Zekate House

The Zekate house was built in 1811 to 1812 for a senior official of Ali Pasha and stands high on the slope above the Gjirokastra bazaar, and it is the grandest of the town's tower houses: two tall towers flanking a recessed centre, a double-arched gallery on the upper floor, and inside a sequence of rooms rising to the great reception room on the top floor, whose walls and ceiling are painted with floral and architectural decoration and whose windows look out over the whole valley. Lower floors held storage, a cistern and the winter rooms with their fireplaces. It is still owned by descendants of the original family and is shown by them. The walk up is steep, on cobbles, and takes twenty minutes from the bazaar.

What you actually see

• Twin towers and an arched gallery - the grandest house front in the town.
• The painted reception room - floral and architectural decoration on the top floor.
• The valley view from the windows - Gjirokastra and the Drino below.
• Winter fireplaces and cisterns - the working floors below.

When to go

April to October; winter opening is irregular. One hour. The climb up is steep and best done in the cooler parts of the day. Afternoon light reaches into the top-floor room.

Honest expectations

The climb from the bazaar is steep on rough cobbles and hard work in heat. Opening depends on the family. Stairs inside are steep. It is the most visited of the houses and can be busy with groups in summer.

Nearby

The Skenduli house is below; Gjirokastra castle stands above.