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Set strikingly on the side of a tall mountain is Krujë, the scene of Albania’s national moment of glory. It was here that the legend of Albanian hero Gjergj Kastrioti, aka Skënderbej, was born.
Given to the Ottomans as a boy, Skënderbej converted to Islam, led a revolt against the Ottomans in 1443, converted back to Christianity, and later held off Ottoman sieges for 25 years from Krujë Castle. The standoff kept the powerful Ottoman army from launching a full-scale attack on Europe, and Krujë wasn’t recaptured by the Ottomans until after Skënderbej’s death. That’s a lot for a small town to live up to, but it does so proudly.
Arrival
Unfortunately for me, my entry into the town began with the bus breaking down halfway up the mountain near Kastrioti Stadium (Stadiumi Kastrioti) the football stadium. This meant a lot of uphill hiking. They told me these sorts of things don’t happen in Albania anymore. They were wrong. Good thing didn’t pay much for the ride from Tirana, and I was able to catch a few minutes of the game from the “obstructed view” section.
Skënderbej Monument
Once I entered the center of town, I was greeted by the Skënderbej monument, a statue of the hero on his horse next to an Albanian flag with the mountain as the backdrop.
Walking Through Krujë
From there, I walked down the heart of Krujë and through the old bazaar. There were some great views of the castle that draws visitors to the town.
Krujë Castle
After entering Krujë Castle, which still has an inhabited medieval village inside, I walked through a corridor and was confronted by several vendors. One of them happened to speak Turkish and told me a few stories about the castle. He was also the author of a book on the history of the region. His name was Baki Dollma and he was very friendly and funny. I paid 500 lek for a signed copy of the book, which has a small section in English in the back.
Fethiye Mosque
Immediately upon entering the castle, there are several structures of importance. First is the minaret of the ruined Fethiye Mosque, which was built in 1479 over the remains of the Church of St. Maria. The minaret was added in 1837 and the mosque was destroyed by the communists in 1948.
Skënderbej Museum
The new building above to the left is the Skënderbej Museum, designed by Albanian dictator Enver Hoxha’s daughter. I didn’t visit, but I did stop to admire the architecture. Admission is 500 lek (as of July 2024) and it’s open daily.
Church of St. George
Further up the hill was the actual castle, laying in ruin. The large tower was the bell tower built in 1462, belonging to the Church of St. George. It was turned into a clock tower by the Ottomans, functioning until 1944.
At that point I was approached by a small village boy who offered to give me a small tour of the ruins. We started with the Church of St. George. The church itself has only the foundation left from the original structure, but there is a small icon on the side that remains. The walls of the castle stand near the church.
Views of Krujë
After that, he took me through a small opening in the wall to show me some fantastic views of the town.
Tekke of Baba Maksur
Next, just down the hill was the Tekke of Baba Maksur (Teqja e Baba Maksurit), a small cave used as a mosque for nearly 600 years.
The boy informed me that the tour was over, so I gave him a small tip to thank him and went on my way to explore the rest of the village.
Ethnographic Museum
I made a quick stop at the Ethnographic Museum, set in an traditional Ottoman home built in 1764 by Ismail Pasha Toptani. It was very well done and had some great displays. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take photos inside. The museum is set on the same “square” that has the ruins of the church/mosque and the museum, and admission is 400 lek (as of July 2023). It’s open daily except Tuesdays.
Hamam
Further into the village was a Turkish hamam dating back to the 15th century. I went inside but it probably wasn’t smart. It was full of garbage and smelled like someone was using it as a toilet.
Dollma Tekke
The most interesting thing for me in the village was the Dollma Tekke. It was built in 1789 by the Dollma family (ancestors of Baki Dollma, the author). The tomb holds the remains of Sarı Saltuk, a Turkish dervish of the Bektashi sect. The inside is beautifully decorated, but the caretaker told me the communists had damaged a lot of the artwork.
On the grounds of the tekke is a small platform with more fantastic views of the town and countryside, all the way to the Adriatic Sea. There’s also a modern prayer room.
Pizza!
Walking back into town, I stopped at a small pizza place right before re-entering the bazaar and ate some of the best pizza I’ve ever had. The delicious pie was cooked in a wood-burning oven. Unfortunately, it set the bar way too high for pizza in Albania. All future pizzas I had in the country were terrible.
Back to Tirana
Finally, I walked to the bus/furgon stop to find a ride back to Tirana. I was a little confused and thought one of the drivers wanted me to ride in his personal car alone as a taxi, so I walked away. When I came back, he explained to me that it was a shared ride. I was expecting a minivan or small bus, but hey, when in Albania…
