Frashër

The mountain village that gave Albania three leaders of its National Awakening, the Frashëri brothers.

Frashër (often written Frasheri) is a small mountain village in the Përmet municipality, in southern Albania, and the birthplace of Abdyl, Naim and Sami Frashëri, three leading figures of the Albanian National Awakening in the 19th century. Naim became Albania's national poet. The village also has a Bektashi tekke, a house museum dedicated to the brothers, and a setting inside the Hotova–Dangëlli National Park. It is about 35 to 40 km from Përmet by road, so plan it as a half-day or full-day trip.

Frashër at a glance

Where	In the Përmet municipality, southern Albania, in the Hotova–Dangëlli National Park area
Distance from Përmet	About 35 to 40 km by road (sources give 30 to 40 km), on the SH75 road
Population	387 residents were recorded at the 2011 census; one visitor guide calls it a village of about 400 people
The name	Means "ash tree" in Albanian, from the Latin fraxinus
Famous for	The Frashëri brothers, the Bektashi tekke and the house museum
Administrative unit	One of the five units of the Përmet municipality; it includes Frashër, Zavalan, Ogren-Kostrec, Gostivisht, Miçan, Vërçisht, Kreshovë and Soropull

The Frashëri brothers

The three brothers were born in Frashër and played leading roles in the movement for Albanian language, culture and political rights in the Ottoman Empire.

Abdyl Frashëri (1839 to 1892) was one of the initiators and a prominent leader of the League of Prizren, founded in June 1878 to defend Albanian rights. He served as its foreign minister and helped organise later assemblies. He had founded a Central Committee for Defending Albanian Rights in Istanbul around 1877.
Naim Frashëri (1846 to 1900) is regarded as Albania's national poet and a pioneer of modern Albanian literature. His works in Albanian include Bagëti e Bujqësi (Herds and Crops, 1886), Luletë e Verësë (Flowers of the Summer, 1890) and Histori e Skënderbeut (History of Skanderbeg, 1898).
Sami Frashëri (1850 to 1904) was a writer and encyclopaedist in both Albanian and Ottoman Turkish. He wrote the six-volume Kâmûsü'l-A'lâm (1889 to 1898), described as the first encyclopedia printed in Turkish, and in 1879 founded the Society for the Publication of Albanian Writings in Istanbul, where Albanian school books and texts were prepared with his brother Naim. His son Ali Sami Yen founded the Istanbul football club Galatasaray.

Other well-known people from the village include Mehdi Frashëri, who became Prime Minister of Albania.

What to see in Frashër

The Frashëri brothers' house museum. The family house is a first-category cultural monument. It houses a small museum of the brothers' books and manuscripts, with statues of the three outside. Visitor guides report that it has been closed or under restoration at times, so ask in Përmet before you make the trip.
The Bektashi tekke. A tekke is a lodge of the Bektashi order, a Sufi tradition with a long history in Albania. The Tekke of Frashër, also known as the Nasibi Tahir Baba tekke, is linked to the National Awakening and to the League of Prizren period, 1878 to 1881. It was destroyed in June 1914, rebuilt in 1923 with contributions from Albanians in the United States, and declared a Cultural Monument of Albania in 1973. It remains an active place of worship, so dress modestly and ask before taking photographs.
The mountain setting. Frashër lies within the Hotova–Dangëlli National Park area, with forest and mountain views. See the Hotova–Dangëlli page for walking and wildlife.

Getting there

From Përmet, take the SH75 road towards Frashër. Visitor guides describe the road as rough in places, so a 4x4 or an experienced driver is advisable, and the journey takes noticeably longer than the distance suggests. Going with a local guide or on an organised tour is the easiest way to combine Frashër with the surrounding forest.

When to go

Late spring and early autumn are the most comfortable seasons in the mountains. In winter, check the road conditions before you set out. Because opening hours are not published reliably, treat any visit to the museum as something to confirm locally.

Combine it with

A walk in the Hotova–Dangëlli National Park.
A soak at the Benja thermal baths on the way back.
Dinner in the town of Përmet.

There is nothing to book here directly yet. Search live availability across the whole area, or browse tours and activities and places to stay.

Frashër: questions and answers

Who were the Frashëri brothers?

Abdyl (1839 to 1892), Naim (1846 to 1900) and Sami (1850 to 1904) Frashëri were born in the village of Frashër and became leading figures of the Albanian National Awakening. Abdyl was a leader of the League of Prizren, Naim is regarded as Albania's national poet, and Sami was a writer and encyclopaedist.

How far is Frashër from Përmet?

About 35 to 40 km by road, on the SH75. The road is rough in places, so allow more time than the distance suggests.

What is a tekke?

A tekke is a lodge of a Sufi order. The Tekke of Frashër belongs to the Bektashi order and is a Cultural Monument of Albania, designated in 1973. It was destroyed in June 1914 and rebuilt in 1923.

Can you visit the Frashëri brothers' museum?

The house museum of the Frashëri brothers is a first-category cultural monument in the village. Visitor guides report that it has been closed or under restoration at times, so check locally before you go.

What does Frashër mean?

It means "ash tree" in Albanian. The word comes from the Latin fraxinus.

Who founded Galatasaray?

Ali Sami Yen, the son of Sami Frashëri, founded Galatasaray, the Istanbul football club, and chaired it in the early 20th century.

How many people live in Frashër?

The 2011 census recorded 387 residents, and one visitor guide describes Frashër as a village of about 400 people.

Sources

Facts checked in October 2026. Wikipedia gives conflicting founding dates for the tekke, so none is stated here.