Skenduli House

The Skenduli house was built in 1823 on older foundations and is one of the best preserved of the Gjirokastra tower houses, the fortified stone dwellings with slate roofs that give the town its character: a tall block of several storeys with few windows low down and more above, built for defence as much as for living, with a ground floor for storage and animals, a winter floor with heavy fireplaces and a summer floor with a wide open gallery. It has around forty rooms and nine chimneys. The family recovered the house after it was confiscated in the twentieth century and now show it themselves, which means the tour is given by an owner rather than a guide and the account is personal. Carved wooden ceilings and cupboards survive throughout.

What you actually see

• A defensive tower house plan - storage below, living above, few low windows.
• Nine chimneys and heavy fireplaces - the winter floor arrangement.
• Carved wooden ceilings and cupboards - the original joinery throughout.
• A family-guided visit - the owners showing their own house.

When to go

April to October; winter opening is irregular. One hour. The tour is given when the family is there, so mornings and early afternoons are safest. It is quieter than the Zekate house.

Honest expectations

Opening depends on the family being present and is not fixed. The house is partly unrestored, which is honest but means bare rooms. Stairs are steep and narrow throughout. Tours are informal and vary in length.

Nearby

The Zekate house is up the slope; Gjirokastra castle stands above the town.