Exhibition on the architecture uniting the shores of Lake Shkodra

On the National Cultural Heritage Day, the exhibition “Folk architecture along the Shkodra lake basin” was presented, bringing into one shared space the memory, craftsmanship and architectural identity of two areas historically linked through Lake Shkodra.

The exhibition is a collaboration between DRTK Shkodër and the architect and researcher from Ulcinj, Korab Kraja. It focused on the Kraja area in Montenegro and the Mbi-Shkodra lakeside zone in Albania, two spaces that share similar features of traditional architecture and have for centuries been linked through economic, social and cultural relations, with Shkodra as one of the main centers of these exchanges.

Through architectural drawings and photographs, the documentary exhibition brought into focus the traces of local builders’ craftsmanship, still preserved in the traditional houses and buildings of the mountain and plain villages around the lake. These buildings testify to a distinct construction, aesthetic and historical wealth, reflecting how local communities built and adapted their spaces to the environment.

“Folk architecture along the Shkodra lake basin” also emphasized the need to know, document and preserve this heritage, which constitutes evidence of early links between the communities living around Lake Shkodra.

Through this exhibition, traditional architecture was presented not only as evidence of the past, but also as part of a shared cultural heritage that continues to preserve values and tell the story of relations between the two areas across borders.