Post by meltdown711 on Dec 11, 2007 20:35:00 GMT -5
Im opening a topic about one of the more interesting aspects of Albanian culture and society, the culture of the Kulla.
What is a Kulla?
Kulla/ë comes from the Turkish word kule meaning tower. It was a house built high and principally made up of stone. It contained few windows and small ones, built ideally as close to the ceiling as possible, so as to protect from attacks, which was a constant worry in lawless Albania. In essence it was a fortified home suited for a people living on the edge of society. The houses were originally intended for higher mountainous territory of northern Albania. T he origin of the house lay in the Albanian Blood-feud culture. The houses would be built high instead of wide so as to prevent the attackers from reaching the windows.
These houses were generally expensive and usually reserved for the more wealthy members of Albanian society; and, even then, Kulla's would be passed down from one generation to another. Although they were small in space, Kulla's supported large families(numbering in generations). The men occupied the principal part of the Kulla, while the women, in a safer position, lived in an annex. This meant that there were usually two living quarters: one for the women and children, the other for the men. The ground floor was kept for the horses and the upper ones were used by the men. The stairs of the house generally did not attach every floor but rather provided direct access. Since Kulla's generally had 3 floors, it means that there were two doors and two staircases. The walls of the Kulla were thick, about a meter thick, making them ideal for the weather changes/extremes(the house is cool in the summer, while warm in the winter).
In time the Kulla's came to represent the power of the Albanian aristocracy; while also becoming hiding hareas for rebels and bandits fleeing from Ottoman authorities or Albanians fleeing blood feuds. The result was that they became the center of attack by Ottoman authorities looking to put down Albanian revolts, this was especially so in Kosova, where the Kulla's were built on low ground and thereby easier to attack; while in northern Albania, the mountainous landscape made it difficult, ihof often next to impossible. During the various Serb attacks on Kosova, Kulla's were often attacked for similar reasons.
Kulla's are common throughout Albanian inhabited areas and among the Arvanites of Greece, who followed the typical Albanian method of dispersed homes rather then centralized ones, which gives us a clue as to the age of this culture.
Kulla's near central Albania
another
The Pasha's Kulle. An urban kulla showing a mixture between the modern urbane and the traditional.
Theth, north Albania
Kulla of a wealthy family in Istog, Kosova
kulla of Gllogjani, Kosova (I believe)
Kulla under renovation (hundreds of Kulla's were purposely destroyed by the Serb invasion of Kosova, both in the eary 20th century and in the later 20th century.)
What is a Kulla?
Kulla/ë comes from the Turkish word kule meaning tower. It was a house built high and principally made up of stone. It contained few windows and small ones, built ideally as close to the ceiling as possible, so as to protect from attacks, which was a constant worry in lawless Albania. In essence it was a fortified home suited for a people living on the edge of society. The houses were originally intended for higher mountainous territory of northern Albania. T he origin of the house lay in the Albanian Blood-feud culture. The houses would be built high instead of wide so as to prevent the attackers from reaching the windows.
These houses were generally expensive and usually reserved for the more wealthy members of Albanian society; and, even then, Kulla's would be passed down from one generation to another. Although they were small in space, Kulla's supported large families(numbering in generations). The men occupied the principal part of the Kulla, while the women, in a safer position, lived in an annex. This meant that there were usually two living quarters: one for the women and children, the other for the men. The ground floor was kept for the horses and the upper ones were used by the men. The stairs of the house generally did not attach every floor but rather provided direct access. Since Kulla's generally had 3 floors, it means that there were two doors and two staircases. The walls of the Kulla were thick, about a meter thick, making them ideal for the weather changes/extremes(the house is cool in the summer, while warm in the winter).
In time the Kulla's came to represent the power of the Albanian aristocracy; while also becoming hiding hareas for rebels and bandits fleeing from Ottoman authorities or Albanians fleeing blood feuds. The result was that they became the center of attack by Ottoman authorities looking to put down Albanian revolts, this was especially so in Kosova, where the Kulla's were built on low ground and thereby easier to attack; while in northern Albania, the mountainous landscape made it difficult, ihof often next to impossible. During the various Serb attacks on Kosova, Kulla's were often attacked for similar reasons.
Kulla's are common throughout Albanian inhabited areas and among the Arvanites of Greece, who followed the typical Albanian method of dispersed homes rather then centralized ones, which gives us a clue as to the age of this culture.
Kulla's near central Albania
another
The Pasha's Kulle. An urban kulla showing a mixture between the modern urbane and the traditional.
Theth, north Albania
Kulla of a wealthy family in Istog, Kosova
kulla of Gllogjani, Kosova (I believe)
Kulla under renovation (hundreds of Kulla's were purposely destroyed by the Serb invasion of Kosova, both in the eary 20th century and in the later 20th century.)
Few to no windows on the outside to scare the bandits or invaders away...showing no wealth or foilage. Looking like a veritable fort on the outside..
Architect's rendering..
)
