Northwestern Albania
Municipality of Shkodra
Shkodra, picturesque city in northwestern Albania that lies on the shores of Lake of Shkodra and source of the Bojana River.
City with a Rich History
Shkodra, picturesque city in northwestern Albania that lies on the shores of Lake of Shkodra and source of the Bojana River, is a city in northwestern Albania in the Municipality of Shkodra, of which it is the capital. It is one of the oldest towns in Albania and an important cultural and economic center, its representative in the AdriaMuse project being the Shkodra Historical Museum.
Shkodra Historical Museum in a unique architectural setting
Shkodra Historical Museum is a city museum founded in 1947. Since 1996 its new location is a house built in the mid-19th century, situated in the historic core. The building itself is very valuable, whereas the museum has an archaeological and ethnographic collection, individual collections, as well as archive and library.
The typical Shkodra house is a unique example in the typology of traditional Albanian architecture and has an exceptional value both in terms of functionality and architecture. The building that houses the Historical Museum was intended for a multi-member urban family engaged in trade, crafts, gardening and breeding. The two-storey house of large dimensions was built of stone and wood, and has a large gutter. On the ground floor were a barn where horses were kept and an area for storing food for winter. Stone stairs led to the first floor that was built of wood. This was once a multi-functional area, first of all intended for silk making and family gathering. There are five rooms (kitchen, room for the first-born son, room for the second-born son, guest's room and small trade office). The main feature of the kitchen, located in the center of the house, is simplicity, whereas the guest's room, with 12 windows on two levels, is richly decorated. The carved wood decorations vary in motifs, but arabesques and motifs of trees and birds dominate. Above the guest's room is a gallery, semi-secluded area where women would go when a stranger came to the house. In addition to the lovely white plaster of Paris fireplace chimney, decorated with floral motifs, other rooms, attic, closets and windows are beautifully decorated as well.
City with a Rich History
From the Neolithic to the present
Museum in the 15th century castle
Active cooperation and new museum in the medieval castle
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