It is precisely the peculiar beauty and intriguing form of this canyon that made the creation of legends about it possible. Many of these legends have been preserved even to this day. Among them, it is particularly worth mentioning the legend of the bride and that of the footsteps of Saint Abaz Ali.
The legend of the “Hole of the Bride.”
The first legend of Osumi Canyon talks about the fate of a bride who was getting married against her wish and, unfortunately, was forced to follow the old traditions. When the people at the wedding were coming back from the bride’s home, which was in a village, the bride said she was unhappy about her marriage, but no one reacted to her words. So she planned to escape.
Begging to God, the bride talks to the rock of the canyon: Praying to the God, he addresses the rock of the canyon: “Open rock… save me from the embarrassment that has overwhelmed me.” The rock heard her and immediately revealed a hole, a cleft in the rock. The bride jumped off the horse on which she was riding and hid in the hole. The bearers returned to the village without him. She never returned from the safety of that spot. Later, this hole was visited by young brides who couldn’t bear children: going there was considered sacred and helpful for them.
The legend of Saint Abaz Ali
The second legend relates to the strange forms created by the dissolution of limestone in the water. These shapes are similar to the footprint of a horse and a bat. They are located near the village of Dores, about 5 km from the town of Çorovoda. Legend describes them as the footsteps of Saint Abaz Ali, who came to Tomor from Karbala, riding on his white horse.
He flew and left his mark on the Kajca plank, from where he again fled to Mount Tomor. Nowadays, Bektashi believers seek the help of Saint Abaz Ali to help calm their souls.
As soon as you cross the town of Çorodovan, near Berat and take the course of the river, the magnificent view of the Osumi Canyon suddenly appears. Still unrecognizable because of the lack of publicity, this canyon is one of the pearls of Albanian nature and a place almost entirely virgin to be explored by both domestic and foreign tourists.
The Osumi Canyon starts at a place called Hambull, about 18 kilometers from the town of Çorovoda; it stops after crossing the village of Lapan, as the riverbed expands to a place called “Father’s Mill” and from there to the Vau of Grepcke. Almost two kilometers from the town of Çorovoda, the canyon appears magnificent and offers truly stunning and unforgettable views. But its most beautiful part extends from the village of Blezencke to the end of the village of Cerenisht.
