Pogradec
Prior to the collapse of the Warsaw pact and the 1992 declaration of the Republic of Albania, Pogradec was a popular resort destination. However, with the dissolution of the Socialist Republic, and in the ensuing years of Balkan wars, tourism income was affected in the region leaving buildings empty and Pogradec solely dependent on its agricultural products and exposed to cross border trafficking, as people struggled to earn money for housing and food.
Investors from successful tourism businesses across the lake in Macedonia and elsewhere have recently spearheaded new private investment in the hotel sector in Pogradec. Hotels are being built or renovated and refurbished, and infrastructure is promised to be improving throughout.
Good to know:
- Pogradec Art Gallery(in the center). 09.00-16.00. - It has works from well known Pogradec painters.
- Pogradec museum. 09.00-16.00. - Pogradec has a rich museum with antiques and ancient testimonials.
- Old Orthodox Church (Church of Kisha e re - Pogradec "Saint Maria") (in the oldtown).
- Church of "Resurrection". a new build Church
- Mosque in the Center of the town (Xhamia), Rruga Andon Xoxa.
- Mosque in the hill.
- Lasgush Poradeci Statue. Statue of renown Pogradec native poet
- Mitrush Kuteli Statue. Statue of renown Pogradec native poet
- Mother Teresa (Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu) is generally celebrated as the only Albanian to win a Nobel Prize, though born in Skopje in 1910 (now in Macedonia but then in the Ottoman Empire).
- Between 1950 to 1985 around 600,000 bunkers were built in Albania, they are nearly impossible to destroy so many are still in existence.
- Noding your head in Albania is a disagreement while shaking the head means “yes”, so it can get pretty confusing for tourists.
- At its closest point Albania is only 10km away from Corfu across the Ionian Sea.
- Hoxha’s official title was ‘Comrade-Chairman-Prime Minister-Foreign Minister-Minister of War-Commander in Chief of the People’s Army’ – quite a mouthful!
- Under the leadership of Enver Hoxha, Albania was declared the world’s first atheist state in 1967.
- Xhiro is the name for an evening walk in Albania. Some of the towns close roads to cars at certain times of the evening so locals can talk their daily stroll.
- Norman Wisdom was a cult figure in Albania where he was one of the few Western actors whose films were allowed in the country under Hoxha’s dictatorship
- Officially 70% of Albanians are Muslim but the number who actively practice is much lower.
- George Kastriot Skanderbeg
- Mother Teresa
- Fan Noli
- Pope Clement XI
- Gjon Mili
- Ismail Kadare
- Ferid Murad
- Inva Mula
- Eliza Dushku
- John and Jim Belushi
- Ermonela Joha