Heritage under pressure the case of the “bypass” in Gjirokastra world heritage site Albania

A planned bypass road project in Gjirokastra, Albania, despite its initial intent to redirect traffic and create a pedestrian zone, poses significant threats to the Historic Centre of Gjirokastra. The 'Forum for the Protection of the Values of Gjirokastra' identified five key technical and legal arguments demonstrating that the project endangers the structural integrity and Outstanding Universal Values of the city. These concerns were raised during a public consultation but ignored by authorities. A detailed report, involving multidisciplinary expertise, highlighted the multi-level impacts of the project, including procedural flaws and potential heritage damage.

Merxhani, K., & Bozgo, V. (2017). Heritage under pressure the case of the “bypass” in Gjirokastra world heritage site Albania. 2017 UBT International Conference. https://doi.org/10.33107/ubt-ic.2017.42