The conservation and revitalization of Babameto, a former residential house in historic Gjirokastra’s urban-architectural landscape and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Zone, was completed in 2013. Babameto House combines economic, social and cultural elements and is comprised of two main components: a hostel and a cultural centre. The foundation for a training programme that would reintegrate senior craftspeople into a system of heritage preservation and train apprentices has been developed, and provides a vehicle for a knowledge transfer and further employment. This conservation process has shown that continuous usage of historical monuments is essential for the revitalisation of historic centres like Gjirokastra.

Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture