Study visit to Gjirokastra, Albania 22-25/5/2016

Study visit to Gjirokastra (Albania) and 27th Regional Camp of Restoration Cultural Heritage without Borders (CHwB)was organized in the period from 22 to 25 May 2016. The study visit was organized within the project Traditional Materials and Building Techniques in Boka Kotorska, financed by the Headley Trust from Great Britain.

Study visit participants were 14 representatives of institutions, companies, non-governmental organizations whose work is related to different aspects of conservation and restoration of cultural heritage.

Since the goal of the study visit was exploring a traditional way of preparing and using lime mortar, especially in the restoration of cultural property, the participants have visited a work camp in Gjirokastra, organized by Cultural Heritage without Borders (CHwB), which segment - this year - was dedicated to lime mortars. In visit to a work camp participants had the opportunity to learn from the masters who led camp and see how lime mortar is traditionally prepared and used for construction in the area of Gjirokastra and how it is still used for conservation and restoration of old buildings.

Cultural Heritage without Borders - CHwB organizes, since 2007, regional restoration camps in Gjirokastra and Berat, in Albania and Rogljevo, in Serbia, for which in 2014 the organization received the prestigious European Union award for cultural heritage, Europa Nostra award, in the category of Education, training, awareness-raising.

Participants had the opportunity to visit the facilities in Gjirokastra where CHwB worked in previous camps, where in the interior and on the facades were applied lime mortars according to traditional recipes.

Also, within the study visit, participants have visited Kruja and old hamam from the 15th century, which is restored by CHwB in 2015; with aim to return it to the original function, and on which are also applied lime mortars.

Participants also visited the old lime pits, near the town of Delvine, which are now in Albania only places where lime is produced in the old traditional way. So they had the opportunity to see the very process of making lime.

In addition to part of the work camp in Gjirokastra dealing with lime mortar, participants have visited the courts of the work camp dealing with stone (renovation of old Kaldma and traditional roof) and wood (restoration of the wooden entrance gate of an old house).

Učesnici/ce studijske posjete imali su takođe priliku da se upoznaju sa bogatom kulturno-istorijskom baštinom Albanije, obilaskom gradova Gjirokastre i Barata, koji su upisani na UNESCO-vu Listu Svjetske baštine.Study visit participants had also the opportunity to learn about the rich cultural and historical heritage of Albania, visiting the cities of Gjirokastra and Barat, who are inscribet on the UNESCO World Heritage List.