During our holiday in Albania we visited several interesting places. One of them was Vlore. Vlore is the second largest port in Albania and the city is among others a symbol of independence and the first capital of an independent Albania. Albania had up to 3 capitals during its centuries of independence. Vlore, Durres and is currently the capital of Tirana.
Right from the start we took the bus, along the winding road, to a viewpoint with a beautiful view of the whole city. Just as a few days ago in Drače, there was smoke in the distance, and something was burning. However, I believe it was just a coincidence and they do not have it on a daily basis.
The view was worth it, but after some photos and information about the city from our guide, we drove under the lookout, where the historic center and the Mosque of Muradie (Xhamia e Muradies) are located. We were also heading for it.
It was built in 1557 during the time of Sultan Suleyman. Outside in front of her, we got off, put down our shoes and walked in.
Like other mosques, it was poor for decoration when compared to Christian churches, but it had its charm. In the mosques we do not find paintings and paintings on religious themed walls. Muslims do not paint them because they say that in a mosque believers should focus only on prayer and nothing should distract them. If something is painted on the walls, then it is quotes from the Koran and slogans to celebrate Allah.
For the same reason, the mosque is divided into two floors. On the ground floor men pray and on the floor women. Men and women have different ways of entering the mosque. Fortunately for tourists, this is not the case and we could all go together through the main entrance.
We continue our tour through the historic center and soon we see the Independence Monument. After centuries of occupation of this territory and oppression by the Ottoman Empire, in 1912 a new independent Albanian state appeared on the world map.
Immediately opposite him is a large cemetery and a memorial to the Communist partisans who fell during World War II in liberating Albania from the Nazi occupation.
With so much history, we have already wiped out and we recommend traditional Albanian birek food to recommend our guide. It is a dough filled with goat cheese or meat. It is a popular and extremely cheap dish. This culinary experience ends the tour of the city and at the end of the trip we go to the sea. A little south of the town of Vlore, the Adriatic meets the Ionian Sea and there we are headed...
Place: Albania 🇦🇱
Vlore
Camera: Samsung wb350
My hiking trips from the High Tatras from 2019 you can see:
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