Washington/Quebec City - Berat, an historic Ottoman town, was added to the list of World Heritage sites by UNESCO, Tuesday. The addition is an extension by the UN heritage committee, which added the city centre of Berat to the site of Gjirokastra, which was put on the heritage list in 2005.
"Berat was added as "a rare example of a well-preserved Ottoman town," UNESCO said. Located in central Albania, "Berat bears witness to the coexistence of various religious and cultural communities down the centuries."
"The town of 64,000 inhabitants features a castle locally known as the Kala most of which was built in the 13th century, although its origins date back some 2,400 years. The area includes many Byzantine churches, mainly from the 13th century, several of which contain valuable wall paintings and icons.
The town also has several mosques built under Turkish occupation which started in 1417 and several houses for religious communities, notably some used by Sufi brotherhoods in the 18th century.
