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Travel: A passage through Berat, central Albania unveils unique traditions and architectural forms

One thousand windows of Ottoman charm

Berat is picturesque. And old. It also boasts of a Unesco World Heritage status and the nickname of ‘City of 1,000 Windows’.

Located in the central part of Albania (100km from the capital Tirana), the population of Berat is a little over 35,000 and is well connected to other popular spots around the country.

Berat has one of the best-preserved Ottoman architectures in the region. What makes the city truly special are its traditional Balkan-style houses climbing up the side of a hill, atop which sits the 13th century Berat Castle. These late 18th and early 19th century houses typically have two floors, with red ceramic tile roofs and large wooden windows which, because of the steepness of the hill and closeness of the houses, appear to be stacked one upon the other.

Berat is one of the most beautiful places in Albania and it is the country's main cultural centre. Everything — from the stunning bridge across river Osumi that unites two hillside neighbourhoods, the castle, the ancient churches, the cobbled streets, the mosques and the food — made my trip to the place unforgettable.

Kalaja e Beratit or Berat Castle

Like many other European countries, Albania too has a giant fortress on top of a hill, and in keeping with the modern times, a part of the fortress has been converted to hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops. It was here that I stayed, and I had panoramic views of the mountains and the valley as a bonus. The walk to the top is steep (but you can easily get a taxi) and once inside, I felt as though I had walked into a different world. Unlike the ruins one is accustomed to associate castles with, this one was a living, functioning entity.

The fortress encircled by stone walls is a magnificent sight to behold. The buildings here, as old as the castle itself, are preserved as cultural monuments due to their characteristic architecture. When the fortress was built, there were more than twenty churches and mosques in it, most of which were damaged over the years. The ruins of the 15th century Red Mosque, the White Mosque and the famed Holy Trinity Church can be found within the castle grounds.

My exploration of the castle grounds led me to unexpected beauties — the bust of Constantine the Great, the Holy Trinity Church and the Red Mosque and an occasional group of kids kicking a football. Women sold lace and embroidered tablecloths from makeshift tables outside their houses tucked into stones, while horses playfully neighed when visitors stopped by. The houses are located on one side of the castle, looking out into the river and the city below.

Soon I reached the Onufri Iconographic Museum located inside the Cathedral of Dormition of St. Mary. This museum is named after the 16th century master of iconography Onufri, and contains an excellent collection of Byzantine art. Of course, I did get lost every now and then but that is expected when one wanders through its stunning alleyways. In the evening, as I watched the sun go down from the top of the castle walls, it occurred to me that the pine forests above the city added to the grandeur of the city.

Mangalem, Gorica and legend of the windows

Mangalem, the heart of Berat, is located beneath the Berat castle while Gorica lies on the other side of Osumi river. The two neighbourhoods are connected by Gorica Bridge. Mangalem is predominantly Muslim and Gorica is an Orthodox quarter, although these days there is no difference between the two, and both make up the old town of Berat. Mosques and Orthodox churches stand within earshot of one another and for this reason, Berat serves as an example of the national belief in coexistence amongst its religious communities.

For a small city, Berat has some truly magnificent mosques, such as the King Mosque (Sultan’s Mosque) on the Mangalem side of the river, the steely-domed Lead Mosque, and the recently restored 1820s Bachelor’s Mosque located on the main cobblestone streets on the riverside. I walked the narrow streets of old, white, stone houses with terracotta tiles, pretty doors and hanging flowers, believing that every step took me deeper into the past.

The Mangalemi Quarter is also known as the ‘City of 1,000 Windows’. Most of the houses have multiple, large, symmetrical windows, all lined up along the side of the rocky hill. Legends about the city abound, especially with regard to the number of windows. Some claim there are actually 1,001 windows. It is believed that Gezim the Vain defied orders to build five windows to each house and built six windows, instead. For this act of rebellion, he was tied and thrown into the Osumi river.

To get a full view of the windows, I grabbed a gelato and crossed over to the Gorica district to admire the Mangalem Quarter. It was indeed mesmerising to see the windows (sometimes they appeared to be floating). From that distance, it was hard to count the windows, but I was later told that people did spend some considerable time looking for that odd window, which brought shame to the city. In Gorica Quarter, the architecture is just as charming and the narrow alleys equally steep. Many of the 18th century homes have been designated cultural landmarks and are signposted with information boards. This side of the town is marginally inexpensive than Mangalem and is filled with cafes and restaurants.

Later, I asked my hotel staff about the city's nickname and received an interesting answer. “We don’t actually call it that. When books were written, it perhaps got mistranslated, but there you go. Berat is in fact known as the ‘city of one window upon another’, or something equally logical and unromantic.” So, it turns out that the moniker ‘City of 1,000 Windows’ is the result of a mistranslation from Albanian to English.

Another of Berat’s Ottoman-era attractions is its Medieval Centre that houses a beautiful mosque, an ornate tekke, and stunning wood-carved balconies. Originally built as the centre of Berat, this place suffered damage in World War II, although a few of the landmark buildings like the 14th century King Mosque, the Halveti Tekke, a few tombs and intricate wooden balconies remain intact.

Gorica Bridge

The Gorica Bridge with its seven arches finds its way into every photograph of Berat and it is one of its top attractions. Originally built of wood in 1780 and rebuilt in stone in the 1920s, it is easily one of the oldest and most popular Ottoman bridges in Albania. Like all things Albanian, it is not without its share of legends. This bridge is said to be haunted by the ghost of a young mother who was sacrificed to appease the raging Osumi river. Another story goes that 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.

Indulge in xhiro and coffee

What I found the most endearing are the country’s two favourite pastimes — drinking coffee and xhiro — which are not activities limited to Berat. Simply explained, the latter is a tradition all over Albania and no one really knows how it started or why it continues. However, in Albania, you will immediately become a part of it. Come sunset, everyone turns up on the streets for a walk (xhiro), going up and down, chatting up friends and acquaintances, grabbing an ice cream or sipping coffee for hours. In Berat, these two activities can be combined at Boulevard Republika. The boulevard is car-free and is lined with cafés on one side and a huge green buffer that runs between the river and the street. It is said that on an average, Albanians spend at least three hours over a cup of coffee. They believe that a conversation runs smoothly with a cup of coffee and a good friend.

wknd@khaleejtimes.com