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Inside
and out of the Ethnographic Museum
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GJIROKASTER MUSEUMS , ALBANIASome of the old homes in Gjirokaster are converted into museums. The home of the former Albanian dictator, Enver Hoxha, is now the Ethnographic Museum. It provides a beautiful look into what the home of Gjirokaster looked like so long ago. Original woodwork and authentic antiques fill the museum. And, unlike any museum I've ever seen before, nothing was under glass or covered with plastic. No ropes blocked off anything. It really looked like the dictator could have still been living there. |
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Across
the street from the Ethnographic Museum was the Skenduli Museum.
This home was built in the 1700’s by one of the richer families
in the region. Called
a “tower house” it had many features that a structure built
for defense would need. There were narrow slats for arrow to be
shot through and heavy beams to bolt the doorways.
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Skenduli
Museum
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My tour guide, Mr. Skenduli, was a ninth generation descendant of the original owner. He spoke mostly French with a smattering of English. We communicated fairly well, which would please my high school French teacher so much. Skenduli knew to save the best till the last. The Great Room at the top floor was reserved for the most important guests. It had original art on the fireplace with pomegranate paintings and carvings ornamenting the woodwork. |
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| Now, as impressive as the museums are, it is way more cool to visit some of these Ottoman homes where people still dwell. If you have the right connections, and I had them thanks to my mural, you get a "museum" experience that few people ever have. I wanted a photo of a little old woman in black. And, to get that shot, one of my artists took me to her grandmother's home, up on the mountain, overlooking the castle. OVERLOOKING THE CASTLE! | ||
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| Copyright 2014 by Phillip Martin. All rights reserved. | ||
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