The project “Gjirokastra: Where the Change Begins” funded by Prince Claus Fund will be implemented by CHwB in partnership with the Regional Directorate of National Culture, Gjirokastra.
The project will start in the first half of July.
This project will support the implementation of emergency interventions on two important monuments in Gjirokastra, Haderi House, a first category monument, and Gurgai house, a second category monument.
Within the historical core of Gjirokastra, many monuments are seriously dilapidated; this is mainly due to lack of maintenance, investment and responsible management because of unclear ownership.
The project financed by Prince Claus Fund will prevent further damage to the two monuments mentioned above. On Gurgai house, the less damaged of the two, crucial roof repairs will halt much of the damage by keeping water from entering the structure. For both houses, CHwB will develop wooden scaffolding to stabilize the buildings and prevent further degradation. The final intervention would entail covering the scaffolding with a printed textile showcasing the way the monument used to look before it began to fall into ruin.
In addition, the project will increase employment opportunities for local craftsmen and contribute toward maintaining the integrity of the World Heritage site – a crucial approach for promoting sustainable tourism for the city. An important aspect of the project will be engagement of students and Gjirokastra residents for safeguarding their city through campaigns for cleaning and sorting the fragments of ruined monuments.