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Albania, one of the least known and least visited countries in Europe, has been opening up to the world after decades of isolation under its communist authorities.
An avid enthusiast of Stalinist principles, dictator Enver Hoxha ruled Albania from the end of World War II until 1985. The years of dictatorship brought the country to economic and social collapse. Some of the most conspicuous relics of those days include thousands of concrete bunkers on the Albanian coast. The structures emerged at the beginning of the 1970s, when the Albanian dictator severed contacts with all countries except for communist China.
Apparently, around 600,000 bunkers were built to protect every Albanian family in case of invasion by Soviet forces, something Hoxha was obsessed about. Today, these "concrete mushrooms," although usually rundown, are a fixed element of the Albanian landscape.
The bunkers and other aspects of Albania are the subject of a collection of photographs taken by The Warsaw Voice journalist Mirela Hein and Pawe³ M³ynarczyk during a bicycle trip to the country in August and September. The pair aim to show their work in an exhibition next year. For now, the pictures can be seen at www.szlaban.fotopic.net.
Most of the bunkers can be seen on mountain slopes along the coastline and sometimes they look as if they are growing out of the sea. Some have been converted into warehouses and granaries. These days, however, many are simply taken apart by people who need construction materials.
Because of this, the bunkers of Albania may soon be just a legend. Still, there is much more to Albania than its "concrete mushrooms." The country is worth visiting for many reasons, including its beaches on the Adriatic Sea, the unexplored Albanian Alps and the remains of an ancient settlement called Butrint, which is on the UNESCO list of world heritage sites.
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