Treasures near Gjirokastra

Most visitors to Gjirokastra stay in the city. However, there is much to explore in the vicinity of the city. We admit that we came many times to Gjirokaster without planning to spend more time, until a rainy day compelled us to turn our attention to the archeological and historic wonders of the Gjirokastra environs.

The trail combines four sights

*The Antigenoeia archeological park. While there is now an asphalt road to the entrance and new signage inside the area, you still need hiking boots and ample time to see it all. Don't miss the Mosaic at the far end.

*An old bridge just outside Gjriokastra on its south side

*The archeologial site of Hadrianopolis

*St. Mary's church in Labove e Kryqit

There also is a single ancient gravesite along the main road to Greece, but we only included a waypoint and did not mark the trail.

Most of our information comes from Nertan Ceka's "Archeological Treasures from Albania".

The ancient city of Antigoneia extends over the hill of Jerma, to the southwest of the village of Saraqinisht in the Lunxheria region. Lunxheria is part of the Drinos valley, opposite Gjirokastra. Antigoneia was founded 295 BC by Pyrrhus of Epirus, to immortalise the name of his wife, Antigone.

There is a rather overgrown acropolis on the hilltop. The lower part of the fortification is surrounded by a single wall, reinforced with towers in the places most exposed to enemy attacks. The road corridor passed between these two towers. Another entrance, only one meter wide, was located almost in the middle of the southern wall to allow for a quick exit.

The surrounding wall was constructed of conglomerate limestones in rectangular forms, set in parallel lines of equal height (isodomic). It was characteristic, that it was kept at the same height, because the wall of limestone blocks served as the base for an adobe structure. This manner of construction is known from the surrounding wall of Apollonia in the 4.-3rd centuries BC. Eventually, the castle of Gjirokastra on opposite hill replaced Antigonea.

The ruins of Hadrianopolis lie in the middle of the valley of the Dropull (Drinos), facing the slope of Melani. It was founded during the reign of Roman Emperor Hadrian (117-138 AD). It is shown on an ancient map as way station between Apollonia and Nicopolis in what is today Northern Bulgaria. It was unusual that such a large city was built in a flat wide valley - this was only possible during Pax Augusta, when the Romans didn't face serious opposition.

Harianopolis has extended over 16 hectare and was traversed by a quadratic network of roads. Excavations brought to light the city's ancient theatre in a central area, that must have been the forum. The stage wall with engraved stones was destroyed during 4-6th centuries AD. At that time Hadrianopolis is mentioned as a city rebuilt by Emperor Justinian.

The name of Labove e Kryqit, with its Byzantine church of St. Mary's, derives from a relic believed to be a piece of the true cross of Christ. It was stolen from the church during the unrest of the early 1990s. Tradition has it that Emperor Justinian started building in the 6th century. The church as seen today is partially from the 10th century while essentially a creation of the 13th century - the time of the Despots of Epirus. The cupola is based on a quadrangular shape, which is a rare way of construction.The building is typically Byzantine with a high central cupola with nave and aisles arranged in a cruciform plan. A later narthex provides the principal entrance, through a cloister. There are nine distinct levels of fresco painting on the interior walls.

http://www.gjirokastra.org/sub_links/visiting_sub/visiting_labove.html provides extensive information.

http://www.libohova.info/projekti/?lang=en also provides a detailed narrative.

The keys are held by the custodian Kristo Luzi who lives across the street. The phone number is on the door to the church yard.