Zekate House
Zekate House
4.5
About
One of the most beautiful and best preserved houses of Gjirokastra. The Zekate House is a grand example of the typical (tower-house), belonging to the wealthiest families in Gjirokastra in 19th century. It belonged to Beqir Zeko, a general administrator of Ali Pasha. It was built in 1811-1812. Where you are in the top of it, the view of river valley is amazing. This 3 storey house has very strong defensive features, and that is why she is still so powerful until nowadays. The ground floor contains storage rooms, the kitchen and the cistern. The first floor has two rooms used as living quarters for branches of the family, while the third floor has a grand reception room and two other smaller rooms. The principal room is very typical of the grandest of these dwellings with frescoed walls, a carved ceiling and an ornate fireplace. This house gives visitors a vast understandings of the vernacular architecture. The entrance fee is € 1.00.
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4.5
190 reviews
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Very good
78
Average
16
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2
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1
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Diversity Mel
59 contributions
Jul 2021 • Family
Absolutely worth a visit. There are two old houses in Girokaster to visit and this one is the highest up the hill. The advantage is that it is quieter as most people go to the nearer, lower house, so if you want to wander through empty rooms and feel like the house is your own, you can get that here.
The other huge advantage is that the view is breathtaking. You can sit on the highest floor of the house and see Girokaster spread out beneath you, the fields in the valley beyond and the beautiful mountain stretching up in front of you.
After your visit you can take a drink on the terrace and enjoy more of the view from a slightly lower height!
Couldn't recommend it more highly.
The other huge advantage is that the view is breathtaking. You can sit on the highest floor of the house and see Girokaster spread out beneath you, the fields in the valley beyond and the beautiful mountain stretching up in front of you.
After your visit you can take a drink on the terrace and enjoy more of the view from a slightly lower height!
Couldn't recommend it more highly.
Written 15 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Heather e
35 contributions
Aug 2024 • Couples
This traditional style home is well preserved with good signage in 3 languages. It a hike but the views from the terraces are amazing. After seeing the home I recommend you sit on the terrace and enjoy a drink! If you have a mobility problem take a taxi up. Entrance fee was 250 lek
Written 1 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jack HK
36 contributions
Sept 2023 • Friends
Takes a big walk to get there by foot. But really great view and interesting building. Terrible toilet, lids fell off and it smelt really bad. Very little information but most of it is very simple and you can find out by seeing. Honestly, worth going just for the view and seeing a traditional house.
Written 16 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shyam Nambiar
Dubai, United Arab Emirates452 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
Perhaps the oldest bungalow in Gjirokaster open to visitors, this is much grander and way better preserved than the Skenduli House. Surprisingly the entry ticket is also 250Lek, vs 300 at the other! A safety tip: Please follow the paved road rather than the one (Ramadan Street) that Google maps will perhaps show you, if you select "walking")! The other one is a killer slope and gets even worse, trying to come down!
Written 12 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bluebay06
La Spezia, Italy2,571 contributions
Sept 2024 • Couples
We arrived at Zekate house after a somewhat tiring walk from the castle, but this house can also be reached by car and there is a small car park next to it. After paying in cash for the entrance, you proceed independently to visit the house. In each area there are explanations in three languages of each individual room and its use by the rich people living in the house which was built in 1812 during the Ottoman rule. At the end of the visit we stopped for a drink enjoying the beautiful view. An interesting visit.
Written 2 November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Debby Vermeulen
Druten, The Netherlands21 contributions
Apr 2024 • Solo
Beautiful original Ottoman house. Not yet ruined by commercialism with a proud neighbor as manager of the house. The neighbor proudly tells with his hands and feet how people used to live here. A nice place where you can discover the house on your own with a warm smile. The view over the valley and the castle makes the visit a complete experience. The drink on the terrace is very refreshing after the climb from the village.
Written 2 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sleepybexhill
Bexhill-on-Sea, UK1,499 contributions
Sept 2021 • Couples
It’s a delightful experience wandering freely around this magnificent house. While you get very little explanation that doesn’t really matter. We had the place to ourselves - I guess a lot of people wouldn’t want to walk that far up the hill. They even have a small cafe with great views across the town and a toilet.
Written 21 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rainela X
3 contributions
Jul 2021 • Couples
I was there (again!) in the summer of 2021. It is the most authentic house by fare... The caretakers are a daughter and her husband. What I guess it is difficult for foreigners to comprehend is what the house has endured during the times that it didn't belong to the family. Once used by the state owned Picture Studios for a movie, that alone was detrimental to many of its memorabilia. In my view, worth going back any day.
Written 28 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gillian B
Hadlow Down, UK124 contributions
Apr 2014 • Couples
The house was owned for several generations by the family of Mr. Skenduli who was our guide. Fortunately he and I both speak Greek so I was able to learn much from him that others may have missed.
When the Communists came to power after WW II the house was confiscated on orders of the communist leader, Emver Hoxha, who was actually born in Gjirokaster in a house nearby. Our guide's house was stripped of its contents, including the family's precious metals and jewels which used to be stored in an elaborate trunk. Fortunately the house has not been tarted up with nicknacks which might detract from the reality of its history, so what you see is a credible insight into the reality of its early 20th century past.
This house was home to our guides extended family of around 30 people. There were summer and winter shared living rooms. The main winter room was above the stabling, so that it gained some heat from the animals below. The status of a family was gauged by the number of fireplaces in a house. Here there were nine fireplaces indicating that it belonged to a well to do family. The main door was well fortified with locks and bars, and spy holes to see who was outside.
The main room had an interior balcony which used to have a carved wood and elaborate metal grill, so that the female members would be where they could see the men, but the men could not see the women, so not have lustful thoughts ! Between the male and female accommodation there was a large cupboard accessible from either side. At night the men would open their side to get their bedding before closing the door. Then the women would access their bedding from the other side.
Th summer rooms had an open balcony, and a small metal tank with a tap was hung in the sunlight to give warm water. The house had two shower rooms and what I would describe as a 'long drop' toilet, the contents ended up with the animal dung. A large cistern collected rain water and alongside this was a cold room chilled by water or snow, where food was stored.
war, conflicts and forty years of a Communist Dictatorship put an end to this type of living, but for me it was one of the highlights of Albania. The guide was a joy to meet !
When the Communists came to power after WW II the house was confiscated on orders of the communist leader, Emver Hoxha, who was actually born in Gjirokaster in a house nearby. Our guide's house was stripped of its contents, including the family's precious metals and jewels which used to be stored in an elaborate trunk. Fortunately the house has not been tarted up with nicknacks which might detract from the reality of its history, so what you see is a credible insight into the reality of its early 20th century past.
This house was home to our guides extended family of around 30 people. There were summer and winter shared living rooms. The main winter room was above the stabling, so that it gained some heat from the animals below. The status of a family was gauged by the number of fireplaces in a house. Here there were nine fireplaces indicating that it belonged to a well to do family. The main door was well fortified with locks and bars, and spy holes to see who was outside.
The main room had an interior balcony which used to have a carved wood and elaborate metal grill, so that the female members would be where they could see the men, but the men could not see the women, so not have lustful thoughts ! Between the male and female accommodation there was a large cupboard accessible from either side. At night the men would open their side to get their bedding before closing the door. Then the women would access their bedding from the other side.
Th summer rooms had an open balcony, and a small metal tank with a tap was hung in the sunlight to give warm water. The house had two shower rooms and what I would describe as a 'long drop' toilet, the contents ended up with the animal dung. A large cistern collected rain water and alongside this was a cold room chilled by water or snow, where food was stored.
war, conflicts and forty years of a Communist Dictatorship put an end to this type of living, but for me it was one of the highlights of Albania. The guide was a joy to meet !
Written 14 May 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cuccir
Durham, UK213 contributions
Sept 2014 • Couples
A very nice and well-preserved house from Ottoman times. The reconstructed rooms give a real sense of life and character. House also offers good views over the city. We appreciated the walk up the hill (~10 mins from the Bazaar) too! No explanatory notes/signs around the place but doesn't really need it - you get the sense of what's going on!
Written 23 September 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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