Information
Landmark: Tekke of FrashërCity: Sarande
Country: Albania
Continent: Europe
Tekke of Frashër, Sarande, Albania, Europe
Overview
Tucked near the town of Përmet in southern Albania, the Tekke of Frashër stands as an important spiritual and cultural center for the Bektashi Order, a mystical branch of Islamic Sufism.The tekke stands as a cherished spiritual hub, a place where the scent of burning incense mingles with voices, reflecting Albania’s deep cultural and religious diversity.It’s also a place steeped in history, cherished as a national symbol for its link to the Frashëri brothers-key voices in the Albanian National Awakening.In the village of Frashër, about 35 kilometers east of Përmet, the Tekke rests in the green embrace of the Dëshnica Valley, where rolling hills, grassy pastures, and old stone houses lend a quiet, timeless air.Founded in the 18th century under Ottoman rule as part of the Bektashi spiritual tradition, it became a hub of worship, learning, and culture.In the 19th century, it played a key role in spreading Albanian nationalist ideas during the Rilindja Kombëtare, closely linked to the Frashëri brothers-Abdyl, Naim, and Sami-figures of lasting influence in literature, politics, and education.Destroyed under communism when religion was banned, the tekke rose again after 1990, restored as a place of pilgrimage and heritage.Today it stands as both a spiritual center for Bektashi followers, who gather for events like Ashura, and a symbol of unity bridging faith and nation.Its complex blends Ottoman and Albanian architecture, with a prayer hall, guest rooms, a shaded courtyard, and interiors inscribed with sacred verses.Tombs of revered Bektashi leaders draw visitors seeking blessings, while streams wind through the valley below and the hills stretch toward the horizon.Sami Frashëri’s works lie at the heart of Albanian literature.A sharp-minded reformer, he helped shape the modern Albanian language and pushed for better schools, leaving ideas as clear and precise as freshly printed ink on a page.He wrote dictionaries, encyclopedias, and philosophical works, and the Tekke of Frashër draws Bektashi pilgrims along with curious travelers eager to explore Albania’s religious diversity; here you can discover the Bektashi faith, Albanian nationalism, and the Frashëri brothers’ role in shaping the nation’s cultural and political story, then wander through the green folds of the Dëshnica Valley with a camera or sturdy hiking boots, arrive by car or local transport from Përmet along winding roads past stone villages, visit in spring or autumn when mild air carries the scent of wild herbs, join guided tours that share the site’s history and spiritual meaning, stay in guesthouses that serve warm bread and local honey, and explore nearby treasures such as the steaming Bënja thermal springs, the sheer walls of Langarica Canyon, the painted icons of the 17th-century Church of Leusë, or the sacred slopes of Mount Tomorr-protected as a national cultural monument, the tekke endures as a living emblem of Albania’s heritage and faith.Whether it’s the legacy of the Frashëri brothers, the wisdom of the Bektashi faith, or the quiet curve of hills around it that draws you in, visiting this tekke leaves a deep and lasting impression.
