False past horizons24 Giving the Past Albania A future The greatest achievement for heritage conservation and archaeology to date in Albania has been the creation of Butrint National Park. This success story is due to the tireless efforts of many individuals and organisations involved in the campaign to put Butrint on the heritage map and rescue it from years of neglect. The benefi ts for the local people have been enormous and have shown how progress can be made in a relatively short space of time if there is a strong will to do so. Of course, Albania is still a poor country in European terms and the people themselves desperately need to learn new skills as the old industries disappear. The recently formed Albanian National Trust is working to address this problem by inspiring local and international communities to work together in projects which will provide training for volunteers and create a basis for increased heritage tourism which will in turn benefi t the local community. This article takes a look at three groups that are currently involved in projects around the city of Gjirokastra, in southern Albania, and explains how you can participate in these exciting ventures. conservation holiday - responsible travel Gjirokastra is one of Albania’s most beautiful and original towns, known as the ‘ town of the thousand steps’ with houses huddled one above the other around the dramatic fortress. The castle of Gjirokastra is the second biggest in the Balkans and in the centre of the town is the Bazaar Mosque. In the Old Bazaar quarter there are many shops situated in the narrow streets, and in the Mecite quarter are the old Turkish baths dating to 17th century. Nearby is also the Tekke of Melan, a Bektashi monastery at a former fortifi ed site dating back to the 4th century, but now almost lost beyond the remote villages of the region. Volunteers will work on two sites – the castle at Gjirokastra, and the monastery at Melan, moving between them during the holiday. The work will focus on clearing overgrowing vegetation on and around both of these historic buildings. There is an ongoing archaeological excavation at Melan and, assuming it is active at that time, workers can help out with this, too. Much of the work is defi ned by local need at the time, so be prepared for fl exibility in the programme. Finally, there will be a visit to Saranda where the group will have a personalised tour of the legendary Butrint National Park. Dates: 15 september - 30 September 2008 Cost: £ 580 excluding flights Website: www. responsibletravel. com/ Trip/ Trip100199. htm ? Clock tower and the sheer castle walls at Gjirokastra by maggie struckmeier

False 25past horizons kullë conservation - heritage conservation network The man responsible for the creation of Butrint National Park also campaigns tirelessly for his country’s built heritage. Auron Tare’s latest efforts focus on Gjirokastra. He is working with Heritage Conservation Network ( HCN) to bring volunteers to the Museum City to help restore one of the many Turkish tower houses that characterise the city. Known as kullë houses, this vernacular form developed in the 17th century and was used for several hundred years. The houses consist of a tall cellar, a fi rst fl oor used in the cold season, and a second fl oor used in the warm season. Many of the surviving kullë also retain their original, richly- decorated interiors, with intricately painted fl oral decoration and elaborately carved beams and cupboards. Volunteers will document the buildings’ current conditions with photos, measurements and drawings, then learn and practice masonry conservation skills. HCN hopes to establish a long- term project at the site, returning with volunteers each year to continue with preservation work. The Museum City of Gjirokastra was added to the World Heritage list in 2005 and is one of just two sites in Albania on the list. It is known for its many conical, slate- roofed structures and is the setting for Ismail Kadare’s book Chronicle in Stone, his story of growing up in the city during World War II. Dates: 27 September - 11 October 2008 Cost: US$ 950 per person for 1 week, US$ 1,800 for two weeks. There is a discounted rate for people from Albania and neighbouring countries. The fee includes lodging, breakfast and lunch, insurance, materials, training and field trips to historic sites outside the city. Website: www. heritageconservation. net/ ws- albania. htm ? Old houses, both restored and crumbling Photographs byMatthew Haswell www. pbase. com/ xerius/ gjirokastra ? continued ? ?