Field Survey of Military Heritage in the Upper Vjosa Valley

A distinctive feature of the historical landscape of the Upper Vjosa Valley are the remains of military infrastructure dating back to two significant periods: the militarization during the Second World War, when the area served as a frontline in the Italian-Greek conflict, and the Cold War era (1945–1990), when Albania was heavily militarized as part of its national defense strategy. The surviving structures include bunkers, trenches, command posts, subterranean storage facilities, air raid shelters, and more.

In October 2021, CeRPHAAL conducted a field survey aiming at documenting these structures and evaluating their potential as future tourist attractions. The survey highlighted sites of both research and tourism value, such as the Italian Barracks located on the outskirts of the town of Përmet, built by the Italian Army in the 1940s. Preserving and promoting these unique elements of the region’s cultural and historical heritage not only fosters a deeper understanding of area’s rich history but also offers significant potential for enriching local tourism initiatives that can provide future economic opportunities for the local communities