Tirana
Created in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, Tirana has only been the capital of Albania since 1920. The city has examples of early 19th-century architecture such as the Ethem-Bey Mosque (built 1789-1823) and the 35m-high (117ft) clocktower (1830). The old bazaar quarter was demolished in 1961 to make way for the Palace of Culture, which houses the Opera and Ballet Theatre and the National Library. The city centre and the government buildings on Skanderbeg Square date back to the Italian era, creating the impression of a provincial Italian town, while the Pyramid, which was built as a museum for Enver Hoxha (Albania’s former communist leader), has been turned into an international Cultural Centre. Today, Tirana is not only the most populous city in Albania, but also the political, economic, cultural and spiritual centre of the country with national museums of archaeology, history and art. The National Historical Museum and the National Art Gallery are highly recommended, along with the Exhibition of Folk Culture. The best view over the city is from the Martyrs’ Cemetery which contains the Mother Albania Monument.
|
