After a brief stop at Belsh Lake …
… we continued through countryside …
… passing Kuçovë, home to the second largest onshore oil field in Albania, which was discovered in 1928 with the pumps installed by Italian investment …
… to the city of Berat. Not only is this Saimir’s home town of which he is naturally very proud, but it is also one of the oldest inhabited settlements in Albania with special status from UNESCO protecting its white Ottoman houses, Berat is separated into two by the Osum River …
… with Mangalem below the castle, traditionally of smaller houses …
… and Gorica on the opposite side comprising grander houses.
Over time Mangalem became more popular and is a maze of guesthouses and shops while Gorica, always less sunny and often damp has fallen somewhat into disrepair. We crossed the bridge for a quick look …
… and spotted this little fellow, keeping guard …
… and also the Bridge of Gorica, built in wood by the Ottomans in 1780 and rebuilt with stone in the 1920s.
We also explored The Batchelors’ Mosque with wall paintings dating from the 1920’s …
… and the alleys behind.
Next we visited Berat Castle, with quite a climb from the parking, paved with killer cobbles and again covering a huge area with buildings dating from the C13th many still inhabited and others converted to restaurants and gift shops.
Berat once contained 35 churches within the walls of the castle, although only 10 survive and after a lunch of traditional dishes we visited several.
As we waited to enter the Cathedral of Dormition of St. Mary, there was time for a quick team pic!
It is still used for prayer at one end …
… while the other side is a museum dedicated to Onufri, the greatest of the C16th painters in Albania. A master of fresco and icons, he introduced a new shiny red pigment now known as ‘Onufri’s Red’ and gave his figures more realism and individuality.
I also spotted an Annunciation …
… and this which shows saints and the city of Berat, complete with Gorica Bridge.
We saw C16th murals in St Nicholas church …
… and the Church of St. Mary of Blachernae …
… a bust of Constantine in a square named for him …
Finally, there were good views across the valley in both directions from the viewpoint above the town.
We made a quick rest stop on the way back at one of the many Kastrati petrol stations which use possibly the most recognisable motif in Albania as their logo – a bit of clever marketing when your name is so similar to Skanderbeg’s!
Back in Tirana, we spent another evening at Era before packing ready to move on in the morning.
Off Travelling Together 