ROCKFALL PROTECTION OF CASTLE OF GJIROKASTRA

The city of Gjirokastra is located in Southern Albania and lies within the broad Drinos River Valley. Gjirokastra, and its castle, is a unique place. Inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2005, this city “bears outstanding testimony to the diversity of urban societies in the Balkans and longstanding ways of life which have today almost vanished” and “the town planning and housing of Gjirokastra are those of a citadel town…” (UNESCO).

Being a touristic attraction, the castle had to go under restorations. The current project, understandably, is focused on the short-term emergency structural and geological nterventions required for stabilization.

The adopted Maccaferri Solution is characterized at the bottom by Terramesh System and in the upper part by the Green Terramesh up to a total height of 25 m.

The choice to use Terramesh System with Mattresses at the bottom the structure was considered in order to save it from the river flow erosion.

The Green Terramesh in the upper part was used due to the environmental friendliness and ability to vegetate plants. 

It’s to be underline that to reach up the stability of a structure of this dimensions and in this environmental conditions the Paralink 300 geogrid was inserted in all the layers during the construction.

Moreover along the cut of the slope the drainage com-posite 1B1 was installed to guarantee the drainage of the rainfalls.