Revitalising Cultural Heritage Ensembles in Post-Earthquake Albania: A Collaborative Conservation Effort

This paper examines post-disaster conservation efforts following the devastating November 2019 earthquake in Albania, which severely affected 53 cultural heritage sites, including the Ottoman-era ethnographic museums in Kruja and Kavaja. The interdisciplinary initiative, led by the United Nations Office for Project Services and the Institute of Conservation (IoC), University of Applied Arts Vienna, involved stabilising museum building structures, conserving over 2,000 artefacts, and integrating modern exhibition designs. Local artisans and students from the IoC and the Department of Archaeology and Cultural Heritage, University of Tirana, contributed through hands-on training and capacity-building activities, ensuring the long-term sustainability of the work. This case study highlights the importance of international collaboration, community involvement, adaptable methodologies, and interdisciplinary teamwork in addressing the complex challenges of large-scale cultural heritage conservation within limited timeframes and budgets.