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Gjirokastra

TID Gjirokaster – The potential TID in Gjirokaster is located in the Old Bazaar at the heart of the historical part of the city. This project includes the preparation phase of the full restoration design from the Old Bazaar as well as Cerciz Topulli square. The revitalization and commercialization of the historic city center of Gjirokaster will directly impact the development of the communities and businesses in the area. Their quality of life will be directly improved.

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  • 05.08.2020

    Design Project for “Underground Parking and Revitalization of Çerçiz Topulli square”

    Design Project for “Underground Parking and Revitalization of Çerçiz Topulli square”

    Under its Entrepreneurship Program, AADF is intervening through TID model to turn Gjirokastra Region into a bustling tourist destination with diversified models of tourism activities, all oriented towards sustainability. The goal is to increase global touristic awareness, impact and influence the flow of tourists to visit this area and other nearby local tourism destinations.

    The recent tourism promotion policies and increasing tourism rates in the area have given a boost to the traffic in the area, especially in the high tourism season, putting a pressure on the road network and increasing the parking demand. In order to accommodate the rising demand of parking it is necessary to provide off-street parking facilities, in close proximity of the most visited areas, where the drivers can reach the desired destination as quickly as possible.

    To achieve the accommodation of all the tourist’s vehicles and transportation means, AADF will support in the preparation of a detailed project design for the square revitalization and underground parking in the Çerçiz Topulli Square, in the Gjirokastra Old Bazaar, while the implementation works will be performed by the Albanian Development Fund.

    During project design, the main principle of the working group will be the preservation of the universal and irreplaceable values of the historic centre of Gjirokastra as a world heritage property and the criteria which gave Gjirokastra the status of a UNESCO site.

    Detailed description

  • 09.30.2018

    The Inauguration of the restoration works in the building along the “Qafa e Pazarit” Gjirokaster

    The Inauguration of the restoration works in the building along the “Qafa e Pazarit” Gjirokaster

    The AADF, Gjirokastra Municipality and the Ministry of Culture of Albania celebrated the end of the restoration works in the Gjirokastra Bazaar. In the ceremony participated Mr. Edi Rama, the Prime Minister of Albania, Mr. Michael Granoff, the AADF Chairman, board members and AADF Co-CEOs, Mrs. Mirela Kumbaro, the Minister of Culture, Mrs. Zamira Rami, Mayor of Gjirokastra Municipality, and other reppresentatives of the central and local government.

    The initial investment from the AADF of US$ 2 million will be followed by continious support, capacity building and promotion of the businesses in the Bazaar area, for a total investment of US$ 3.5 million in the coming years. Chairwoman of the Municipality Council of Gjirokastra awarded AADF BoT members with the title “honorary citizen” of Gjirokastra. The award was approved from Council of Gjirokastra.

    Detailed description

  • 03.18.2018

    Summer Day in Gjirokaster

    Summer Day in Gjirokaster

    A festive and colorful atmosphere in the old Bazaar of Gjirokastra! Hundreds of citizens celebrated the Summer Day on the cobble stone streets of the Bazaar. Children games and dances, concert with well-known Albanian band and DJ party created a great and cheerful atmosphere for children, parents and youth. The celebrations in the Bazaar complemented the traditional festive event organized in the touristic park of Viro, by the Municipality. The event in the Bazaar was organized by the business association TID Gjirokastra, sponsored by AADF and with the support of Gjirokastra Municipality. While the restoration works, an important component of TID Gjirokastra project, are getting to the finish, the TID Association has already started its work for the revitalization of the old Bazaar. This is only the beginning of the soft interventions with the aim of the socio-economic transformation of the old Bazaar of Gjirokastra.

    Detailed description

  • 01.15.2018

    Site Visit in Gjirokastra

    Site Visit in Gjirokastra
    Renovation works are underway for project “Restoration of the buildings in Qafa e Pazarit, Gjirokastër”. During a field inspection of AADF Co-CEOs Aleksandër Sarapuli, Martin Mata, representatives from the “Dea studio” sh.pk, supervisor of works, etc. was seen the progress of works for 6 blocks. Meanwhile, part of the AADF funding will be extended to another two blocks, namely blocks 5 and 10, making in total 8 restored blocks. Construction works are expected to be completed by the end of April 2018. On the same day, meetings were organized between the CEOs and AADF staff, with the Mayor of Gjirokastra, Zamira Rami, and the board of TID Gjirokastra association. During these meetings, there were discussions regarding the perspective of the TID association and the commitments of the respective stakeholders, in order to reach the mission of the TID model: the social and economic revitalization of the old Bazaar area of ​​Gjirokastra.
  • 11.09.2017

    Working progress in TID Gjirokaster

    Working progress in TID Gjirokaster

    The construction works continues in the Gjirokastra’s Bazaar. Currently it is being worked at 6 blocks of the Bazaar. The construction on the roof is almost completed, meanwhile there is ongoing work dealing with facade cleaning and restoration, external plastering, and external stone wall restoration using traditional techniques. Additionally, the glass windowpanes are being replaced and roller shutters and window awnings are being added. The specifications for the advertising banners and facade lighting are being finalized. All the construction work for this phase is scheduled to be complete by December 2017.

    Detailed description

  • 08.30.2017

    Presentation meeting of the model and Association TID Gjirokastra

    Presentation meeting of the model and Association TID Gjirokastra

    A meeting between AADF representatives, Municipality of Gjirokastra, entrepreneurs and owners of the buildings in the Gjirokastra Bazaar area, was held today in Gjirokaster where the TID model and association was introduced.

    These meetings are held in order to inform and engage the businesses of the TID area in TID association, as the main voice of the actors in the area and as an important instrument initiated and supported by AADF, with the main mission: The economic and social development of the Gjirokastra Bazaar.

    The TID association and the infrastructure intervention in the Bazaar, are the two development instruments within the TID model (tourism improvement districts). The construction works are expected to be completed during October.

    Detailed description

  • 07.26.2017

    Working progress in TID Gjirokaster

    Working progress in TID Gjirokaster

    The progress of works in the Gjirokastra Bazaar continues challenging even the high temperatures of these days. It is being worked intensively into 5 building blocks, specifically with: roofs restoration, supply and installation of windows , frame restorations, producing and painting metallic taraba, external plastering etc. Meanwhile in cooperation with Institute of Culture Monuments, project design company and supervisors of works are being finalized details of lighting of facades, business advertisements, tents etc.

    Detailed description

  • 04.11.2017

    Technical meeting for TID Gjirokastra

    Technical meeting for TID Gjirokastra

    On 6 April 2017, the World Bank in cooperation with the UNESCO regional office, held a technical meeting in the Albanian Development Fund offices. The meeting aimed the discussion of the three proposed initiatives to be financed by the Gjirokastra Project: Infrastructure at “Qafa e Pazarit”, Bypass and underground parking.

    Present at the meeting were Mr. Aleksander Sarapuli and Mr. Martin Mata AADF Co-CEOs, as well as senior representatives from the Municipality of Gjirokastra, Institute of Cultural Monuments, ADF, World Bank, UNESCO, the Ministry of Urban Development, design studio and staff involved in these projects.

    Representatives of all parties presented their commitments in this project focusing on the reasons for funding, technical aspects, the impact on the social and environmental safeguard policies, etc.

    At the end of the meeting, the World Bank representatives expressed their concerns on bypass and underground parking, and they requested more guarantee from the Albanian government until they found an acceptable solution to all. Also, they asked all parties to approve TORs for the trace of bypass till end of June and within a year to prepare the full project implementation.

    Detailed description

  • 02.22.2017

    Working progress in “Qafa e Pazarit” / TID Gjirokastra

  • 02.15.2017

    Meetings on the working progress at “Qafa e Pazarit” / TID Gjirokastra

    Meetings on the working progress at “Qafa e Pazarit” / TID Gjirokastra

    On 2 February 2017, AADF organized a meeting with representatives of Gjirokastra Municipality and the contractor “Leon Konstruksion Ltd” related to the working progress at “Qafa e Pazarit”.

    AADF met once again with businesses of Block 7 area, where they discussed how to further advance the restoration work and the temporary interruption of the activity of these businesses until complete replacement of the building roof. Businesses expressed their concern for the extended duration of the restoration work and the scaffold placement in front of the shops.

    Detailed description