The Directorate of Cultural Heritage in Gjirokastër intervened this week on the roof of the Zekate residence in the Palorto neighborhood. The Zekate house is a first-category Cultural Monument.

This residence had issues with the breaking and sliding of stone slabs in its southern part, where intervention was carried out for their restoration.

The tall fortified houses of Gjirokastër, resembling towers, belonged to the wealthy class, such as government officials or traders. They all have a basic composition: a lower floor built necessarily of stone for security reasons, and on the upper floors, the main rooms for the family were usually adorned with numerous crowns. There are crenellations along the walls to enable protection against enemies.

The Zekate house is an excellent example of a typical tower. Built in 1811-1812 with two twin towers and a large double arched entrance. From here, the views from above of the city and the Drino River valley are spectacular.

The house has three floors, where the bottom one contains storage rooms, an upper kitchen, and water tanks, as well as stairs leading up to the other floors. The second floor has the main rooms, serving various branches of the family, while the top floor has a large reception room and two other rooms.

The main room is typical of the grand houses of Gjirokastër, with frescoed walls, carved wooden ceilings, and an adorned fireplace. This last floor was intended for use by the entire family. In the center of the floor, near the stairs, there is a wooden balcony that overlooks the city. A part of it is elevated and reserved for the head of the family, where he would stay, host guests, and observe what was happening in the city below.