Continuing the last photography series about Albania, in this one the focus lies on the beautiful nature and geography of the country. While being a relatively small country it offers a mix of different landscapes from Mediterranean sights to mountainous regions. On the coast more and more centers of tourism come in to being, while the center part of the country is still original and raw. Hence the aim of this particular series is to highlight the diversity of Albania.
Albania is situated in Southeastern Europe just north to Greece. Due to its long periods of isolation and the status of being the poorest country in Europe it is not well known and until recently just few travellers came to visit. This is changing in the last years. More and more backpackers come and discover the beauty of this hidden pearl in the Balkans. At the coastline more and more hotels are being built and the infrastructure is growing. There are even talks of reactivating the railway, which was put out of use in the last decades. Albania is a multireligious country, you will find beautiful old mosques in the Ottoman style (picture 1), as well as orthodox churches and catholic monasteries (pictures 4, 8). The people of different faiths live together in peace and no matter which cultural building you enter you will be received the Albanian way – warmly and with a smile.
Berati is situated in southern Albania and well known for its history and architecture. Founded in the 9th century it was always a hotspot for different religions, up until today Christians and Muslims live peacefully in the town. Famous though is Berati mostly for its stone buildings, situated close alongside each other on a hillside facing the river Ishull. Visually striking are the large windows on these houses, so Berati also got the name “The City of Thousand Windows”.
Michael Hoffman Photography 