Also spelled Gjirokastër, this city on the slopes of the Drino River valley in southern Albania was in 2005 declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Surrounded by beautiful scenery and bordered by high mountains, it's also known as the "City of a Thousand Stairs" It’s characterized by cobblestone streets and Ottoman-era houses with stone roofs and wooden balconies, and there’s an old castle perched on top of a hill. Gjirokastra also has something of a checkered past, including in the 20th century being a center for Italian fascist invaders and the birthplace of Communist dictator Enver Hoxha..
Read more in Tripatini member Gerti Boshnjaku's post Visiting Gjirokastra, Albania's 'Stone City.'
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