Gjirokastër is a town and a municipality in southern
Albania. Lying in the historical region of
Epirus, it is the capital of
Gjirokastër County. Its old town is inscribed on the
World Heritage List as "a rare example of a well-preserved
Ottoman town, built by farmers of large estate." Gjirokastër is situated in a valley between the Gjerë mountains and the
Drino River, at
above sea level. The city is overlooked by the
Gjirokastër Castle where
Gjirokaster National Folklore Festival is held every five years. Gjirokastër is the birthplace of former Albanian communist leader
Enver Hoxha and notable writer
Ismail Kadare. It hosts the
Eqerem Çabej University. The present municipality was formed at the 2015 local government reform by the merger of the former municipalities
Antigonë,
Cepo, Gjirokastër,
Lazarat,
Lunxhëri,
Odrie and
Picar, that became municipal units. The seat of the municipality is the town Gjirokastër. The total population is 25,301 (2011 census), in a total area of . The population of the former municipality at the 2011 census was 19,836.
