Guesthouse“Gjergj Frani” (Qeleshja)

The hat in the Albanian Alps is part of the traditional dress of Albanian men. The hat is a characteristic, unique cover, because it is used only in Albanian lands. Indeed, the shrine is one of the symbols of the Albanians. It is part of the national costumes and was widely used until the mid-20th century, while in the last two decades the use of “qeleshe” has taken on a spectacular character. However, in the deep Alp mountains, there are still men who modestly inherit this headgear as their everyday attire. The hat is made up of white sheep's wool only. The special way of beating the wool, makes “qeleshe” a single piece with no other material in its composition. In the Albanian Alps National Park, but also up to the borders where the Albanian Alps actually extend to the depths of Kosovo and Montenegro, Albanians in these areas hold white oval-shaped “qeleshe”. Meanwhile, in the south and southeast of the Alps, the shape of this traditional hat changes, becoming tapered with a pointed top.