TIRANA, May 20 /ATA/ – The Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports Blendi Gonxhja said on Wednesday that the “Courtyards That Speak” project is a vibrant cultural and heritage initiative in Albania, particularly centered in the coastal region of Himara.
Gonxhja said the project is designed to transform traditional residential courtyards into immersive, interactive spaces where visitors can experience genuine local heritage through traditional songs, authentic recipes, handicrafts, and generations-old storytelling.
He noted that the initiative, supported by the Ministry and the Municipality of Himara, focuses not only on preserving traditional architecture but also on safeguarding family histories and traditions passed down through generations.
According to the Minister, the courtyards continue to preserve family stories, traditions, songs, handicrafts and ways of life transmitted across generations, often kept alive by women within the local community.
Gonxhja highlighted the Bollano family’s Stone House in Himara Castle as one of the most distinctive stops on the cultural itinerary.
The traditional stone residence, built around 1844 and preserved through four generations, features a small courtyard filled with aromatic plants such as rosemary and bay laurel, creating what the minister described as an atmosphere of quiet family hospitality.
Visitors can also experience tastings of local products including dried fig bread, fruit preserves and mountain tea, accompanied by stories from everyday life in the area, he added.
Gonxhja described the site as “a rare destination for cultural and historical tourism in the heart of Himara”, highlighting its potential to promote cultural heritage and support sustainable tourism development in southern Albania.
/e.xh/a.f/r.e/u.sh/
