Endangered fortifications: The kulla of northern Albania in survey and conservation

This paper presents the results of a field survey of a kulla (tower house) in Northern Albania, one of the most distinctive examples of vernacular fortified dwellings, built in stone and shaped by the traditions of clan-based society. This contribution focuses on the digital restitution phase, establishing a foundation for subsequent research on conservation and adaptive reuse. Documentation combined hand-measured drawings, photographic records, and digital survey tools, not only to analyze the structure but also to safeguard and promote its cultural significance. Through this case study, the paper addresses the wider challenges of conserving rural fortifications in the Mediterranean: their growing vulnerability to neglect, the limited place they occupy within formal heritage frameworks, and the difficulty of adapting them to contemporary needs. At the same time, the work demonstrates how careful survey practice can operate both as a preservation tool and as a starting point for reintegrating such architecture into broader debates on Mediterranean heritage. This article also marks the first step of a planned series dedicated to the systematic study of kulla typology. By establishing a foundation of data and methods for documentation, protection, and valorization, it opens the way for further investigations that will extend the analysis and contribute to a comprehensive framework for safeguarding this unique form of architectural heritage. In a broader perspective, the kulla is part of a larger family of fortified dwellings found across the Mediterranean.