Ethnographic Museum of Krujë

The fortress named after the national hero Georgius Kastrioti Skanderbeg (1405-68) stands in the centre of the northern Albanian town of Krujë. The restored bazaar from around 1800, when Krujë was part of the Ottoman Empire, is like a living museum where a wide range of craftsmen display their skills. You can see basket weavers, shoemakers, silversmiths and the makers of the characteristic white felt caps worn by men in this part of Albania.

The fortress houses a museum in memory of Skanderberg. The site is also home to the National Ethnographic Museum, founded in 1989. It is housed in the villa built by Ismail Pashe Toptani in 1764. The multi-storey house is built into a hill, with walls up to 80 cm thick and an open staircase. The exhibition in the 15 rooms is dedicated to regional crafts, some of which are still practised in the bazaar. On display are ceramics, woodcarvings, pewter and tinwork, and silk, cotton and wool fabrics.