“Mihal Komneno” street is the main and shortest access road linking Berat with one of the city’s museum centres, the white-washed village-like neighbourhood of Kala (Castle). The newly restored street following degradation over the years eases access to the old castle, the symbol monument of Berat, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Prime Minister Edi Rama, accompanied by the Minister of Culture Elva Margariti, and the Minister of Tourism and Environment Blendi Klosi, toured the newly reconstructed stone-street, praising it as one of most quality interventions, which restores one of the city’s most frequently visited destinations to its former identity and glory at a time when the number of visitors to Berat has kept constantly increasing.
“It is one of the most quality projects as it fully restores the area to its former identity. The project involved not only underground infrastructure, but also the facades system and stone-streets, lighting system, including the slightest architectonic details. The project will extend towards the castle itself,” Culture Minister Margariti said.
The road is an important artery along which interesting shops, craftsmen ateliers, renowned hotel and hospitality services, restaurants, museums and other tourist attractions are located. The number of museum house owners, who are seeking to transform these private homes into guesthouses and tourist accommodation facilities, has increased over the past year. “We are working on a special renaissance program to revitalize the old traditional houses in Gjirokaster and Berat and other traditional buildings of great cultural monuments values and possibly turn them into guesthouses and other tourist attractions. This will include a funding program to support individuals and households who launch such initiatives and we will assist the entire process financially. The support may include grants or low-interest loans,” PM Rama said.
One of the oldest Berat residents, who has been working and living abroad for years, has returned back home and plans to invest his savings in building a guesthouse. The guesthouse’s ambience is typical of Berat and has been passionately refurbished by the entrepreneur, who aims to expand its activity year after year to attract more visitors.
