Tangible cultural heritage is a body of cultural and historical values handed down from generation to generation and expressed through various types, such as archaeological, architectural, historical and artistic heritage. The town of Pogradec and the surrounding areas have a rich cultural heritage, represented both by tangible cultural heritage (archaeological, architectural, religious and ethnographic monuments, etc.) and by intangible cultural heritage (folklore, songs, dances, crafts, gastronomy, etc.). According to the Ministry of Culture, the Municipality of Pogradec includes 28 cultural sites which, on account of the values they hold, enjoy the legal status of First Category Cultural Monument. These include archaeological settlements, castles, monumental tombs, dwellings, bridges, places of worship and more. Pogradec’s natural heritage is also very diverse. Eighteen natural monuments have been designated in this area and placed under state protection in order to preserve their original natural values. In this Cultural Heritage catalogue, special space is also devoted to the Historical Museum of Pogradec, a museum rich in archaeological, ethnographic and historical artefacts dating from the earliest traces of humankind in this region to the present day. Another unique asset of Pogradec that cannot go unmentioned is Lake Ohrid, which now belongs not only to the national heritage but also to the international heritage, since in 2019 it became part of the UNESCO list as a World Natural and Cultural Heritage site.
