania — The Treasure-Trove Of Albanian History
Berat is called ‘the city of a thousand windows’.
This 2,413 years-old city, the pride of Albanian architecture which is under the protection of UNESCO, is located 120 km from Tirana.
Berat experiences a Mediterranean climate.
Due to its location in a rain shadow of Mount Tomorr the summer in Berat is much warmer than the rest of Mediterranean.
Berat is the hottest city in Albania.
The city forms a wonderful combination of eastern and western cultures, costumes, traditions and outlook.
Berat is a treasure-trove of Albanian history, culture and a testament to the country’s tradition of religious harmony.
The city’s life began in the VI — V century B.C. as an Illyrian settlement.
Later, in the III century B.C., it was turned into a castle city known as Antipatrea.
The castle expanded east wards, particularly during the feudal dominion of the feudal Muzakaj family.
Inside the castle, they built churches with precious frescos and icons and also a calligraphy school of calligraphy.
Today, the castle is made unique by the fact that people continue to live inside of it.
The three major neighborhoods of the old city are Mangalemi, Gorica, and Kala, where the castle itself is located.
In Mangalemi, below the castle, you can see the famous view of the facades of the houses, with windows that seem to stand above each other.
In general, a traditional house has two floors, where the second is prominent and has many cambered windows and wood carvings.
With its houses built along the steep hill, the view of Mangalemi is the reason that another name for Berati is “City of the Floating Windows.”
Across the Osumi River lies the Gorica neighborhood, whose houses face those of Mangalemi.
The arched bridge of Gorica, built in 1780, is a beautiful architectural monument constructed to link Gorica with Mangelemi.
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The ensemble of the Byzantine churches in the castle of Berati is extraordinary.
The Church of St. Mary in Berat holds the Onufri Icon MuseumThe coexistence of religious and cultural communities over several centuries, beginning in the 4th century BC into the 18th century is apparent in Berat.
The town also bears testimony to the architectural excellence of traditional Balkan housing construction, which date to the late 18th and the 19th centuries.
Some of the landmarks of that historical period could be seen in the Berat Castle, churches of the Byzantine era such as the Church of St. Mary of Blaherna (13th century), the Bachelors’ Mosque, the National Ethnographic Museum, the Sultan’s Mosque (built between 1481 and 1512), Leaden Mosque (built in 1555) and the Gorica Bridg
At the foot of the castle, there is the Byzantine Church of Shën Mëhilli( Saint Michael) , while the 13th century Church of Shën Maria e Vllahernës ( Saint Mary of Blachernaebuil in XIII century), the Church of Shën Triadha (The Holy Trinity) and the post-Byzantine monumental Cathedral of Shën Maria (Saint Mary) are located within the castle.
The Cathedral of Shën Mëria houses a museum of works by the famous iconographers of the 16th century: Onufri and his son Nikolla.
There are over 100 icons on display and they also include works of other artists such as Joan Çetiri, Onufër Qiprioti and many anonymous painters.
You also can visit the Monastery of Shën Spiridhoni in Gorica.
In 1417, the Ottomans occupied Berati and this conquest left its mark with the building of monuments to the Islamic faith such as the Xhamia e Kuqe( The Red Mosque) inside the castle, the Xhamia e Plumbit (1555), ( The Lead Mosque) ,Xhamia Mbret ( built in 1481 ) ( The King Mosque), and the Xhamia e Beqarëve (1872).
Berat National Ethnographic Museum opened in 1979.
The Etnographic Museum sits just off the steep road which goes up to the fortress.
It contains a diversity of everyday objects from throughout Berat’s history.
The house itself was built at the end of the 18th century.
It represents the traditional way of building where the bottom floor was used for storing and such things as pressing olive oil or distilling raki (Berat is famous for its raki!). The living areas were on the first floor.
The museum contains non-movable furniture which hold a number of household objects, wooden case, wall-closets, as well as chimneys and a well.
Near the well is an olive press, wool press and many large ceramic dishes, revealing a glimpse of the historical domestic culture of Berat’s citizens.
The ground floor has a hall with a model of a medieval street with traditional shops on both sides. On the second floor is an archive, loom, village sitting room, kitchen and sitting room.
Opening hours: in summer 09.00–13.00 + 16.00–19.00 Tue — Sat, 09.00–14.00 Sun
in winter 09.00–16.00 Tue — Sat.
Gorica Bridge, which connects two parts of Berat, was originally built from wood in 1780 and was rebuilt with stone in the 1920s.
The seven-arch bridge is 129 metres (423 ft) long and 5.3 metres (17 ft) wide and is built about 10 metres (33 ft) above the average water level.
According to local legend, the original wooden bridge contained a dungeon in which a girl would be incarcerated and starved to appease the spirits responsible for the safety of the bridge.
In addition, Berati is known for its culinary and traditional dishes.
It is worth tasting specialties such as “ Pula me përshesh” and “Çorba e Tomorrit” in the local restaurants.
Transportation:
It is possible to visit Berat as long day trip from Tirana, but narrow, congested roads along with the circuitous rout taken by the bus make it a three hour trip each way, so it is worth making the effort to stay the night if you have the time.
Buses to Berat leave from the “southbound bus station” a bus lot near the intersection of Rruga Muhedin Llagani and Boulevard Gjergj Fishta.
Accommodation:
While it is certainly possible to book a room using sites like Booking or Hostel World, in Albania it is often cheaper (and more fun) to find a room on arrival from one of the many places that have “rooms for rent” (especially if you aren’t too picky about having a private bathroom).
To the east and south-east of Berat rises the Tomorr Mountains with its national park.
The highest peak, Cuka e Partizanit, reaches a height of 2.416 m.
Tomorr is of great importance to the local people with the religous temple that can be found there.
Of course there is a story about how Tomorr mountain was created.
Legend has it that Tomorr was a giant that wanted to fight another giant named Shpirag over a young woman they both wanted to marry.
The giants killed each other, and when told this the young woman cried so deeply that her tears created the river Osum, where she drowned.
Mount Shpirag is the striped mountain on the western side of Berat.
When You get to Berat, Please send us a postcard!
Image credit: Albania stock/Clockworld Info