BOULEVARD FAN-NOLI

The city's main thoroughfare, this boulevard (Bulevardi Fan Noli) follows the course of a buried riverbed, describing a long, 2 km-long curve that crosses Korça from east to northwest. Heading east from the cathedral, the boulevard passes by the Hotel Vila Mano (in a perpendicular street on the left), the Bratko Museum of Oriental Art (on the left), the Vila Cofiel restaurant (on the left, in a parallel street), the hospital (on the right), the National Museum of Medieval Art (on the left), then ends in front of the Korça brewery, which produces the country's most famous beer. Heading north-west from the cathedral, the boulevard skirts Vangjush-Mio Park (right), the Town Hall (red building, left), the Mirahori Mosque (off to the left), the Old Bazaar district (left), Theatre Square with its panoramic tower (right) and the city market (left). It then continues north-west along rue Kiço-Greço, which leads to the bus station. The boulevard is named after one of modern Albania's most important figures, Theofan Noli (1882-1965). He was Orthodox Archbishop of Korça, founder of the Autocephalous (independent) Orthodox Church of Albania, briefly Prime Minister of the country in 1924 and the main opponent of King Zog's dictatorship. A writer, theologian, diplomat and historian, he lived in exile from 1924, taught at Harvard and Boston universities in the United States, and died in Florida at the age of 83.