Korça the City of Serenades, Albania
One of the cities that draws tourists all year round is Korca, a charming city in southeast Albania. Korca Albania astonishes everyone by serving as both a gateway for lovers and a getaway experience for friends. Every year, to celebrate all of its visitors, the tiny Paris, the city of serenades, dons a white veil. When you enter the city’s gate and hear the accent, which is as sweet as it gets, you will realize that Korca has amazing beauty.
Korca Old Bazaar
Old Bazaar of Korçë is an Ottoman-era bazaar in Korçë, Albania. Established about 500 years ago, it is composed of old Ottoman and Roman architectonic-style buildings which for centuries were used as shops, guesthouses, or khans. The relevance of Korca as a market and trading place started only after the decadence of the neighboring city of Voskopoje, but the bazaar became well-known, mainly for the quality of clothes, the variety of spices and the animals sold there (goats mainly). Apparently, it was a noisy busy place and very soon took the nickname of the bazaar of serenades. Today it is a big market which keeps -around a big square-also some old streets full of small shops pretty much similar to eastern bazaars. In a parallel alley, there is also a large food market occupying a long street and two big covered naves. The area is bustling and colorful.
Iconographic Museum of Korca
Originally built in 1980 and reconstructed in 2016, it is located on the main “Fan Noli” boulevard in the city. This, the newest museum in the country, preserves some artworks which have miraculously survived countless obstacles of the communist regime. Within the museum, there are more than 7,000 works of art and cultural objects, mostly icons, as well as wood, stone, metal, and textile works that depict an entire history of Albanian iconography. The Golden Wall, which covers two floors with its 9.5 meter height, exhibits the impressive 16th-century collections whose sheer volume. This is followed by the White Balcony, where the oldest icons of the Museum, those of the 14th century, are exhibited.
The Black Labyrinth Pavilion exhibits the works of the famed Albanian artist Onufri, The Red Room, in the center of which is located the 18th-century iconostasis with carvings of apocalyptic motifs. Parade Room is a divine setting that holds two masterpieces by the Zografë brothers. As the great Constantine emerges, along with his soldiers, on his long journey toward Christ’s crucifixion,
Cathedral of Korçë
The Resurrection of Christ Cathedral of Korçë is the main Albanian Orthodox church in Korçë, Albania. The cathedral was built by the Albanian Orthodox Church in 1995. A previous cathedral in Korçë named after St. George was destroyed by the Communist authorities in 1968. Its colors are pink, blue, and brown. The cathedral has a magnificent nave crowned with a dome. On the sides, there are two square towers. The interior is made of mahogany wood. A huge iconostasis was also carved out of it.
You can visit Korca through our tours here.
