Gjirokastër Old Bazaar

Historic Site in Gjirokastër

House In Gjirokastra
CC BY-SA 4.0 / Sali Jonuzi

The Bazaar of lies at the centre of the Old Town in Gjirokastra and sits beneath the castle walls. The neighbourhood has cobblestone streets, medieval facades, and array of wonderfully handcrafted gifts.

The history of Bazaar dates back in 17th century although a fire in the 19th century caused parts to be rebuilt. Many of the building originate from then and have a similar architecture. Despite some being 2 story and some 3 story they are similar in functional design. The ground floor is where artisan worked all day, and the other floors usually living quarters. there would be a walkway at the from of the building for customers to walk along. Rear doors would probably only be used by the owner. The Bazaar is similar with the Korca Bazaar, which was built in the same period with the only difference is Gjirokastra was adapted to the sloping terrain.

Some artisans, still work here and you can buy handcrafted mementos in wood, stone, and fabric. There is also a lot of tat – t-shirts, handicrafts, curtains, carpet, and plenty of magnets!


The Gjirokastër Old Bazaar appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Gjirokastër!

Other names of Gjirokastër Old Bazaar

The Gjirokastër Old Bazaar has the following names: Qafa e Pazarit (Albanian for Bazaar’s Pass).

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Visiting Gjirokastër Old Bazaar

Address: Qafa e Pazarit, Rruga Alqi Kondi, Gjirokastër
Duration: 15 minutes

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