As well as photos of the partisan resistance against the Italians and a vast number of rifles and machine guns, it's possible to visit the cells where political prisoners were kept between 1929 and 1968. It's a humbling experience. Look for the seven windows that face the town here: 'You'll be sent to the seven windows' was a common threat in the town throughout the communist era.
Army Museum
Gjirokastra
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
23.37 MILES
Early in the morning, before the tourist crowds arrive and when the rocks are still tinged in the yellow dawn light, you might just imagine that the…
0.06 MILES
Gjirokastra's eerie hilltop castle is one of the biggest in the Balkans. There's been a fortress here since the 12th century, although much of what can be…
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25.11 MILES
Between Dhërmi and Vuno is the turn-off for this little-known gem, a gorgeous stretch of isolated white sand and rock backed by big cliffs – and as yet…
0.4 MILES
This incredible three-storey house dates from 1811 and has twin towers and a double-arched facade. It's fascinating to nose around the almost unchanged…
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0.16 MILES
Gjirokastra's most interesting sight in no way relates to traditional architecture, but instead to a far more modern kind: this is a giant bunker built…
10.64 MILES
The Blue Eye Spring is a magical place: a hypnotic pool of deep blue water surrounded by electric-blue edges like the iris of an eye. It's further…
28.74 MILES
One of the more attractive beaches on the Albanian Riviera is Drymades. It's a long, shingle white beach backed by olive groves and the first stirrings of…
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0.28 MILES
The lovingly restored Ottoman-era Skenduli House has been in the hands of the same family for generations (apart from a few years during the communist…
Nearby Gjirokastra attractions
This interesting museum is a beautifully lit and presented, fully English-signed display on the long and fascinating history of the town. Some highlights…
0.06 MILES
Gjirokastra's eerie hilltop castle is one of the biggest in the Balkans. There's been a fortress here since the 12th century, although much of what can be…
0.13 MILES
The 'Neck of the Bazaar' makes up the centre of the Old Town but what were once artisanal workshops are today mainly tourist souvenir shops. There are a…
0.16 MILES
Gjirokastra's most interesting sight in no way relates to traditional architecture, but instead to a far more modern kind: this is a giant bunker built…
0.28 MILES
The lovingly restored Ottoman-era Skenduli House has been in the hands of the same family for generations (apart from a few years during the communist…
0.3 MILES
This museum houses local homewares and was built on the site of Enver Hoxha's former house, in the middle of the Old Town. Its collection is interesting…
0.4 MILES
This incredible three-storey house dates from 1811 and has twin towers and a double-arched facade. It's fascinating to nose around the almost unchanged…
10.64 MILES
The Blue Eye Spring is a magical place: a hypnotic pool of deep blue water surrounded by electric-blue edges like the iris of an eye. It's further…