Elbasan lies midway between Pogradec and Durrës, and the town has been prominent since 1974, when the Chinese built a steel mill ('Steel of the Party') there.
April 28, 2006 (Press Release) --
Elbasan
Elbasan lies midway between Pogradec and Durrës, and the town has been prominent since 1974, when the Chinese built a steel mill ('Steel of the Party') there. It also has a cement factory and a growing pollution problem, but Elbasan is not completely without charm. It was founded by the Romans in the 1st century AD, and strong stone walls with 26 towers were added in the 4th to protect it against invading barbarians. In 1466 Sultan Mohammed II rebuilt the walls and renamed the town El Basan ('The Fortress') in Turkish. The 17th century Turkish Baths are in the centre of town, on the opposite side of the park from the Ethnographical Museum. Go through the Bazaar Gate near the clock tower and follow a road north past the 15th century King's Mosque to St Mary's Orthodox Church, which has beautiful stone arcades on its walls. Elbasan is 54km (33mi) south-east of Tirana, and buses, minibus taxis and trains make the journey daily.
Berat
Berat is Albania's second most important museum town, and is sometimes called 'the city of a thousand windows' for the many windows in its red-roofed houses. Along the ridge above the gorge is a 14th century citadel sheltering small Orthodox churches such as the Orthodox Cathedral of Our Lady, the Church of the Holy Trinity and the Church of the Evangelists. On the slope below the citadel is Mangalem, the old Muslim quarter. A seven-arched stone bridge leads to Gorica, the Christian quarter. The town has several fine mosques, such as the Leaden Mosque, the King's Mosque, the Bachelor's Mosque and the Alveti Tekke, a smaller shrine where Islamic sects like the Dervishes once practised. Berat is 122km (76mi) south-east of Tirana, and the bus journey takes three hours.
Korça
Korça is the main city of the south-eastern interior, and it sits on an 869m (2850ft) high plateau west of Florina, Greece, 39km (24mi) south of Lake Ohrid. It is Albania's largest carpet and rug producing centre, and has been since the Greeks were there. Fine museums include the Muzeu i Artet Mesjetar Shqiptar (Museum of Albanian Medieval Art), the Muzeu Historik and the Muzeu i Arsimit Kombëtar (the Education Museum). Much of the old city was destroyed by earthquakes in 1931 and 1960, which toppled minarets and flattened churches, but some of the colour of old Korça remains in the bazaar, west of the Hotel Iliria. Korça is 179km (111mi) south-east of Tirana, and you can get there by bus. It is also the first stop in Albania if you enter from Florina in Greece.
Kukës
Kukës has possibly the most beautiful setting of any town in Albania. It is set high above Lake Fierza, just below the bald 2486m (8154ft) summit of Mt Gjalica. The old town formerly stood at the junction of two rivers, the White Drin from Kosovo and the Black Drin from Lake Ohrid, but in 1962 it was relocated to its present position when the Party decided to build a hydroelectric dam ('The Light of the Party') and flood its location. It's a pleasant place to spend a few days, and the Hotel Turizmi is one of the finest hotels, with one of the best restaurants, in the country. Kukës is 100km (60mi) north-east of Tirana, and minibuses and buses ply the route daily.
Source: http://www.yahoo.com
Elbasan lies midway between Pogradec and Durrës, and the town has been prominent since 1974, when the Chinese built a steel mill ('Steel of the Party') there. It also has a cement factory and a growing pollution problem, but Elbasan is not completely without charm. It was founded by the Romans in the 1st century AD, and strong stone walls with 26 towers were added in the 4th to protect it against invading barbarians. In 1466 Sultan Mohammed II rebuilt the walls and renamed the town El Basan ('The Fortress') in Turkish. The 17th century Turkish Baths are in the centre of town, on the opposite side of the park from the Ethnographical Museum. Go through the Bazaar Gate near the clock tower and follow a road north past the 15th century King's Mosque to St Mary's Orthodox Church, which has beautiful stone arcades on its walls. Elbasan is 54km (33mi) south-east of Tirana, and buses, minibus taxis and trains make the journey daily.
Berat
Berat is Albania's second most important museum town, and is sometimes called 'the city of a thousand windows' for the many windows in its red-roofed houses. Along the ridge above the gorge is a 14th century citadel sheltering small Orthodox churches such as the Orthodox Cathedral of Our Lady, the Church of the Holy Trinity and the Church of the Evangelists. On the slope below the citadel is Mangalem, the old Muslim quarter. A seven-arched stone bridge leads to Gorica, the Christian quarter. The town has several fine mosques, such as the Leaden Mosque, the King's Mosque, the Bachelor's Mosque and the Alveti Tekke, a smaller shrine where Islamic sects like the Dervishes once practised. Berat is 122km (76mi) south-east of Tirana, and the bus journey takes three hours.
Korça
Korça is the main city of the south-eastern interior, and it sits on an 869m (2850ft) high plateau west of Florina, Greece, 39km (24mi) south of Lake Ohrid. It is Albania's largest carpet and rug producing centre, and has been since the Greeks were there. Fine museums include the Muzeu i Artet Mesjetar Shqiptar (Museum of Albanian Medieval Art), the Muzeu Historik and the Muzeu i Arsimit Kombëtar (the Education Museum). Much of the old city was destroyed by earthquakes in 1931 and 1960, which toppled minarets and flattened churches, but some of the colour of old Korça remains in the bazaar, west of the Hotel Iliria. Korça is 179km (111mi) south-east of Tirana, and you can get there by bus. It is also the first stop in Albania if you enter from Florina in Greece.
Kukës
Kukës has possibly the most beautiful setting of any town in Albania. It is set high above Lake Fierza, just below the bald 2486m (8154ft) summit of Mt Gjalica. The old town formerly stood at the junction of two rivers, the White Drin from Kosovo and the Black Drin from Lake Ohrid, but in 1962 it was relocated to its present position when the Party decided to build a hydroelectric dam ('The Light of the Party') and flood its location. It's a pleasant place to spend a few days, and the Hotel Turizmi is one of the finest hotels, with one of the best restaurants, in the country. Kukës is 100km (60mi) north-east of Tirana, and minibuses and buses ply the route daily.
Source: http://www.yahoo.com
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