EDITH DURHAM MONUMENT
At an altitude of 1,740 m, it pays tribute to the British albanophile Edith Durham. Beautiful views of the Albanian Alps.
Located above the Theth valley, at an altitude of 1,740 m, this small monument (Monumenti i Edit Durham) pays tribute to the British anthropologist, writer and journalist Edith Durham (1863-1944). Erected in 1956, it consists of a circular stele bearing a (not very accurate) portrait of the anthropologist, writer and journalist, together with the inscription Kralica e Malësorevet ("Queen of the Mountains"). Little known to French speakers, this explorer has given her name to many streets and buildings in Albania. Arriving in the Balkans in the early 20th century, Edith Durham first fell in love with Serbia, then Albania. Today considered a pioneer of field ethnology, Edith Durham has devoted several books to the "Albanian question". Intrigued by the Kanun and the customs of the Albanian mountain people, she stayed in Theth in 1909. "I believe that no place in the world trodden by man has ever given me such a grandiose feeling of isolation", she writes in her travel accounts, finally translated into French(Haute Albanie, Non Lieu editions). While vendettas wreak havoc throughout the region, she points out that the Theth Valley "is almost spared from bloodshed". Her fight for the Albanian cause and her love for this valley earned her the nickname "Queen of the Mountains". Although the monument dedicated to her here is not very beautiful, it is well worth a stop for the scenery. There are grandiose views of the Albanian Alps, with the Valbona Pass to the east and Mount Visens (2,517 m) to the north.
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