Painting , the highlight of medieval Albanian art that was commissioned by
Gjergj Arianiti in 1373 The
art of Albania has a long and memorable history, represented in many forms such as
painting,
sculpture,
mosaic and
architecture. It show a great variety in style, in different regions and periods. Nonetheless, the country also has a tolerable heritage in
visual arts, specifically in
frescoes,
murals and
icons, which often can be seen in many of the older structures in the country. The surviving monuments of
Illyrian,
Ancient Greek and
Roman art are notable for a tradition concentrating on the human figure and decorations. Through the many archaeological discoveries, in different areas of Albania have been found numerous of
pottery,
terracotta and
metalworking belonging to the
Illyrians and several sculptures and mosaics belonging to the Ancient Greeks and Romans. Albanian medieval art started with the
Byzantine Empire that ruled the great majority of Albania and the
Balkan Peninsula. The first paintings have been icons and frescoes with an admirable use of colour and
gold. The most famous representative of Albanian medieval art were
Onufri who was distinguished for its rich use of colours and decorative shades with certain
ethnographic national elements that are more visible with his successors
David Selenica,
Kostandin Shpataraku and the
Zografi Brothers.
Illuminated manuscripts were another significant feature of Albanian medieval art. The
Codices of Berat are two ancient
Gospels from
Berat that dates from the sixth and ninth centuries. They represent one of the most valuable treasures of the Albanian cultural heritage that was inscribed on the
UNESCO's
Memory of the World Register in 2005. , created by
Kolë Idromeno In the fifteenth century, during the
Ottoman invasion many
Albanians migrated out of the area to escape either various socio-political and economic difficulties. Among them, the medieval
painters
Marco Basaiti and
Viktor Karpaçi,
sculptor and
architect Andrea Nikollë Aleksi and
art collector Alessandro Albani from the
Albani family. The
Ottoman Empire ruled over the country and most of the
Balkans for nearly five centuries. This influence were absorbed and reinterpreted with an extensive construction of
mosques that opened a new section in Albanian art, that of
Islamic art. In the nineteenth century a significant era for Albanian art begins. The great liberation acts starting with
League of Prizren in 1878, that led to the
Independence in 1912, established the climate for a new
artistic movement, which would reflect life and history more realistically and
Impressionism and
Realism came into dominance. The country's
architecture reflect a rich variety of
architectural styles and is rooted in its
history, culture and
religion. Influences from distant social, religious and exotic communities have contributed to the variety of the architectural landscape in Albania that is richly revealed by
archaeological finds that nonetheless retains a certain amount of continuity across history. Some of the earliest productions, notably from
Illyrians,
Ancient Greeks and
Romans, are found scattered throughout the country. The best collection of
Ancient architecture can be found in
Butrint in the southwest,
Apollonia,
Durrës and
Byllis in the west and
Amantia and
Phoenice in the south. Religion and kingship do not seem to have played an important role in the planning of these towns at that time. In the
Middle Ages a variety of architecture styles developed in the form of dwelling, defense, worship and engineering structures. The consolidation of
Albanian principalities gave rise to Varosha, or neighborhoods outside city walls. Examples of such developments are centred in
Petrele,
Krujë,
Tepelenë and
Lezhë originating from the feudal castle. Some inherited historic structures were damaged by invading
Ottoman forces. It is important to note that
Ali Pashe Tepelena embarked on a major castle building campaign throughout Epirus. Much earlier, the introduction of
Christianity brought churches and monasteries which otherwhile became the center of most towns and cities in the country. Byzantine
churches and Ottoman
mosques are also on the best examples and legacies of
Byzantines and Ottomans, which are specifically exemplified in
Berat,
Gjirokastër and
Korçë region. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Albanian medieval towns underwent urban transformations by various Austro-Hungarian and Italian architects, giving them the appearance of western European cities. This can be particularly seen in
Tirana and
Korçë. They introduced
architectural styles such as
Historicism,
Art Nouveau,
Neo-Renaissance and
Neoclassicism.
Clothing s wearing
fustanellas, the
national costume of Albania Traditional Albanian clothing developed as a result of long processes that has differentiated the country from other countries. Its recorded history of clothing goes back to the
classical times. It includes more than two hundred different forms of clothing in all Albania and
neighbouring countries that includes without limitation the Albanians in
Kosovo, Western
North Macedonia, Southern
Montenegro,
Italy and
Greece. Nothing less than each cultural and geographical region of Albania has its own specific variety of clothing being particularly colorful and rich in detail. The costumes are often decorated with
pagan symbolic elements of
Illyrians among others suns, eagles, moons, stars and snakes, but predominantly the zig-zag and concentric circles decoration, found in ancient times throughout the Balkans but also in national costumes of other Balkan peoples. These clothes are most often worn with connection to special events and celebrations, mostly at ethnic festivals, religious
holidays, weddings and by dancing groups. Some conservative old men and women mainly from the high northern as well as southern lands wear those traditional clothes in their daily lives. They were made mainly of products from the local
agriculture and
livestock such as leather, wool, linen, hemp fiber and silk. The textiles nowadays are still embroidered in very elaborate ancient patterns. Among the most important parts of clothing includes the
Qeleshe, or also known as Plis, the
Albanian hat, the Qylafë, the
Fustanella, the
Xhubleta, the
Xhamadan, the
Brez, the
Çorape, the
Opinga and many others. One of obvious common cultural trait of Gheg, Tosk and Cham Albanians is the predominance of white color in their national dress/costume, with variations in the shapes and designs (Gheg Albanians traditionally wore white trousers while Tosk and Cham Albanians traditionally wore white kilt). The white color seems to have a special place in Albanian culture, as many phrases include the term "white" ( alb. "bardh"), both literally and figuratively ( "fatbardh" -lit. "white fate"- fig. "good luck", "faqe bardh" - lit. "white" face - fig. "clean face" - "intact honor", "rrofsh sa male te bardha" - "May you live as long as white mountains" - "snow-peaked mountains", etc.). The white Albanian scull cap, popularly knows as
qeleshe, or plis, etymologically related to Greek
Pilos or
Pileus cap, is one of the well known Albanian cultural brands.
Music is used mostly by
Gheg Albanians of northern Albania and Kosovo. The
Albanian music is very diverse and comes from its indigenous sounds and heritage.
Folk music is a prominent part of the national identity with major stylistic differences between the traditional music of the northern
Ghegs and southern
Labs and
Tosks. The northern and southern traditions are contrasted by the rugged and heroic tone of the north and the relaxed form of the south. Albanian folk music has been influential in neighboring areas such as Kosovo, Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey, all home to significant numbers of
Albanians. The
Ghegs are known for a distinctive variety of sung epic poetry. Many of the songs are about the ancient
history of the country and the constant Albanian themes of honor, hospitality, treachery and revenge. In contrast,
Tosk music is soft and gentle, and
polyphonic in nature. Notably,
Albanian iso-polyphony from the south has been declared an
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Along with the def,
çifteli and sharki are used in the north in a style of dance and pastoral songs. Homemade
wind instruments are traditionally used by
shepherds in northern Albania; these include the zumarë and
lahuta. The southern people are known for ensembles consisting of
violins,
clarinets, lahuta and
def as well. Music in Albania extends to ancient
Illyria and
Greece, with influences from the
Roman,
Byzantine and
Ottoman Empire. It is evident in
archeological findings such as arenas,
odeons, theatre buildings and amphitheatres, all over Albania. The remains of temples, libraries, sculptures and paintings of ancient dancers, singers and musical instruments, have been found in territories inhabited by the ancient Illyrians and ancient Greeks. The Middle Ages in Albania included
choral music and
traditional music. Albania has experienced another wave of
Western cultural influence, which led to the development of many previously unknown phenomena. The most vivid example is the Albanian rock, hip hop and pop music, with some performers gaining international recognition of Albanian origin from
Albania,
Kosovo or
Albanian diaspora, such as
Action Bronson,
Ava Max,
Bebe Rexha,
Dua Lipa,
Era Istrefi,
Elvana Gjata,
Dafina Zeqiri, Albert Stanaj,
G4SHI,
Ermal Meta,
Enca,
Noizy and
Rita Ora.
Classical music became immensely popular in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and was known across even the most rural sections of the country. It was defined by the tension between classical composer Martin Gjoka along with
Fan Noli and
Mikel Koliqi, who embraced national identity and added religious and folk elements to their compositions. Most notable Albanian sopranos and tenors have gained also international recognition, among the best known are
Inva Mula,
Marie Kraja,
Saimir Pirgu and
Ermonela Jaho.
Dance in circle around fire (
zjarri), drawing from the book
Childe Harold's Pilgrimage written by
Lord Byron in the early 19th century. The
Albanians have a rich tradition of
dances with a great diversity of choreography and styles varying on the region due mainly to the fact that
Albania is a country with a diverse
topography thus the different varieties of dance developed. A couple of dances are ancient and to a certain extent persist nowadays. The dances of the Albanians specifically of the
Ghegs from the north have more a solo character than those from the southern
Tosks that have more social character, expressed in line and semi circle dances. == Language ==