Tirana[b] (/tɪˈrɑːnə/ⓘtih-RAH-nə,[10][11]Albanian pronunciation:[tiˈɾana];Gheg Albanian:Tirona) is the capital andlargest city ofAlbania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills, withDajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest overlooking theAdriatic Sea in the distance. It is among the wettest and sunniest cities in Europe, with 2,544 hours of sun per year.[12][13]
This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(July 2020)
Early development
The mosaics of anAncient Roman house from the 3rd century AD
The area of Tirana has been inhabited by humans since prehistoric times with the earliest recognised reference found at theCave of Pëllumbas belonging to the Palaeolithic period.Illyrians were the first population of the area and formed most likely the core of theIllyrian kingdom of theTaulantii, which in classical antiquity was centered in the hinterland ofEpidamnus.[15] When the Romans arrived in Illyria after their victory of theIllyrian Wars, they populated and integrated the area into their empire under the political control of the city of Rome. The oldest surviving discovery from this period is aRoman house dating to the 3rd century, which was transformed into anaisleless church with a mosaic floor. Acastle, possibly known asTirkan, was built by the Byzantine EmperorJustinian I between the 4th and 6th century and later restored by Ahmed Pasha Toptani in the 18th century.[16]
Tirana is mentioned inVenetian documents in the 1350s as well as in 1418:"...the resident Pjeter, son of late Domenik from the village of Tirana...".[17] Records of the first land registrations under theOttomans in 1431–32 show that Tirana consisted of 60 inhabited areas, with nearly 2,028 houses and 7,300 inhabitants.[citation needed] In 1510,Marin Barleti, an Albanian Catholic priest and scholar, in the biography of the Albanian national heroSkanderbeg,Historia de vita et gestis Scanderbegi Epirotarum principis (The story of life and deeds of Skanderbeg, the prince of Epirotes), referred to this area as a small village, distinguishing between "Little Tirana" and "Great Tirana".[17] It is later mentioned in 1572 asBorgo di Tirana.[18]
According toHahn, the settlement had already started to develop as abazaar and included severalwatermills,[19] even before 1614, whenSulejman Bargjini, a local ruler, built theOld Mosque, a small commercial centre, and ahammam (Turkish bath). This is confirmed by oral sources, which state that there were two earlier mosques 300–400 m from the Old Mosque, towards today'sAli Demi Street. The Mosque of Reç and the Mosque of Mujo were positioned on the left side of theLana River and were older than the Old Mosque.[19] Later, theEt'hem Bey Mosque, built byMolla Bey of Petrela, was constructed. It employed the bestartisans in the country and was completed in 1821 by Molla's sonEtëhem, who was also Sulejman Bargjini's great-nephew.
The Old Bazaar at the turn of the 20th century. TheSulejman Pasha Mosque is visible in the background. It was destroyed inWorld War II.
Modern development
On 28 November 1912, the national flag was raised inVlorë byPresidentIsmail Qemali, marking the symbolic birth of Albania as a sovereign country. The next years, however, were marked by turmoil. During theBalkan Wars, Tirana was temporarily occupied by the Serbian army and it took part in uprising of the villages led byHaxhi Qamili. In August 1916, the first city map was compiled by the specialists of the Austro-Hungarian army.[22] Following the capture of the town ofDebar bySerbia, many of its Albanian inhabitants fled toTurkey, the rest went to Tirana.[23] Of those that ended up inIstanbul, some of their number migrated to Albania, mainly to Tirana where the Dibran community (people fromDibër County) formed an important segment of the city's population from 1920 onward and for some years thereafter.[23] On 8 February 1920, theCongress of Lushnjë proclaimed Tirana as the temporary capital of Albania, which had gained independence in 1912.[24] The city acquired that status permanently on 31 December 1925. In 1923, the first regulatory city plan was compiled by Austrian architects.[25] The centre of Tirana was the project ofFlorestano Di Fausto andArmando Brasini, well-known architects of theMussolini period in Italy.Brasini laid the basis for the modern-day arrangement of the ministerial buildings in the city centre.The plan underwent revisions by Albanian architect Eshref Frashëri, Italian architect Castellani and Austrian architects Weiss and Kohler.[citation needed]The modern Albanian parliament building served as an officers' club. It was there that, in September 1928,Zog of Albania was crowned King Zog I, King of the Albanians.
Old villa architecture in Tirana
Tirana was the venue for the signing of the Pact of Tirana between FascistItaly and Albania.During the rule of King Zog, manyMuhaxhirs migrated towards Tirana, which led to a growing population in the capital city in the early 20th century.[26]
The town soon became the centre of the Albanian communists, who mobilised locals against Italian fascists and laterNazi Germans, while spreading ideological propaganda. On 4 February 1944, theGestapo, supported by the forces ofXhafer Deva, executed 86 anti-fascists in Tirana.[28] On 17 November 1944, thetown was liberated after afierce battle between the Communists and German forces.[citation needed] The Nazis eventually withdrew and the communists seized power.
From 1944 to 1991, massive socialist-style apartment complexes and factories were built, whileSkanderbeg Square was redesigned, with a number of buildings demolished. For instance, Tirana's former Old Bazaar and theOrthodox Cathedral were razed to the ground in order to build the Soviet-styled Palace of Culture. The northern portion of the main boulevard was renamedStalinBoulevard and his statue was erected in the city square. Because private car ownership was banned, mass transportation consisted mainly of bicycles, trucks and buses. After Hoxha's death, apyramidal museum was constructed in his memory by the government.[citation needed]
Before and after the proclamation of Albania's policy of self-imposedisolationism, a number of high-profile figures paid visits to the city, such as Soviet leaderNikita Khrushchev,Chinese PremierZhou Enlai andEast German Foreign MinisterOskar Fischer. In 1985, Enver Hoxha's funeral was held in Tirana.[29] A few years later,Mother Teresa became the first religious figure[30] to visit the country after the end of Albania's longanti-religiousatheist stance. She paid respects to her mother and sister resting at a local cemetery.
Tirana's main boulevard in 1991
Starting at the campus and ending at Skanderbeg Square with the toppling of Enver Hoxha's statue, the city sawsignificant demonstrations byUniversity of Tirana students demanding political freedoms in the early 1990s. On the political aspect, the city witnessed a number of events. Personalities visited the capital, such as former U.S. Secretary of StateJames Baker andPope John Paul II.The former visit came amidst the historical setting after the fall of communism, as hundreds of thousands were chanting in Skanderbeg Square Baker's famous saying of "Freedom works!".[31]Pope John Paul II became the first major religious leader to visit Tirana, though Mother Teresa had visited few years prior.
During the Balkans turmoil in the mid-1990s, the city experienced dramatic events such as the unfolding of the1997 unrest in Albania and afailed coup d'état on 14 September 1998.
In 1999, following theKosovo War, Tirana Airport became a NATO airbase, serving its mission in the former Yugoslavia.
During his term from 2000 to 2011, the formermayor of Tirana,Edi Rama, undertook a campaign to demolish illegal constructed buildings across Tirana as well as along the river banks ofLanë to bring the area to its pre-1990 state. In an attempt to widen roads, Rama authorized the bulldozing of private properties so that they could be paved over, thus widening streets. Most main roads underwent reconstruction, including the Unaza,Rruga e Kavajës and the main boulevard. Rama also led the initiative to paint the façades of Tirana's buildings in bright colours, although much of their interiors continued to degrade. Rama's critics claimed that he focused too much attention on cosmetic changes without fixing any of the major problems such as shortages of drinking water and electricity.[32][33]
In June 2007,George W. Bush traveled to Tirana on an official state visit, becoming the firstU.S. President to visit the former communist country.[34][35] In 2008, theGërdec explosions were felt in the capital as windows were shattered and citizens shaken. In January 2011, theAlbanian opposition demonstrations were triggered in front of the governmental buildings in Tirana protesting against political corruption and state capture, particularly associated with the former prime ministerSali Berisha's government.[36] In September 2014,Pope Francis made an official state visit to Tirana simultaneously becoming the second pontiff to visit Albania, after Pope John Paul II in 1992.[37][38]
Following the municipal elections of 2015, power was transferred from theDemocratic Party representativeLulzim Basha to theSocialist Party candidateErion Veliaj.[39] Albania then underwent a territorial reform, in which defunct communes were merged with municipalities.[40] Thirteen of Tirana's former communes were integrated as administrative units joining the existing eleven.[41]Since then, Tirana is undergoing significant changes in infrastructure, law enforcement and new projects, as well as continuing the ones started by Veliaj's predecessor. In their first few council meetings, 242 social houses got allocated to families in need.[42] Construction permits were suspended until the capital's development plan is revised and synthesized.[41]
Between December 2018 and February 2019, aseries of demonstrations erupted in the central areas of Tirana and other cities of the country in response to a controversial law on higher education, poor quality of teaching, high tuition rates and corruption.[43][44][45] In September 2019, Tirana was ravaged by a 5.6magnitudeearthquake with an epicenter located near Durrës.[46][47][48] Two months after, in November 2019, another strongearthquake with the magnitude of 6.4 hit the region again resulting in comparatively few damages in Tirana.[49] The same month, Tirana was announced as theEuropean Youth Capital for 2022 with a planned program including events of cultural and social importance.[50]
Tirana extends at thePlain of Tirana in the centre of Albania between the mount ofDajti in the east, the hills of Kërrabe, Sauk and Vaqarr in the south, and a valley to the north overlooking theAdriatic Sea. The average altitude is about 110 meters (360 ft)above sea level, with a maximum of 1,828 metres (5,997 feet) at Maja Mincekut of Mali me Gropa in Shenmeri.[53]
The city is surrounded by two importantprotected areas: theDajti National Park andMali me Gropa-Bizë-Martanesh Protected Landscape. In winter, the mountains are often covered with snow and are a popular retreat for the population of Tirana, which rarely receives snowfalls. In terms ofbiodiversity, the forests are mainly composed ofpine,oak andbeech, while its interior relief[clarification needed] is dotted withcanyons, waterfalls, caves, lakes and other landforms.[54] Thanks to its natural heritage, it is considered the "Natural Balcony of Tirana". The mountain can be reached by a narrow asphalt mountain road onto an area known as Fusha e Dajtit. From this small area there is a view of Tirana and its plain.
Tiranë river flows through the city, as does the Lanë river. Tirana is home to several artificial lakes, includingTirana, Farka, Tufina, and Kashar. The present municipality was formed in the 2015 local government reform by the merger of the former municipalities of Baldushk, Bërzhitë, Dajt, Farkë, Kashar, Krrabë, Ndroq, Petrelë, Pezë, Shëngjergj, Tirana, Vaqarr, Zall-Bastar and Zall-Herr, which became municipal units. The seat of the municipality is the city of Tirana.[5]
The average precipitation in Tirana is about 1,266 millimetres (49.8 inches) per year. The city receives the majority of precipitation in winter months, which occurs from November to March, and less in summer months, from June to September. In terms of precipitation, both rain and snow, the city is ranked among the wettest cities inEurope.[13]
Temperatures vary throughout the year from an average of 6.7 °C (44.1 °F) in January to 24 °C (75 °F) in July.Springs andsummers are very warm to hot often reaching over 20 °C (68 °F) from May to September. Duringautumn andwinter, from November to March, the average temperature drops and is not lower than 6.7 °C (44.1 °F). The city receives approximately 2500 hours of sun.[56]
Climate data for Tirana (7)[c] 1961-1990 normals and extremes 1940-present[d]
In September 2015, Tirana organized its first vehicle-free day, joining forces with numerous cities across the globe to fight against the existing problem of urban air pollution. This initiative resulted in a considerable drop in both air and noise pollution, encouraging the Municipality to organise a vehicle-free day every month.[62][63]
The city suffers from problems related tooverpopulation,[64] such aswaste management, high levels ofair pollution and significantnoise pollution.Over the last decades, air pollution has become a pressing concern as the number of cars has increased. These are mostly 1990s and early 2000sdiesel cars,[65] while it is widely believed that thefuel used in Albania contains larger amounts ofsulfur andlead than in theEuropean Union. Effective 1 January 2019, the government has imposed an import ban of used vehicles made prior to 2005 in an effort to curb pollution, encourage the buying of new cars from certified domestic dealerships, and to improve overall road safety. Another source of pollution are PM10 and PM2.5inhaled particulate matter andNO2 gases[66][67] resulting from rapid growth in the construction of new buildings and expanding road infrastructure.[68]
Untreatedsolid waste is present in the city and outskirts. Additionally, there have been complaints of excessive noise pollution. Despite the problems, the Grand Park at the Artificial Lake has some effect on absorbing CO2 emissions, while over 2.000 trees have been planted around sidewalks.
Works for four new large parks have started in the summer of 2015 located in Kashar,Farkë, Vaqarr, andDajt. These parks are part of the new urban plan striving to increase the concentration of green spaces in the capital.[69] The government has included designated green areas around Tirana as part of the Tirana Greenbelt where construction is not permitted or limited.[70][71]
The Mayor of Tirana along with the Cabinet of Tirana exercises executive power. The Assembly of Tirana functions as the city parliament and consists of 55 members, serving four-year terms. It primarily deals with budget, global orientations and relations between the city and theGovernment of Albania. It has 14 committees and its chairman is Aldrin Dalipi from the Socialist Party. Each of the members have a specific portfolio such as economy, finance, juridical, education, health care, and several professional services, agencies and institutes.
In 2000, the centre of Tirana from the central campus of University of Tirana in the Mother Teresa Square up to the Skanderbeg Square, was declared the place of Cultural Assembly, and given state protection. The historical core of the capital lies around pedestrian only Murat Toptani Street, while the most prominent city district isBlloku. In 2010, the municipality undertook the installing of street name signs and entrance numbers while every apartment entrance was physically stamped.[74]
Tirana is thecapital city of theRepublic of Albania thus playing an essential role in shaping the political and economic life of the country.[75] It is the home to government functions and institutions for which the government of Albania is responsible, as for instance theexecutive,juridical andlegislative branches of Albania.
Tirana is the heart of theeconomy of Albania and the mostindustrialised and economically fastest growing region in Albania. Of the mainsectors, thetertiary sector is the most important for the economy of Tirana and employs more than 68% of work force of Tirana.[91] 26% of the working population makes up thesecondary sector followed by theprimary sector with only 5%.[91]
The city began to develop at the beginning of the 16th century as it was part of the Ottoman Empire, when a bazaar was established, and its craftsmen manufactured silk and cotton fabrics, leather, ceramics and iron, silver and gold artefacts.[92] In the 20th century, the city and its surrounding areas expanded rapidly and became the most heavily industrialised region of the country.
Thetelecommunication industry represents another major and growing contributor to the sector.[94] A rapid development occurred as well as after the end of communism and decades of isolationism mainly due to the new national policy of reform and opening up sped up the industry's development.Vodafone,Telekom Albania andEagle are the leading telecommunication providers in Tirana, as in all the country.
Thetourism industry of the city has expanded in recent years to become a vital component of the economy.[95] Tirana has been officially dubbed as 'The Place Beyond Belief' by local authorities.[96] The increasing number of international arrivals at theTirana International Airport andPort of Durrës from across Europe, Australia and Asia has rapidly grown the number of foreign visitors in the city.[97][98]
The largest hotels of the city are theTirana International Hotel,Maritim Plaza Tirana both situated in the heart of the city near Skanderbeg Square, and the Hyatt-owned luxury Mak Hotel Tirana[99] located next to theAir Albania Stadium, where Mariott Tirana Hotel is also planned to open.[100] Other major hotels present in central Tirana include the Rogner Hotel, Hilton Garden Inn Tirana, Xheko Imperial Hotel, Best Western Premier Ark Hotel, and Mondial Hotel.
Tirana is served byNënë Tereza International Airport, which is simultaneously the premier air gateway to the country. The airport was officially named in honour of the Albanian Roman Catholic nun and missionary, Mother Teresa. It connects Tirana with many destinations in different countries across Europe, Africa, and Asia. The airport carried more than 3.3 million passengers in 2019 and is also the principalhub for the country'sflag carrier,Air Albania.[101]
The city's geographical location in the centre of Albania has long established the city as an integral terminus for thenational road transportation, thus connecting the city to all parts of Albania and the neighbouring countries.[102] TheRruga Shtetërore 1 (SH1) connects Tirana withShkodër andMontenegro in the north, and constitutes an essential section of the proposedAdriatic–Ionian motorway.TheRruga Shtetërore 2 (SH2) continues in the west and provides direct connection to Durrës on the Adriatic Sea. The Rruga Shtetërore 3 (SH3) is being transformed to theAutostrada 3 (A3) and follows the ancientVia Egnatia. It significantly constitutes a major section of thePan-European Corridor VIII and links the city withElbasan, Korçë and Greece in the south. Tirana is further connected, through the Milot interchange in the northwest, withKosovo following as part of theAutostrada 1 (A1).
During thecommunist regime in Albania, a plan for the construction of aring road around Tirana arose in 1989s with no implementation until the 2010s.[103] It is of major importance, especially concerning the demographic growth of themetropolitan region of Tirana as well as the importance of the economy. Although, constructions for the nowadays completed southern section of the ring road started in 2011, however, the northern and eastern sections are still in the planning process.[104]
Rail
Rail lines ofHekurudha Shqiptare (HSH) connected Tirana with all of the major cities of Albania, including Durrës, Shkodër and Vlorë. In 2013, theTirana Railway Station was closed and moved to Kashar by the city government in order to create space for the New Boulevard (Albanian:Bulevardi i Ri) project.[105] The new Tirana Station will be constructed inLaprakë, which is projected to be a multifunctional terminal for rail, tram and bus transportation.[106][107] City officials have also talked about a light rail extension all the way to the location of the former rail station.[108]The new rail line from Tirana through Nënë Tereza International Airport to Durrës has started construction.[108]
In 2012, the Tirana municipality published a report according to which a project on the construction of two tram lines was under evaluation. The tram lines would have a total length of 16.7 kilometres (10.4 miles). The plan was never implemented. Under the plan, the two tram lines would have intersected in Skanderbeg Square. The public transport in Tirana is, for now, focused only in the city centre, so that the people living in the suburbs have fewer or no public transport connections.[citation needed]
Bus
Tirana's bus network is its primary and only system of public transport. The system has 16 lines serving the urban core, with another 14 suburban lines serving its outer regions. The urban network is made up of 8 radial lines, 5 diagonal lines, and 3 circular or semi-circular lines.[109]
Busses often get stuck in traffic. There were only 7 kilometres (4.3 miles) of dedicated bus lines in 2020.[109]
There were 451 bus stops on the entire urban network in 2020, extending to over 170 kilometres (110 miles). Services operate every day, regardless of holidays and weekends, from 06:00 to 24:00. The entire network had an averageheadway of 9 minutes on a daily basis in 2018 and in the first half of 2019.[109]
Nearly 257,000 residents lived within a 150 m (490 ft) walking area from a bus stop when surveyed in Tirana’s strategic transport study in 2019. That was approximately 35% of the population living inside the Municipal unit of Tirana.[109]
A single-ride ticket costs 40 Lek, and no hourly or daily options are available. Disabled people and veterans may ride for free. An electronic ticketing system is under implementation.[109]
Safe cycling paths are still relatively rare, despite improvements in recent years. Paths are often blocked by parked cars or construction. Other obstructions which decrease ride quality, such as drain holes, are also prevalent. There were only around 30 kilometres (19 miles) of cycling routes in 2020.[109]
The educational system of Tirana has expanded substantially over the past years with the renovations of existing school facilities and the construction of new schools.[118][119] Forprimary andsecondary education, a variety of schools are available, tagged with the public, private and international labels. Some of the international schools are theTirana International School,Albanian International School, British School, Montessori School, Memorial School and World Academy. The public primary and secondary Servete Maçi School won an award at the 2020International Architecture Awards.[120]
TheInstitute of Statistics (INSTAT) estimated the population of the municipality of Tirana at 598,176 in the 2023 census.[6] With a population density of 502 people per square kilometre, Tirana is the most densely populated municipality in the country.[2] The encompassingmetropolitan area, consisting of the regions of Durrës and Tirana, has a combined population of approximately 1 million amounting to nearly one third of the country's total population.[127]
Historically, Tirana has experienced a steady population increase in the past years, especially after the fall of communism in the late twentieth century as well as the beginning of the twenty-first century. The remarkable growth was, and still is, largely fueled by migrants from all over the country often in search ofemployment and improved living conditions. Between 1820 and 1955, the population of Tirana tenfolded while during the period from 1989 to 2011, the city's population grew annually by approximately 2.7%. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the city had a rate of growth less than 1% annually until the 1970s, then down to less than 8% per year until the middle 20th century figures.[128]
Tirana's population is composed by a mixture of different cultural and ethnic groups fromSouthern Europe. The most represented ethnicities are Albanians (84.10%), Greeks (0.35%), Aromanians (0.11%),Macedonians (0.07%) andItalians (0.03%).[130]
Tirana offers a blend of traditional and modern lifestyle with a variety of arts, food, entertainment, music and night life. Its population celebrates a wide range of religious and other festivals includingChristmas,Eid,Hanukkah andNowruz. Another festival isDita e Verës taking place every year on 14 March, during which the Albanians celebrate the end of winter and the arrival of spring.
Among the local institutions are theNational Library, that keeps more than a million books, periodicals, maps, atlases, microfilms and other library materials. The city has five well-preserved traditional houses (museum-houses), 56 culturalmonuments, eight publiclibraries.[134]
Tirana is home to a mixture of architectural styles reflecting the influential periods in its history. Its current appearance was considerably shaped by two totalitarian regimes, once by the fascist regime of Benito Mussolini during theSecond World War and the regime of Enver Hoxha in theaftermath. ThePalace of Brigades, the ministries buildings, the government building and the municipality hall are designed by Florestano Di Fausto and Armando Brasini, both well-known architects of the Mussolini period in Italy. The Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard was built in 1930 and given the nameKing Zog I Boulevard.
In the 20th century, the part from Skanderbeg Square up to the train station was named Stalin Boulevard. The Royal Palace or Palace of Brigades previously served as the official residence of King Zog I. It has been used by different Albanian governments for various purposes. Because of the outbreak of World War II, and the 1939Italian invasion of Albania, Zog I fled Albania and never had a chance to see the Palace fully constructed. The Italians finished it and used it as the Army Headquarters. The Palace took its nickname Palace of Brigades because it was taken from the Italians by a people's army brigade.[143]
In the 21st century, Tirana turned into a proper modernist city, with large blocks of flats, modern new buildings, new shopping centres and many green spaces. In June 2016, the Mayor of Tirana Erion Veliaj and the Italian architectStefano Boeri announced the start of the works for the redaction of the Master PlanTirana 2030.[144]
Tirana is a densely-built area and still offers several public parks throughout its districts, graced with green gardens. The Grand Park is the most important green space in Tirana. It is one of the most visited areas by local citizens.[145] The park includes many children's playgrounds, sport facilities and landmarks such as theSaint Procopius Church, thePresidential Palace, theBotanical Gardens, theTirana Zoo, the Amphitheatre, the Monument of the Frashëri Brothers and many others.
TheRinia Park was built during the Communist era. It bordered by Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard to the east, Gjergi Fishta Boulevard andBajram Curri Boulevard to the south, Rruga Ibrahim Rugova to the west and Rruga Myslym Shyri to the north. TheTaivani Centre is the main landmark in the park and houses cafés, restaurants, fountains, and a bowling lane in the basement. The Summer Festival takes place every year in the park, to celebrate the end of winter and the rebirth of nature and a rejuvenation of spirit amongst the Albanians.
As of 2020 it was announced that the Municipality of Tirana will build more green spaces and will plant more trees.[146]
The Alban Tower, designed by Archea Associati (Italy), completed in 2021
Tirana is the home to a number of museums dedicated to a wide array of arts. TheNational Museum of History is located at the Skanderbeg Square and the most representative museum of Tirana.[147] The mosaic above the entrance is the most dominant feature of the museum displaying the story of how theAlbanian people have fought against invasion and occupation throughout history.
Founded in 1948, theNational Museum of Archaeology at the Mother Teresa Square displays a wide collection of research and discoveries belonging to the archaeological locations around Albania.[148] It exhibits span from prehistory through antiquity and the Middle Ages to the twentieth century, offering an overview of the country's historical diversity.
TheNational Art Gallery is considered the most important gallery in Albania housing one of the greatest collections of paintings in the region.[150] Located at the Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard, it holds approximately 4.500 works of art including the most important collection ofAlbanian art of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
TheBunk'art Museum consists of two underground bunkers built under the orders and direction of Hoxha during the communist era. Located at the Fadil Deliu Street and Abdi Toptani Street respectively, the bunkers have been transformed into a history museum and contemporary art gallery with exhibits from the Second World War andCold War.[151][152]
TheMuseum of Secret Surveillance was founded in 2017 and is housed within a twentieth century mansion, the building known as theHouse of Leaves, near the Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard.[153] It commemorates and honours the victims who fell to the communist terrorism and violence during the communist period in Albania. Other museums include theNatural Sciences Museum, which has branches in zoology, botany and geology, the former Enver Hoxha Museum and the Bunk'art Museum.
As in other parts of Albania, agricultural traditions are of great significance to the Albanians in Tirana, substantially appreciated for the production of food such as cheese, olives and wine. In 2016, Albania surpassed Spain by becoming the country with the most coffee houses per capita in the world with 654 coffee houses per 100,000 inhabitants.[155] This is due to coffee houses closing down in Spain due to the economic crisis, and the fact that as many cafes open as they close in Albania. In addition, the fact that it was one of the easiest ways to make a living after the fall of communism in Albania, together with the country's Ottoman legacy further reinforce its strong dominance in Albania.[citation needed]
The Tirana region is known for the Fergesa traditional dish made with either peppers or liver,[156] and is found at a number of traditional restaurants in the city and agri-tourism sites on the outskirts of Tirana.
Sports
Being the capital, Tirana is the centre of sport in Albania, where activity is organised across amateur and professional levels. It is home to many major sporting facilities. Starting from 2007, the Tirana Municipality has built up to 80 sport gardens in most of Tirana's neighborhoods. One of the latest projects is the reconstruction of the existingOlympic Park, that will provide infrastructure for most intramural sports.[157]
There are two major stadiums, the formerQemal Stafa Stadium and theSelman Stërmasi stadium. The former was demolished in 2016 to make way for the new national stadium.[158] The new stadium called theAir Albania Stadium was constructed on the same site of the former Qemal Stafa Stadium and opened in November 2019.[159] It will have an underground parking, Marriott Tirana Hotel, shops and bars and will be used for entertainment events. Tirana's sports infrastructure is developing fast because of the investments from the municipality and thegovernment.
Football is the most widely followed sport in Tirana as well as in the country, having numerous club teams including theKF Tirana,Partizani Tirana, andDinamo Tirana. It is popular at every level of society, from children to wealthy professionals. In football, as of April 2012, the Tirana-based teams have won a combined57 championships out of 72 championships organised by theFSHF, i.e. 79% of them. Another popular sport in Albania is basketball, represented in particular by the teamsKB Tirana,BC Partizani,BC Dinamo,Ardhmëria and also the women'sPBC Tirana.
The former grounds of the headquarters ofRadio Tirana. Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH) was initially founded as Radio Tirana in 1938.
As the capital, Tirana is the most significant location for the Albanian media industry whose content is distributed throughout Albania, Kosovo and other Albanian-speaking territories. Tirana is the home to most of the national and internationaltelevision stations, including the national broadcaster,Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH), along with all its television and radio networks. The three largest Albanian commercial broadcasters, such asTelevizioni Klan,Top Channel andVizion Plus, also maintains their headquarters in the city. The European broadcaster,Euronews, operates a franchise in the city as well as the American broadcasterCNN.[162][163]
Tirana is also a principal location for the largest Albanian newspapers, magazines and publications. The newspapers with the largest circulations in Albania are published in Tirana, includingGazeta Shqip,Gazeta Tema,Koha Jonë and Panorama.Gazeta Shqiptare, one of the oldest Albanian-language newspapers in Albania, operates and has its headquarters in the city.[164] Tirana also has a well-establishedEnglish-language newspaper, notably the daily ofTirana Times.
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