The medieval charm of Kruja

Kruja, the ancient Albanian capital, just 32 km from Tirana, is the symbol-town of the anti-Ottoman resistance, as well as the town of the national hero Scanderbeg.

The citadel is geographically part of central Albania and extends as a picturesque town, thanks to the thick stain that covers the surrounding hills, at the foot of the west side of the mountain of the same name that overlooks the underlying plain placed as interludes between the Adriatic and the mountains offering a spectacular panorama.

It is immediate to see while taking the road towards Kruja, the picturesque natural mosaic that offers the intertwining of mountainous, hilly and rural reliefs, where oak and pine woods stand out.

What you can visit in Kruja

• The Scanderbeg Museum
• The ethnographic museum
• The old bazaar

The Scanderbeg Museum

Symbol of the glorious medieval period still remains the fortress of Scanderbeg. The castle is located on a rocky ridge on the eastern side of the town. Before the earthquake of 1617 the rock was attached to the mountain of Kruja, following the earthquake, it detached and took on its current appearance due to the clayey layer on which it rests.

The castle, thanks to its favorable position, has a very extensive overview which ranges between the Adriatic Sea, Tirana, the Dalmatian coasts, etc.

The construction of the castle dates back or so it is believed to be the V-VI century. A.D.*. It has two entrances, the main one, i.e. the one currently accessible, consists of a stone tunnel, while the second less important entrance is located on the west corner leading to the source of the Taslloi, one of the oldest in the city, obviously defended by thick walls and two towers, of which fragments are still preserved.

Inside the castle, near the entrance door, we find the “Gjergj Kastrioti” Museum. All covered in marble, it was inaugurated in 1981 and is a journey through the history of the city of Kruja over the centuries, but in particular it is a tribute to the history of Scanderbeg and his resistance against the Ottomans, a source of pride for all Albanians.

The ethnographic museum

In fact, at the entrance to the museum, you immediately come across a very high marble statue depicting the hero and his soldiers in war garb. Another museum of great interest within the castle walls is the Ethnological Museum. At its entrance, you have the sensation of crossing a threshold that leads directly to the past, for a few moments the connection with the present is lost and one envelops oneself in that feeling of nostalgia that transmits contact with the simple, rural, and frugal life of the Albanians of the past.

The old bazaar

Returning from the castle you cannot help but cross the ancient bazaar of Kruja, the real heart of the town.

The Bazaar, also known as ‘derexhik’, was built at the same time as the castle. Starting from the 12th century Kruja experienced a certain commercial development as the caravans of goods before reaching the north, they stopped in Kruja.