Dedicated to the cleric Ndre Mjeda, one of the most important figures of the Albanian Renaissance. He was a poet, philosopher, musician, philologist, and patriot, with an extraordinary contribution to Albanian culture. He was born in 1866 in a poor family in Shkodër. He received his early education in his hometown, at the Saverian College, and at the age of 14, he continued his studies in various cities across Italy. Later, he began teaching in Italy, France, Spain, Poland, Croatia, etc., where he taught theology, philosophy, and music. After returning to Albania, he served as a parish priest in various areas until 1906, when he was appointed in Kukël, where he would stay almost until the end of his life.
During his time in Kukël, Mjeda designed the reconstruction of the environment around the church into a complex of buildings and religious and community services. It was here that Mjeda experienced the most creative period of his life, writing his literary works and linguistic studies on the Albanian language and its various dialects. The complex consists of the church of Kukël and reconstructed cells in the neoclassical style from the beginning of the last century. It fulfilled its religious and community functions until 1967, the year when religious practices were prohibited. Until 1990, the church served as a storage facility, sometimes for the cooperative and other times for the army, while the cells, except for a small part that served as a museum, part of the historical museum of Shkodër, mostly served as a shelter for village families.
The Ndre Mjeda Museum Complex was also reconstructed in 2014, transforming it into what Mjeda himself had sought to create: a religious and cultural center, preserving the structure and characteristics of the objects that comprise it. The buildings’ structure is typical of that period, with stone walls, wooden roof construction, and local tile coverings. The floors are made of wood, as are the divisions between levels. In the museum area, there are items used daily by Mjeda as well as many everyday instruments.
The Mjeda complex is situated in a convenient location for visits from school students and families. The road to Kukël is very scenic, and during the warm seasons, it offers greenery that makes the journey relaxing and enjoyable.
