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Matthew Haswell | profile | all galleries >> Albania >> Kruja tree view | thumbnails | slideshow | map

Tirana | Kruja | Berati | Gjirokastra

Kruja

Hometown of Gjergj Kastrioti (better known as Skanderbeg - Albania's greatest national hero) and the base from which local resistance against the Ottoman Turks was fought in the 15th century. Now a laid-back castle town with a wee old bazaar, easily accessible as a day-trip from Tirana.
Statue of Skanderbeg
Statue of Skanderbeg		 Rooftops and minaret of Kruja's old town
Rooftops and minaret of Kruja's old town		 Old town roofs and windows
Old town roofs and windows		 Skanderbeg Museum within the castle grounds
Skanderbeg Museum within the castle grounds
Looking down the old bazaar
Looking down the old bazaar		 Kruja below its towering mountain
Kruja below its towering mountain		 Steps up to the Skanderbeg Museum
Steps up to the Skanderbeg Museum		 Under the castle and cliff edge
Under the castle and cliff edge
Skanderbeg and his entourage in the museum
Skanderbeg and his entourage in the museum		 Lone tower in the castle grounds
Lone tower in the castle grounds		 Overgrown stone road leading to a cafe
Overgrown stone road leading to a cafe		 Castle grounds and top of museum
Castle grounds and top of museum
Flowers within Kruja castle
Flowers within Kruja castle		 Crest on the outside of the museum
Crest on the outside of the museum		 Qilims for sale at the bazaar
Qilims for sale at the bazaar		 Various souvenirs on display
Various souvenirs on display
Kruja's old bazaar
Kruja's old bazaar		 Rooftop of an old house against the mountains
Rooftop of an old house against the mountains		 Mosque entrance
Mosque entrance		 Traditional Albanian dress for sale
Traditional Albanian dress for sale
View over the old bazaar
View over the old bazaar		 Buildings of the old bazaar and cliffs beyond
Buildings of the old bazaar and cliffs beyond		 Old town mosque and minaret
Old town mosque and minaret		 Kruja castle from afar
Kruja castle from afar

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Robert 30-May-2012 05:23
Never been to Albania-- I want to go. 40 years ago I spoke the language and dialects. Now I can't figure out the slang. Got friends in albania, Kosova, Shkup, North Carolina on Facebook who speak Albanian, and so I'm getting back my fluency. Would love to just walk the parks and avenues and sit in cafes, chatting with people.
Guest 11-Jan-2012 23:54
Nice picts. I was in Kruja August of 2008. I toured the ramparts and castle and can appriciate the tactical advantages it offered when one has pissed off the turks. I took a lot of photos which never made it back from the developer (d#@#@ them). I would love to visit Albania again, got family there.
Later Vern G
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