2020-Albania

In the distance - Vlorë Bay with Sazan Island (in the center) and Zvernec Peninsula (slightly to the right). The Muradie Mosque is visible at the bottom right.

Lavdi Dëshmorëve të Kombit Glory to the Martyrs of the Nation

Tempulli Bektashian - Bektashi Temple on the Hill of Kuzum Baba.

The Hill of Kuzum Baba - a natural terrace carved out by the sea, located on a hill above the city of Vlore.

The Hill of Kuzum Baba - a natural terrace carved out by the sea, located on a hill above the city of Vlore. Albania Bektashi are Muslim, but some of their practices resemble Christian ones.

Albania Bektashi are Muslim, but some of their practices resemble Christian ones. Four major religious groups in Albania are usually identified: Catholic and Orthodox Chris­tians, Sunni Muslims, and Bek­tashis. Depending on the sources you read, you will find very different stories about Bektashi origins and identity. The simplest explanation is that they follow a distinctive branch of Shi’a Islam, and they claim as their founder the 13th-century saint and mystic Haji Bektash Veli. His followers developed an Islamic Sufi order, with dervishes living in houses or lodges known as tekkes, each headed by a superior, a baba.

Albania Bektashi are Muslim, but some of their practices resemble Christian ones. Four major religious groups in Albania are usually identified: Catholic and Orthodox Chris­tians, Sunni Muslims, and Bek­tashis. Although the last of these are little known outside the region, their importance is much greater than their small numbers might suggest. Estimates of the group’s size vary wildly, from 60,000 to 750,000 in Albania alone. Arguably, the Bektashis tell us much about a forgotten part of Christian history.

Tempulli Bektashian - Bektashi Temple on the Hill of Kuzum Baba, a natural terrace carved out by the sea, located on a hill above the city of Vlore.

Tempulli Bektashian - Bektashi Temple on the Hill of Kuzum Baba, a natural terrace carved out by the sea, located on a hill above the city of Vlore.