This beautiful city, 45 mi/70 km south of Tirana and built on steep slopes along the Osmuti River, was spared communist-style building by Enver Hoxha, who designated Berat as a museum. The old town of Berat rises vertically in a picturesque wall of red tile roofs and white-washed buildings connected by a warren of worn, narrow streets. Berat is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The best way to enjoy it is to stroll the streets and take in the city's centuries-old atmosphere.
Perched high above the town is the citadel. Built on fourth-century Illyrian foundations, it has been continuously occupied since its construction. It has an amazing number of churches and mosques, as well as Albania's finest collection of Orthodox icons and frescos. There are also a number of mosques in the town below, of which the 15th-century Leaded Mosque and the Mosque of the Bachelors are the most impressive.
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