Hunting Lodge

It was designed in 1939 on a small lagoon island covered by a dense forest and completed in late 1940. The Hunting lodge is located in a fascinating natural landscape and represents a complex of special historical and architectural value.
In terms of construction typology, the Hunting lodge is the only one among the monuments that is classified as an object of civil architecture. This complex has a very special connection with Count Galeazzo Ciano (1903-1944), the former Foreign Minister of Italy (Viceroy of King Vittorio Emanuele III) in Albania and husband of Edda Mussolini, daughter of Benito Mussolini.
The person who gave Count Ciano the right to build the residence on his property was Toro Keçi, one of the local residents of the area, who owned the land where this building of historical importance was then erected. During the construction of the Hunting Lodge several important criteria were taken into account, starting from full harmonization with the natural environment and the microclimate of the area, to respecting the local tradition of construction with stones and wood. This approach aimed to preserve the authentic character and traditional aesthetics of the country, integrating the building into the surrounding landscape without disrupting the natural and historical balance.
Interestingly, not only the Hunting Lodge complex, but also the road connected to the hotel was designed by Count Ciano.
During the period of the communist regime, the Hunting Hotel continued to remain a privileged point of visits for the senior leaders of the Albanian State. Members of the government of that time often came there, who used the vast territory of the lagoon for hunting birds and wild animals. The dictator Enver Hoxha himself is mentioned among the most regular attendees, but above all the figure who frequented this residence the most often was Mehmet Shehu, the former prime minister, known for his passion for hunting.
During the communist regime, this building was one of the only three residences in Albania with official status “Government Residence”. This special status positioned the building as one of the most important spaces of the state protocol, where high governmental delegations were hosted.
The Hunting Hotel is inextricably linked to the Kune-Vain Managed Nature Reserve, which is the first protected area in Albania to be protected since July 1940.
The natural wealth, lagoon landscape, abundant bird fauna and quiet coastal environment made this space seem ideal for Count Ciano's purposes, making it the most privileged destination of the Italian administration period.
After the fall of the communist regime and the return of pluralism, Lezha, like all of Albania, experienced great political, social and economic transformations. But in the infamous year 1997, the Hunting Lodge became the object of an organized robbery and even attempted to burn completely. However, thanks to the intervention of Toro Keçi's heirs, the hotel was saved from total destruction.
For several years, the Hunting Lodge remained only a shadow of its former glory. But after the rehabilitation carried out in recent years that have preserved the authenticity of the complex and its historical and architectural character, this complex has become a frequented tourist spot.