Berat, famous the world over as the “Town of a Thousand Windows,” is a city located in South Central Albania. This historic town was recently included in the UN World Heritage List, as it a very rare example of a well-preserved Ottoman city – with a treasure trove of beautiful buildings of the highest architectural and historical interest. It is the second site in the country to have been inducted into the list, following Gjirokastër. Berat's attraction, however, lies more in its distant history as against the more recent communist past of Gjirokastër.
The city is divided by the Osumi River, which makes a 915-meter deep gorge through the limestone rock on its west side – creating three parts: Goritsa (little mountain), Mangalem and Kalaja. Tourists can visit the town's 15th century mosque, the churches painted by the renowned 16th century painter Onufri and an old Byzantine citadel, which overlooks Berat. It is a picturesque conservation area containing narrow streets, Turkish houses and Orthodox churches.
Berat also boasts of an ancient castle - known to the locals as the Kala - which was built during the 13th century, even though its origins are believed actually to date back to the 4th century BC. The surroundings include many valuable Byzantine wall paintings and icons. Several mosques that were erected under the Turkish occupation of the land in 1417 may also be found, in addition to religious community dwellings that were famed to be used by Sufi brotherhoods in the 18th century. Here is a town that conceals behind its solemn façade a past rich in medieval history.
