Discover Tirana
Capital of Albania, Tirana is today a city that centers within itself the major industrial and commercial activities of the country. As evidenced by the numerous archaeological sites, it boasts a thousand-year history, although its official foundation dates back to relatively recent times (1614).
To deepen the knowledge of Tirana it is necessary to start from Skandeberg Square, the real driving force of the city. It is dedicated to the great patriot and leader Gjergj Kastrioti Skenderbeu, who succeeded in titanic undertaking to keep the Turks away from the territory for over two decades.
The hero stands out with a large statue in the center of the square, which represents in its structure the most authentic communist style, with its architectural perfection and its vastness, a worthy setting for impressive military parades and a witness to dictatorial power.
Skandeberg Square
Important museums and buildings overlook it, including the Clock Tower, built in 1821 and raised a few years later to reach 35 meters in height.
Adjacent to the Clock Tower, the elegant Et'hem Bei Mosque, one of the oldest temples in the city, erected by Mulla Beu and his son Et'hem Beu, begun in 1794 and finished in 1821: it has a large entrance, a beautiful minaret, and a luminous dome.
The cultural liveliness of the city of Tirana is represented by the Opera Palace, the largest theater in all of Albania, built in the first half of the 1950s. After the end of the communist regime, which had canceled all religion in the Constitution, churches and places of worship have been reopened: among these, the Catholic Cathedral of St. Paul is worth a visit, with essential modern architecture lines, with beautiful glass paintings inside representing Mother Teresa of Calcutta, of Albanian origin, and Pope John Paul II.
As a demonstration of the citizen's interest and its public administration towards culture, Tirana, as well as many universities, is home to various and particular museums, including the Archaeological Museum, full of pottery and everyday objects, and the Museum of Natural Sciences, one of a kind, dedicated to the environment and local and national flora and fauna. And, in the large section dedicated to animals, you can admire the largest sea turtle in the country.
The National History Museum
But the most important and significant museum in the city is the National History Museum, in which the history, culture, art and traditions of Albania are punctually recounted, starting from the Illyrians up to the communist regime, a period which also appears 'ad abundantiam' in the contemporary section of the Art Gallery, with paintings, busts, statues, books and documents of various kinds.
Shopping and entertainment
Among the various activities of the metropolis there is also that of shopping. A very central and attractive area is the Toptani Shopping Center which joins the old castle of Tirana. In addition to offering shops and bars, it also gives a historical and cultural matrix.
In fact, as soon as you leave the shopping center, you find yourself within the walls of the castle of Tirana, which encloses other bars, restaurants and many irresistible corners for your souvenir photos.
For lovers of markets and bazaars, a few minutes walk from the center is Pazari i Ri, a picturesque area of bars, restaurants and markets ranging from fruit and vegetables to antiques.
