fbpx
Wikipedia

Tirana

April 18, 2024

Tirana[c] (/tɪˈrɑːnə/ ⓘ tih-RAH-nə,[10][11] Albanian pronunciation: [tiˈɾana]; Gheg Albanian: Tirona) is the capital and largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest overlooking the Adriatic Sea in the distance. It is among the wettest and sunniest cities in Europe, with 2,544 hours of sun per year.[12][13]

Tirana
Tirona
Capital city and municipality
Flag
Seal
Tirana
Tirana
Coordinates: 41°19′44″N 19°49′04″E / 41.32889°N 19.81778°E / 41.32889; 19.81778
CountryAlbania
RegionCentral Albania
CountyTirana
MunicipalityTirana
Settled1614
Government
 • TypeMayor–council
 • MayorErion Veliaj[1] (PS)
 • CouncilTirana Municipal Council
 • ChairmanToni Gogu[2]
Area
[3][4]
 • Capital city and municipality1,110 km2 (430 sq mi)
 • Metro
1,652 km2 (638 sq mi)
 • Unit41.8 km2 (16.1 sq mi)
Elevation
110 m (360 ft)
Population
 (2011)
 • Metro
912,190
 • Municipality
557,422[a]
 • Municipality density502/km2 (1,300/sq mi)
 • Unit
418,495[b]
Demonym(s)Albanian: Tiranas(e)
Tirana dialect: Tirons(e)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code(s)
1000-1054
Area code(s)+355 (0) 4
AirportTirana International Airport
Motorways
Highways
Vehicle registrationTR
Websitetirana.al

Tirana was founded as a city in 1614 by the Ottoman Albanian general Sylejman Pasha Bargjini and flourished by then around the Old Mosque and the türbe. The area that today corresponds to the city's territory has been continuously inhabited since the Iron Age. It was inhabited by Illyrians, and was most likely the core of the Illyrian Kingdom of the Taulantii, which in Classical Antiquity was centred in the hinterland of Epidamnus. Following the Illyrian Wars it was annexed by Rome and became an integral part of the Roman Empire. The heritage of that period is still evident and represented by the Mosaics of Tirana. Later, in the 5th and 6th centuries, an Early Christian basilica was built around this site.

After the Roman Empire split into East and West in the 4th century, its successor the Byzantine Empire took control over most of Albania, and built the Petrelë Castle in the reign of Justinian I. The city was fairly unimportant until the 20th century, when the Congress of Lushnjë proclaimed it as Albania's capital, after the Albanian Declaration of Independence in 1912.

Classified as a gamma-world-city,[citation needed] Tirana is the most important economic, financial, political and trade centre in Albania due to its significant location in the centre of the country and its modern air, maritime, rail and road transportation.[14] It is the seat of power of the Government of Albania, with the official residences of the President and Prime Minister of Albania, and the Parliament of Albania. The city was announced as the European Youth Capital for 2022.

History

See also: Timeline of Tirana

Early development

 
The mosaics of an Ancient 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 the Cave of Pëllumbas belonging to the Palaeolithic period. Illyrians were the first population of the area and formed most likely the core of the Illyrian kingdom of the Taulantii, which in classical antiquity was centered in the hinterland of Epidamnus.[15] When the Romans arrived in Illyria after their victory of the Illyrian 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 a Roman house dating to the 3rd century, which was transformed into an aisleless church with a mosaic floor. A castle, possibly known as Tirkan, was built by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I between the 4th and 6th century and later restored by Ahmed Pasha Toptani in the 18th century.[16]

 
Castle of Petrelë was founded in the 6th century by Justinian I

Tirana is mentioned in Venetian documents in 1418, one year after the Ottoman conquest of the area: "...the resident Pjeter, son of late Domenik from the village of Tirana...".[17] Records of the first land registrations under the Ottomans 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 hero Skanderbeg, 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 as Borgo di Tirana.[18]

According to Hahn, the settlement had already started to develop as a bazaar and included several watermills,[19] even before 1614, when Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler, built the Old Mosque, a small commercial centre, and a hammam (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's Ali Demi Street. The Mosque of Reç and the Mosque of Mujo were positioned on the left side of the Lana river and were older than the Old Mosque.[19] Later, the Et'hem Bey Mosque, built by Molla Bey of Petrela, was constructed. It employed the best artisans in the country and was completed in 1821 by Molla's son Etëhem, who was also Sulejman Bargjini's great-nephew.

In 1800, the first newcomers arrived in the settlement[clarification needed], the so-called ortodoksit. They were Aromanians from villages near Korçë and Pogradec, who settled around modern day Tirana Park on the Artificial Lake.[20] They started to be known as the llacifac and were the first Christians to arrive after the creation of the town.[21] In 1807, Tirana became the centre of the Subprefecture of Krujë-Tirana.[citation needed] After 1816, Tirana languished under the control of the Toptani family of Krujë.[citation needed] Later, Tirana became a sub-prefecture of the newly created Vilayet of Shkodër and the Sanjak of Durrës. In 1889, the Albanian language started to be taught in Tirana's schools,[citation needed] and the patriotic club Bashkimi was founded in 1908.

 
The Old Bazaar at the turn of the 20th century. The Sulejman Pasha Mosque is visible in the background. It was destroyed in World War II.

Modern development

On 28 November 1912, the national flag was raised in Vlorë by President Ismail Qemali, marking the symbolic birth of Albania as a sovereign country. The next years, however, were marked by turmoil. During the Balkan Wars, Tirana was temporarily occupied by the Serbian army and it took part in uprising of the villages led by Haxhi 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 of Debar by Serbia, many of its Albanian inhabitants fled to Turkey, the rest went to Tirana.[23] Of those that ended up in Istanbul, some of their number migrated to Albania, mainly to Tirana where the Dibran community formed an important segment of the city's population from 1920 onward and for some years thereafter.[23] On 8 February 1920, the Congress 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 of Florestano Di Fausto and Armando Brasini, well-known architects of the Mussolini 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 Fascist Italy and Albania. During the rule of King Zog, many Muhaxhirs emigrated towards Tirana, which led to a growing population in the capital city in the early 20th century.[26]

In 1939, Tirana was captured by Fascist forces, who appointed a puppet government. In the meantime, Italian architect Gherardo Bosio was asked to elaborate on previous plans and introduce a new project in the area of present-day Mother Teresa Square.[27] A failed assassination attempt was made on Victor Emmanuel III of Italy by a local resistance activist during a visit to Tirana. In November 1941, two emissaries of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia (KPJ), Miladin Popović and Dušan Mugoša, called a meeting of three Albanian communist groups [citation needed] and founded the Communist Party of Albania, and Enver Hoxha soon emerged as its leader.

The town soon became the centre of the Albanian communists, who mobilised locals against Italian fascists and later Nazi Germans, while spreading ideological propaganda. On 4 February 1944, the Gestapo, supported by the forces of Xhafer Deva, executed 86 anti-fascists in Tirana.[28] On 17 November 1944, the town was liberated after a fierce battle between the Communists and German forces.[citation needed] The Nazis eventually withdrew and the communists seized power.

 
Skanderbeg Square in 1988, two years prior to the Fall of communism in Albania

From 1944 to 1991, massive socialist-style apartment complexes and factories were built, while Skanderbeg Square was redesigned, with a number of buildings demolished. For instance, Tirana's former Old Bazaar and the Orthodox Cathedral were razed to the ground in order to build the Soviet-styled Palace of Culture. The northern portion of the main boulevard was renamed Stalin Boulevard 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, a pyramidal museum was constructed in his memory by the government.[citation needed]

Before and after the proclamation of Albania's policy of self-imposed isolationism, a number of high-profile figures paid visits to the city, such as Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai and East German Foreign Minister Oskar 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 long anti-religious atheist 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 saw significant demonstrations by University 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 State James Baker and Pope 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 the 1997 unrest in Albania and a failed coup d'état on 14 September 1998.

In 1999, following the Kosovo War, Tirana Airport became a NATO airbase, serving its mission in the former Yugoslavia.

Contemporary

See also: 2018–2019 student protest in Albania
Further information: 2019 Albania earthquake
 
Mustafa Matohiti Street near the Pyramid of Tirana. After the fall of communism in Albania, many areas saw new development.

During his term from 2000 to 2011, the former mayor of Tirana, Edi Rama, undertook a campaign to demolish illegal constructed buildings across Tirana as well as along the river banks of Lanë 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 first U.S. President to visit the former communist country.[34][35] In 2008, the Gërdec explosions were felt in the capital as windows were shattered and citizens shaken. In January 2011, the Albanian 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 minister Sali 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 the Democratic Party representative Lulzim Basha to the Socialist Party candidate Erion 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, a series 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 5.6 magnitude earthquake with an epicenter located near Durrës.[46][47][48] Two months after, in November 2019, another strong earthquake with the magnitude of 6.4 hit the region again resulting comparatively few damages in Tirana.[49] The same month, Tirana was announced as the European Youth Capital for 2022 with a planned program including events of cultural and social importance.[50]

Geography

 
View of Tirana Metropolitan Area

Tirana extends at the Plain of Tirana in the centre of Albania between the mount of Dajti in the east, the hills of Kërrabe, Sauk and Vaqarr in the south, and a valley to the north overlooking the Adriatic 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.[51]

The city is surrounded by two important protected areas: the Dajti National Park and Mali 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 of biodiversity, the forests are mainly composed of pine, oak and beech, while its interior relief[clarification needed] is dotted with canyons, waterfalls, caves, lakes and other landforms.[52] 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, including Tirana, 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.[6]

Climate

 
Snow at the Dajti National Park. It generally melts quickly in the region.[53]

Tirana has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) according to the Köppen climate classification and receives enough precipitation during summer to avoid the Mediterranean climate (Csa) classification.

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 in Europe.[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 and summers are very warm to hot often reaching over 20 °C (68 °F) from May to September. During autumn and winter, 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.[54]

Climate data for Tirana (7)[d] 1961-1990 normals and extremes 1940-present[e]
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 21.3
(70.3) 		28.0
(82.4) 		30.3
(86.5) 		32.6
(90.7) 		35.9
(96.6) 		39.7
(103.5) 		43.0
(109.4) 		41.4
(106.5) 		39.7
(103.5) 		36.1
(97.0) 		31.3
(88.3) 		22.5
(72.5) 		42.2
(108.0)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 11.6
(52.9) 		12.9
(55.2) 		15.6
(60.1) 		19.0
(66.2) 		23.8
(74.8) 		27.7
(81.9) 		30.7
(87.3) 		30.7
(87.3) 		27.3
(81.1) 		21.8
(71.2) 		17.1
(62.8) 		13.0
(55.4) 		21.0
(69.8)
Daily mean °C (°F) 6.7
(44.1) 		7.8
(46.0) 		10.0
(50.0) 		13.4
(56.1) 		18.0
(64.4) 		21.6
(70.9) 		24.0
(75.2) 		23.8
(74.8) 		20.7
(69.3) 		16.0
(60.8) 		11.7
(53.1) 		8.1
(46.6) 		15.2
(59.4)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 1.8
(35.2) 		2.6
(36.7) 		4.5
(40.1) 		7.9
(46.2) 		12.1
(53.8) 		15.6
(60.1) 		17.2
(63.0) 		16.9
(62.4) 		14.1
(57.4) 		10.1
(50.2) 		6.3
(43.3) 		3.2
(37.8) 		9.4
(48.9)
Record low °C (°F) −10.4
(13.3) 		−9.4
(15.1) 		−7.0
(19.4) 		−1.0
(30.2) 		2.5
(36.5) 		5.6
(42.1) 		4.2
(39.6) 		10.0
(50.0) 		3.8
(38.8) 		−1.3
(29.7) 		−4.3
(24.3) 		−6.9
(19.6) 		−10.4
(13.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 143
(5.6) 		132
(5.2) 		115
(4.5) 		104
(4.1) 		103
(4.1) 		68
(2.7) 		42
(1.7) 		46
(1.8) 		78
(3.1) 		114
(4.5) 		172
(6.8) 		148
(5.8) 		1,266
(49.8)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) 13 13 14 13 12 7 5 4 6 9 16 16 128
Average relative humidity (%) 74 73 69 72 68 69 62 64 71 70 76 79 71
Mean monthly sunshine hours 124 125 165 191 263 298 354 327 264 218 127 88 2,544
Average ultraviolet index 2 2 4 6 8 9 9 8 6 4 2 1 5
Source: DWD,[55][56][f] Meteo Climat (record highs and lows),[57] NOAA (some records, rain and snow days)[58] and Weather Atlas[59]

Urbanism

 
The artificial lake of Tirana built from local waters in 1955

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.[60][61]

The city suffers from problems related to overpopulation,[62] such as waste management, high levels of air pollution and significant noise 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 2000s diesel cars,[63] while it is widely believed that the fuel used in Albania contains larger amounts of sulfur and lead than in the European 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 PM2.5 inhaled particulate matter and NO2 gases[64][65] resulting from rapid growth in the construction of new buildings and expanding road infrastructure.[66]

Untreated solid 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, and Dajt. These parks are part of the new urban plan striving to increase the concentration of green spaces in the capital.[67] The government has included designated green areas around Tirana as part of the Tirana Greenbelt where construction is not permitted or limited.[68][69]

Politics

Administration

Main article: Units of Tirana
See also: Neighborhoods of Tirana
Further information: Mayor of Tirana

The municipality of Tirana is encompassed in the County of Tirana within the Central Region of Albania and consists of the rural administrative units of Baldushk, Bërzhitë, Dajt, Farkë, Kashar, Krrabë, Ndroq, Petrelë, Pezë, Shëngjergj, Vaqarr, Zall-Bastar, Zall-Herr and Tirana.[70][71] The administrative unit of Tirana is further partitioned into eleven urban administrative units, namely Tirana 1, Tirana 2, Tirana 3, Tirana 4, Tirana 5, Tirana 6, Tirana 7, Tirana 8, Tirana 9, Tirana 10 and Tirana 11.[70]

 
Tirana City Hall

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 the Government 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 is Blloku. In 2010, the municipality undertook the installing of street name signs and entrance numbers while every apartment entrance was physically stamped.[72]

National capital

 
The Kryeministria at the Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard is the official office of the Prime Minister of Albania.

Tirana is the capital city of the Republic of Albania thus playing an essential role in shaping the political and economic life of the country.[73] It is the home to government functions and institutions for which the government of Albania is responsible, as for instance the executive, juridical and legislative branches of Albania.

The President and Prime Minister of Albania officially reside and work in Tirana specifically at the Presidenca and Kryeministria, respectively, nevertheless the Parliament of Albania is headquartered at the Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard.[74][75][76] Tirana is also the home to the national Constitutional Court and Supreme Court. Important national institutions housed in Tirana include the Appeal Court and Administrative Court.

The Bank of Albania is located at the Skanderbeg Square while other institutions such as the ministries of Culture, Defence, Education, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Health, Infrastructure, Internal Affairs, Justice and Tourism are spread over Tirana. The city is also the home to all the consulates and embassies in Albania, thereby making it an important centre for international diplomacy in the country.

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Albania

Tirana is a founding member of the Union of Albanian Municipalities in the Region.[77][78] Tirana is twinned with Ankara, Beijing, Bursa, Doha, Florence, Kharkiv, Sarajevo and has signed partnership agreements with Verona and Zagreb.[g][86][87] It has also signed special bilateral agreements with Zaragoza.[88]

Economy

 
Bank of Albania

Tirana is the heart of the economy of Albania and the most industrialised and economically fastest growing region in Albania. Of the main sectors, the tertiary sector is the most important for the economy of Tirana and employs more than 68% of work force of Tirana.[89] 26% of the working population makes up the secondary sector followed by the primary sector with only 5%.[89]

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.[90] In the 20th century, the city and its surrounding areas expanded rapidly and became the most heavily industrialised region of the country.

The most significant contribution is made by the tertiary sector which has developed considerably since the fall of communism in Albania. Forming the financial centre of the country, the financial industry is a major component of the city's tertiary sector and remains in good conditions overall due to privatization and the commendable monetary policy.[91] All of the most important financial institutions, such as the Bank of Albania and the Albanian Stock Exchange are centred in Tirana as well as most of the banking companies such as the Banka Kombëtare Tregtare, Raiffeisen Bank, Credins Bank, Intesa Sanpaolo Bank and Tirana Bank.

 
Maritim Plaza Tirana is in the centre of Tirana.

The telecommunication industry represents another major and growing contributor to the sector.[92] 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 and Eagle are the leading telecommunication providers in Tirana, as in all the country.

The tourism industry of the city has expanded in recent years to become a vital component of the economy.[93] Tirana has been officially dubbed as 'The Place Beyond Belief' by local authorities.[94] The increasing number of international arrivals at the Tirana International Airport and Port of Durrës from across Europe, Australia and Asia has rapidly grown the number of foreign visitors in the city.[95][96]

The largest hotels of the city are the Tirana International Hotel, Maritim Plaza Tirana both situated in the heart of the city near Skanderbeg Square, and the Hyatt-owned luxury Mak Hotel Tirana[97] located next to the Air Albania Stadium, where Mariott Tirana Hotel is also planned to open.[98] 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.

Infrastructure

Transport

 
The terminal of Nënë Tereza International Airport

Air

Tirana is served by Nënë 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 principal hub for the country's flag carrier, Air Albania.[99]

Road

 
The Rruga Shtetërore 2 (SH2) connecting Tirana with Durrës

The city's geographical location in the centre of Albania has long established the city as an integral terminus for the national road transportation, thus connecting the city to all parts of Albania and the neighbouring countries.[100] The Rruga Shtetërore 1 (SH1) connects Tirana with Shkodër and Montenegro in the north, and constitutes an essential section of the proposed Adriatic–Ionian motorway. The Rruga 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 the Autostrada 3 (A3) and follows the ancient Via Egnatia. It significantly constitutes a major section of the Pan-European Corridor VIII and links the city with Elbasan, Korçë and Greece in the south. Tirana is further connected, through the Milot interchange in the northwest, with Kosovo following as part of the Autostrada 1 (A1).

During the communist regime in Albania, a plan for the construction of a ring road around Tirana arose in 1989s with no implementation until the 2010s.[101] It is of major importance, especially concerning the demographic growth of the metropolitan 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.[102]

Rail

Rail lines of Hekurudha Shqiptare (HSH) connected Tirana with all of the major cities of Albania, including Durrës, Shkodër and Vlorë. In 2013, the Tirana 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.[103] The new Tirana Station will be constructed in Laprakë, which is projected to be a multifunctional terminal for rail, tram and bus transportation.[104][105] City officials have also talked about a light rail extension all the way to the location of the former rail station.[106] The new rail line from Tirana through Nënë Tereza International Airport to Durrës has started construction.[106]

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.[107]

Busses often get stuck in traffic. There were only 7 kilometres (4.3 miles) of dedicated bus lines in 2020.[107]

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 average headway of 9 minutes on a daily basis in 2018 and in the first half of 2019.[107]

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.[107]

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.[107]

 
An Ecovolis station near Mother Teresa Square

Cycling

During the administration of mayor Erion Veliaj, the government of Tirana has significantly increased the creation and expansion of a cycling infrastructure in the city in order to reduce traffic congestion as well as to improve the sustainable transportation.[108][109][110] Ecovolis was launched in 2011 offering rental services for bicycles at different centrally located stations for a small fee.[111][112] The international bicycle sharing system, Mobike, launched its operations on 8 June 2018 by deploying 4000 bicycles in the city.[113][114] Both services are no longer available.

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.[107]

Education

 
The University of Arts at Mother Teresa Square

Tirana has the highest concentration of institutions of tertiary education in Albania, consisting of numerous academies, colleges and universities. Most prominent among these is the University of Tirana with campuses around the city and more than 28,000 students from all backgrounds.[115] The Polytechnic University of Tirana is another distinguished institution and also the most renowned engineering and technical university in the country. The four other public institutions in Tirana are the University of Arts, University of Agriculture, University of Medicine and University of Sports.[115]

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.[116][117] For primary and secondary education, a variety of schools are available, tagged with the public, private and international labels. Some of the international schools are the Tirana 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 2020 International Architecture Awards.[118]

Health

There are numerous public and private hospitals as well as smaller public and private health care facilities in the territory of Tirana. The Mother Teresa University Hospital is one of the largest medical tertiary institutions of the country. Other medical institutions include the Shefqet Ndroqi University Hospital, Koço Gliozheni Hospital, Mbretëresha Gjeraldinë Hospital and the Military Hospital.

Demography

Population growth of Tirana in selected periods
Year 1703 1820 1923 1937 1955 1989 2001 2012
Pop.4,00012,00010,84535,000108,200324,532430,407557,422
±% p.a.—    +0.94%−0.10%+8.73%+6.47%+3.28%+2.38%+2.38%
Source: [119][120][121][122][123]

The Institute of Statistics (INSTAT) estimated the population of the municipality of Tirana at 418,495 in 2011.[7] With a population density of 502 people per square kilometre, Tirana is the most densely populated municipality in the country.[3] The encompassing metropolitan 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.[124]

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 of employment 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.[125]

Religion in Tirana [126]
Islam
 
 55.7%
Orthodoxy
 
 6.4%
Catholicism
 
 5.4%
Bektashism
 
 3.4%
Other (mostly undeclared and non-religious)
 
 29.1%

Tirana's population is composed by a mixture of different cultural and ethnic groups from Southern Europe. The most represented ethnicities are Albanians (84.10%), Greeks (0.35%), Aromanians (0.11%), Macedonians (0.07%) and Italians (0.03%).[127]

In Albania, a secular state with no state religion, the freedom of belief, conscience and religion is explicitly guaranteed in the constitution of Albania.[128][129] Tirana is religiously diverse and has many places of worship catering to its religious population whom are adherents of Islam, Christianity and Judaism but also of Atheism and Agnosticism. They all maintain their Albanian headquarters spread across the territory of Tirana. Nevertheless, the Bektashi Order leadership established their world centre also in the city.

In the 2011 census, 55.7% of the population of the municipality of Tirana was counted as Muslim, 3.4% as Bektashis and 11.8% as Christian including 5.4% as Roman Catholic and 6.4% as Eastern Orthodox.[130] The remaining 29.1% of the population reported having no religion or did not provide an adequate answer. The census of 2011 did not included specific municipality level data for other religious groups. The Roman Catholic Church is represented in Tirana by the Archdiocese of Tiranë and Durrës, with the St Paul's Cathedral as the seat of the prelacy. The Albanian Orthodox community is served by the Archbishop of Tirana in the Resurrection Cathedral.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Tirana
 
Panorama of The Albanians History mosaic above the entrance of the National Museum of History

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 including Christmas, Eid, Hanukkah and Nowruz. Another festival is Dita 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 the National 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 cultural monuments, eight public libraries.[131]

There are many domestic and foreign cultural institutions in Tirana, amongst them the British Council, Canadian Institute of Technology as well as the German Goethe-Institut and Friedrich Ebert Foundation.[132][133][134][135] Other cultural institutions include the Chinese Confucius Institute, Greek Hellenic Foundation for Culture, Italian Istituto Italiano di Cultura and the French Alliance Française.[136][137][138][139]

Architecture

 
The Toptani house from the 18th century

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 the Second World War and the regime of Enver Hoxha in the aftermath. The Palace 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 name King Zog I Boulevard.

 
Florestano Di Fausto and Armando Brasini designed the city plan for Tirana in Neo-Renaissance style with articulate angular solutions and giant order fascias.

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 1939 Italian 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.[140]

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 architect Stefano Boeri announced the start of the works for the redaction of the Master Plan Tirana 2030.[141]

 
The entrance of the Grand Park of Tirana

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.[142] The park includes many children's playgrounds, sport facilities and landmarks such as the Saint Procopius Church, the Presidential Palace, the Botanical Gardens, the Tirana Zoo, the Amphitheatre, the Monument of the Frashëri Brothers and many others.

The Rinia Park was built during the Communist era. It bordered by Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard to the east, Gjergi Fishta Boulevard and Bajram Curri Boulevard to the south, Rruga Ibrahim Rugova to the west and Rruga Myslym Shyri to the north. The Taivani 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.[143]

 
The Alban Tower, designed by Archea Associati (Italy), completed in 2021

Museums

Further information: Museums in Tirana
 
The National Museum of History at the Skanderbeg Square

Tirana is the home to a number of museums dedicated to a wide array of arts. The National Museum of History is located at the Skanderbeg Square and the most representative museum of Tirana.[144] The mosaic above the entrance is the most dominant feature of the museum displaying the story of how the Albanian people have fought against invasion and occupation throughout history.

Founded in 1948, the National Museum of Archaeology at the Mother Teresa Square displays a wide collection of research and discoveries belonging to the archaeological locations around Albania.[145] It exhibits span from prehistory through antiquity and the Middle Ages to the twentieth century, offering an overview of the country's historical diversity.

 
The Cloud Pavilion outside the National Art Gallery installed by Japanese artist Sou Fujimoto[146]

The National Art Gallery is considered the most important gallery in Albania housing one of the greatest collections of paintings in the region.[147] Located at the Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard, it holds approximately 4.500 works of art including the most important collection of Albanian art of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

The Bunk'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 and Cold War.[148][149]

The Museum of Secret Surveillance was founded in 2017 and is housed within a twentieth century mansion, the building known as the House of Leaves, near the Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard.[150] It commemorates and honours the victims who fell to the communist terrorism and violence during the communist period in Albania. Other museums include the Natural Sciences Museum, which has branches in zoology, botany and geology, the former Enver Hoxha Museum and the Bunk'art Museum.

The Bektashi Museum was opened at the World Headquarters of the Bektashi on 7 September 2015. The museum contains exhibits relating to Bektashi history and leadership.[151]

Cuisine

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.[152] 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]

Tirana's restaurant scene has evolved recently characterised by stylish interiors and delicious food grown locally. The Tirana region is known for the Fergesa traditional dish made with either peppers or liver,[153] 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 existing Olympic Park, that will provide infrastructure for most intramural sports.[154]

Tirana hosted in the past three major events, the FIBA EuroBasket 2006, 2011 World Mountain Running Championships and the 2013 European Weightlifting Championships.

 
Air Albania Stadium in the city centre under construction

There are two major stadiums, the former Qemal Stafa Stadium and the Selman Stërmasi stadium. The former was demolished in 2016 to make way for the new national stadium.[155] The new stadium called the Air Albania Stadium was constructed on the same site of the former Qemal Stafa Stadium and it is planned to open in late 2019. 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 the government.

Football is the most widely followed sport in Tirana as well as in the country, having numerous club teams including the KF Tirana, Partizani Tirana, and Dinamo 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 combined 57 championships out of 72 championships organised by the FSHF, i.e. 79% of them. Another popular sport in Albania is basketball, represented in particular by the teams KB Tirana, BC Partizani, BC Dinamo, Ardhmëria and also the women's PBC Tirana.

Recently two rugby teams were created: Tirana Rugby Club,[156] founded in 2013 and Ilirët Rugby Club[157] founded in 2016.

Media

 
The former grounds of the headquarters of Radio 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 international television stations, including the national broadcaster, Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH), along with all its television and radio networks. The three largest Albanian commercial broadcasters, such as Televizioni Klan, Top Channel and Vizion Plus, also maintains their headquarters in the city. The European broadcaster, Euronews, operates a franchise in the city as well as the American broadcaster CNN.[158][159]

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, including Gazeta 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.[160] Tirana also has a well-established English-language newspaper, notably the daily of Tirana Times.

Notable people

Main article: List of people from Tirana

Key of Tirana

The Key of Tirana (Albanian: Çelësi i Qytetit) is a symbolic recognition given by the Mayor of Tirana to an esteemed personality. It was given to:

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The municipality of Tirana consists of the administrative units of Baldushk, Bërzhitë, Dajt, Farkë, Kashar, Krrabë, Ndroq, Petrelë, Pezë, Shëngjergj, Vaqarr, Zall-Bastar, Zall-Herr and Tirana.[3][5][6] The population of the municipality results from the sum of the listed administrative units in the former as of the 2011 Albanian census.[3][7]
  2. ^ The estimation for the administrative unit of Tirana is to be taken into consideration.[7]
  3. ^ Indefinite Albanian form: Tiranë (pronounced [tiˈɾanə])
  4. ^ Elevation at 90 m (300 ft)
  5. ^ The monthly estimations for rainy and snowy days are not available, only annual.
  6. ^ Station ID for Tirana is 13615 Use this station ID to locate the sunshine duration
  7. ^ Citations regarding the twin or sister cities of Tirana:[79][80][81][82][83][84][85]

References

  1. ^ . Bashkia Tiranë. Archived from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  2. ^ . Bashkia Tiranë. Archived from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d "Pasaporta e Bashkisë Tirana" (in Albanian). Porta Vendore. from the original on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  4. ^ . Albanian Association of Municipalities (AAM). Archived from the original on 12 October 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  5. ^ (PDF). Instituti i Statistikës (INSTAT). May 2014. p. 15. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 November 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Law nr. 115/2014" (PDF) (in Albanian). p. 6375. (PDF) from the original on 25 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  7. ^ a b c (PDF) (in Albanian). Tirana: Instituti i Statistikës (INSTAT). p. 85. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 August 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  8. ^ "44% of the economy in 2021 concentrated in Tirana, other districts fading". euronews.al. Retrieved 5 April 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ^ "Economic inequality deepens year after year/ Tirana has the highest per capita income of 134% of the average". politiko.al. Retrieved 5 April 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ^ . Lexico UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021.
  11. ^ "Tirana". The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (5th ed.). HarperCollins. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  12. ^ "Sunniest Cities in Europe". currentresults.com. p. 1. from the original on 19 January 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  13. ^ a b "European Cities With the Wettest, Rainiest Weather". currentresults.com. p. 1. from the original on 8 December 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  14. ^ . Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC). Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  15. ^ Hammond, Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière (1966). "The Kingdoms in Illyria circa 400-167 B.C.". The Annual of the British School at Athens. 61. British School at Athens: 247. doi:10.1017/S0068245400019043. JSTOR 30103175. S2CID 164155370.
  16. ^ Heppner, Harald (1994). Hauptstädte in Südosteuropa: Geschichte, Funktion, nationale Symbolkraft. Wien u.a. Böhlau. pp. 133, 135. ISBN 978-3-205-98255-5. from the original on 21 January 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  17. ^ a b Heppner, Harald (1994). Hauptstädte in Südosteuropa: Geschichte, Funktion, nationale Symbolkraft. Wien u.a. Böhlau. p. 137. ISBN 978-3-205-98255-5. from the original on 21 January 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  18. ^ E. J. Van Donzel (1994), Islamic Desk Reference, E.J. Brill, p. 451, ISBN 9780585305561, OCLC 45731063, from the original on 21 January 2024, retrieved 5 January 2016, "il borgo di Tirana" is already mentioned as early as 1572
  19. ^ a b Koco Miho (1987). J.Tocka (ed.). Trajta të profilit urbanistik të qytetit të Tiranës : prej fillimeve deri më 1944. Tirana: 8 Nëntori. p. 57. OCLC 20994870.
  20. ^ ""Tiranasit" e ardhur rishtaz" (in Albanian). Gazeta Shqiptare. from the original on 2 February 2010. Retrieved 17 August 2008.
  21. ^ Delvina, Sherif (2006). Low Albania (Epirus) and Cham issue. Tiranë: Eurorilindja. p. 196. ISBN 99943-861-0-7. OCLC 124184965. from the original on 21 January 2024. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  22. ^ "Klan magazine". Klan (527–534): 265. 2007. from the original on 21 January 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  23. ^ a b Clayer, Nathalie (2005). "The Albanian students of the Mekteb-i Mülkiye: Social networks and trends of thought". In Özdalga, Elisabeth (ed.). Late Ottoman Society: The Intellectual Legacy. Routledge. pp. 306–307. ISBN 9780415341646. from the original on 21 January 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  24. ^ Pearson, Owen (2006). Albania and King Zog: independence, republic and monarchy 1908–1939. IB Taurus. p. 140. ISBN 1-84511-013-7. from the original on 21 January 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2020. It was decided that the Congress of Lushnje was not to be dissolved until elections had been held and the new government had taken power into its hands and begun to exercise its functions in Tirana, in opposition to the Provisional Government in Italian occupied Durrës
  25. ^ Kera, Gentiana. Aspects of the urban development of Tirana: 1820–1939 25 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Seventh International Conference of Urban History. Athens, 2004.
  26. ^ Stefanović, Djordje (2005). "Seeing the Albanians through Serbian eyes: The Inventors of the Tradition of Intolerance and their Critics, 1804–1939." European History Quarterly. 35. (3): 470.
  27. ^ Bleta, Indrit. Influences of political regime shifts on the urban scene of a capital city, Case Study: Tirana. 15 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine Turkey, 2010.
  28. ^ Pearson, Owen (2006). Albania in Occupation and War: From Fascism to Communism 1940-1945. I.B.Tauris. p. 326. ISBN 978-1-84511-104-5. from the original on 21 January 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  29. ^ "ENVER HOXHA DIES; ALBANIAN LEADER". The New York Times. Reuters. 12 April 1985. ISSN 0362-4331. from the original on 18 January 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  30. ^ "Mother Teresa". Biography. 24 February 2020. from the original on 2 May 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  31. ^ Kempster, Norman (23 June 1991). "Albanians Mob Baker, Cheer U.S. : Europe: 'Freedom works,' he exhorts a rally of 200,000. The country hopes for aid to rebuild an economy shattered by lengthy Stalinist isolation". Los Angeles Times. from the original on 16 October 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  32. ^ "A bright and colourful new style of urban design emerges in Albania". Resource for Urban Design Information. from the original on 7 August 2008. Retrieved 16 August 2008.
  33. ^ Pusca, Anca (2008). "The aesthetics of change: Exploring post-Communist spaces" (PDF). Global Society. 22 (3): 369–386. doi:10.1080/13600820802090512. S2CID 7735000. (PDF) from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  34. ^ . The Daily Telegraph. 10 June 2007. Archived from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  35. ^ Stolberg, Sheryl Gay (11 June 2007). . The New York Times. Archived from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  36. ^ . The New York Times. 21 January 2011. Archived from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  37. ^ . Deutsche Welle (DW). 21 September 2014. Archived from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  38. ^ . The Guardian. 21 September 2014. Archived from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  39. ^ . Archived from the original on 1 August 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  40. ^ . reformaterritoriale.al. Archived from the original on 28 August 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  41. ^ a b . Archived from the original on 16 August 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  42. ^ . Archived from the original on 20 August 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  43. ^ . Tirana Times. 5 December 2018. Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  44. ^ Pomeroy, Robin (11 December 2018). . Reuters. Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  45. ^ Ehl, David (18 December 2018). . Deutsche Welle (DW). Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  46. ^ . Deutsche Welle (DW). 21 September 2019. Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  47. ^ Andone, Dakin; Gashi, Aldona (21 September 2019). . Cable News Network (CNN). Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  48. ^ . Euronews. 21 September 2019. Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  49. ^ Peltier, Elian; Magra, Iliana; Victor, Daniel (25 November 2019). . The New York Times. Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  50. ^ . European Youth Capital (EYC). 21 November 2019. Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  51. ^ [Concept of Regional Development for the District of Tirana 2012-2017] (PDF) (in Albanian). 22 April 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  52. ^ "Dajti National Park A Recreational Area for Citizens of Tirana, Albania" (PDF). boku.ac.at. p. 2. (PDF) from the original on 10 August 2017. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  53. ^ Kottek, Markus; Grieser, Jürgen; Beck, Christoph; Rudolf, Bruno; Rube, Franz (June 2006). "World Map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification updated" (PDF). Meteorologische Zeitschrift. 15 (3): 259–263. Bibcode:2006MetZe..15..259K. doi:10.1127/0941-2948/2006/0130. (PDF) from the original on 12 April 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  54. ^ Telegraph Media Group (21 November 2016). "Mapped: the sunniest (and dullest) cities in Europe". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022.
  55. ^ "Klimatafel von Tirana (Flugh.) / Albanien" (PDF). Baseline climate means (1961–1990) from stations all over the world (in German). Deutscher Wetterdienst. (PDF) from the original on 9 February 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  56. ^ . Global station data 1961–1990—Sunshine Duration. Deutscher Wetterdienst. Archived from the original on 17 October 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  57. ^ "Station Tirana" (in French). Meteo Climat. from the original on 3 December 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
  58. ^ "Tirane (13615) - WMO Weather Station". NOAA. from the original on 21 January 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  59. ^ "Tirana, Albania - Detailed climate information and monthly weather forecast". Weather Atlas. Yu Media Group. from the original on 3 July 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  60. ^ . Exit - Explaining Albania. 25 March 2022. Archived from the original on 18 October 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  61. ^ . Euronews Albania. 22 March 2022. Archived from the original on 18 October 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  62. ^ . Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
  63. ^ VizionPlusAlbania (7 November 2013). "Stoku i makinave të përdorura – News, Lajme – Vizion Plus". Archived from the original on 30 October 2021 – via YouTube.
  64. ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 March 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  65. ^ (PDF). Natura Montenegrina. 7 (2): 549–557. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
  66. ^ Cameron, Rob (3 December 2004). "Tirana: Where the streets have no name". BBC News. from the original on 30 May 2006. Retrieved 3 December 2004.
  67. ^ . Oranews. Archived from the original on 22 August 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  68. ^ "HOME". planifikimi.gov.al. from the original on 23 March 2017. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  69. ^ "Baza Ligjore - APR Tirana". aprtirana.al. from the original on 20 August 2017. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  70. ^ a b (PDF) (in Albanian). Bashkia Tiranë. p. 22. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 June 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  71. ^ Dorina Pojani (6 March 2010). "Tirana City Profile". Cities. 27: 483–495. doi:10.1016/j.cities.2010.02.002.
  72. ^ . Tirana.gov.al. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
  73. ^ "Constitution of the Republic of Albania". Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). p. 3. from the original on 4 October 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2020. The capital city of the Republic of Albania is Tirana
  74. ^ . Bashkia Tiranë. Archived from the original on 19 July 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  75. ^ . Bashkia Tiranë. Archived from the original on 19 July 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  76. ^ . Bashkia Tiranë. Archived from the original on 19 July 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  77. ^ "Zyrtarizohet UBSHR, mbledh Konferencën e parë" (in Albanian). Unioni i Bashkive Shqiptare (UBSHR). 21 November 2016. from the original on 2 October 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  78. ^ "Politikat Lokale – Bashk olitikat Lokale – Bashkëpunimi Ndërkomunal në K ëpunimi Ndërkomunal në Kosovë" (in Albanian). University for Business and Technology (UBT). p. 42. from the original on 12 August 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  79. ^ "Sister cities of Ankara". Ankara Municipality. from the original on 2 October 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  80. ^ "Beijing Info: Sister Cities". Beijing Municipality. from the original on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  81. ^ "Kardeş Şehirler" (in Turkish). Bursa Municipality. from the original on 2 October 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  82. ^ "Twin cities: Doha & Tirana". Arabian Business. 8 March 2012. from the original on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  83. ^ "Firenze internazionale: Gemellaggi e patti di amicizia" (in Italian). Florence Comune. from the original on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  84. ^ "Города-партнеры" (in Ukrainian). Kharkiv. from the original on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  85. ^ "Gradovi pobratimi: Spisak" (in Bosnian). Sarajevo. from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  86. ^ "Statistical Yearbook of the City of Zagreb 2018" (PDF). City of Zagreb. p. 34. (PDF) from the original on 22 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  87. ^ "Grandi Eventi - Gemellaggi e Patti d'Amicizia" (in Italian). Verona Comune. 5 September 2019. from the original on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  88. ^ "Hermanamientos con Zaragoza" (in Spanish). Zaragoza. from the original on 6 September 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  89. ^ a b . agroweb.org. 26 May 2017. Archived from the original on 25 June 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  90. ^ Hysa, Armanda. "The History, Form and Function of the Old Bazaar in Tirana". academia.edu. from the original on 7 February 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  91. ^ "Analysis of the Albanian Banking System in the Transition Years" (PDF). ijbcnet.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  92. ^ Muharremi, Oltiana; Madani, Filloreta; Pelari, Erald. "The Development of the Service Sector in Albania and Its Future". researchgate.net. pp. 2–9.
  93. ^ "TOURISM AND EMPLOYMENT IN ALBANIA – IS THERE A STRONG CORRELATION?" (PDF). asecu.gr. pp. 1–9. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  94. ^ . Radio Tirana International. Archived from the original on 19 December 2018. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  95. ^ "Turizmi në Tiranë, fluks nga Evropa, Azia e Australia". forum-al.com (in Albanian). Tirana. 11 August 2018. from the original on 12 January 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  96. ^ . ata.gov.al (in Albanian). Tirana. 7 June 2018. Archived from the original on 7 February 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  97. ^ "US giant Hyatt takes over former Sheraton Tirana management". Tirana Times. from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
  98. ^ Jonuzaj, Klaudjo. "Marriott to open hotel in Albania's Tirana - govt". SEE News. from the original on 3 November 2019. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
  99. ^ "Statistikat e transportit" (PDF) (in Albanian). Instituti i Statistikës (INSTAT). 27 January 2019. p. 2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  100. ^ (PDF) (in Albanian). Bashkia Tiranë. pp. 18, 23. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 June 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  101. ^ "Albania economy briefing: Tirana's Outer Ring Road and the controversial case of 2.1 km segment". Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (China-CEE). 6 March 2019. from the original on 13 June 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  102. ^ "Unaza e Madhe e Tiranës hapet në shtator" (in Albanian). TV Klan. 14 August 2017. from the original on 13 June 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  103. ^ (in Albanian). Gazeta Shqip. 1 September 2013. Archived from the original on 14 June 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  104. ^ . Italferr. Archived from the original on 8 December 2019. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  105. ^ "Tirana me stacion modern multimodal" (in Albanian). Koha. 2 May 2018. from the original on 14 June 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  106. ^ a b Arlinda Gjonaj. "Veliaj: Linja e re hekurudhore Tiranë-Rinas-Durrës përfundon në vitin 2024". Albanian Telegraph Agency (in Albanian). from the original on 12 May 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  107. ^ a b c d e f "Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan for the City of TIRANA" (PDF). Bashkia Tiranë. (PDF) from the original on 29 October 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  108. ^ (in Albanian). Administrata.al. Archived from the original on 14 June 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  109. ^ Burgen, Stephen (29 October 2018). "Build it and they will come: Tirana's plan for a 'kaleidoscope metropolis". The Guardian. Tirana. from the original on 20 November 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  110. ^ "Tirana është kthyer në qytetin me më shumë korsi biçikletash në Shqipëri" (in Albanian). TRT. 14 July 2018. from the original on 14 June 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  111. ^ . Ecovolis. Archived from the original on 6 January 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
  112. ^ Christiaens, Jan (1 August 2014). . Eltis. Archived from the original on 14 June 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  113. ^ Global, Mobike (8 June 2018). . Mobike. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  114. ^ (in Albanian). Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH). 17 January 2019. Archived from the original on 17 January 2019. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  115. ^ a b (PDF) (in Albanian). Bashkia Tiranë. pp. 75–77. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 June 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  116. ^ (PDF) (in Albanian). Bashkia Tiranë. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  117. ^ (in Albanian). Bashkia Tiranë. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  118. ^ Harrouk, Christele (11 September 2020). . ArchDaily. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  119. ^ "Albania: largest cities and towns and statistics of their population". World Gazetteer. Archived from the original on 5 December 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  120. ^ (PDF) (in Albanian). Bashkia Tiranë. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 September 2008. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  121. ^ (PDF) (in Albanian). Instituti i Statistikës (INSTAT). 19 February 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 April 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  122. ^ (PDF) (in Albanian). Instituti i Statistikës (INSTAT). 13 February 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 May 2017. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  123. ^ Citation regarding the Albanian censuses of 1989 and 2001:
    • Gjonça, Arjan; Elezi, Pranvera; Sado, Lantona. (PDF) (in Albanian). Instituti i Statistikës (INSTAT). p. 8. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 June 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  124. ^ . Instituti i Statistikës (INSTAT). Archived from the original on 16 March 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  125. ^ See table: "Population growth of Tirana in selected periods"
  126. ^ . Instituti i Statistikës (INSTAT). Archived from the original on 22 January 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  127. ^ (PDF) (in Albanian). Tirana: Instituti i Statistikës (INSTAT). 2013. pp. 38–39. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 August 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  128. ^ "Constitution of the Republic of Albania". Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). p. 2. from the original on 4 October 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  129. ^ (PDF). United States Department of State. pp. 1–7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 August 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  130. ^ . Instituti i Statistikës (INSTAT). Archived from the original on 22 January 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  131. ^ (in Albanian) Statistikat 2007 11 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine PDF Municipality of Tirana. Retrieved 20 July 2008
  132. ^ (in Albanian). British Council. Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  133. ^ (in Albanian). Canadian Institute of Technology. Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  134. ^ "Rreth nesh" (in Albanian). Goethe-Institut. from the original on 22 July 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  135. ^ (in Albanian). Friedrich Ebert Foundation. Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  136. ^ . Confucius Institute. Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  137. ^ . Anna Lindh Foundation. Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  138. ^ (in Albanian). Istituto Italiano di Cultura. Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  139. ^ . Alliance Française. Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  140. ^ . atrium-see.eu. Archived from the original on 25 October 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  141. ^ Burgen, Stephen (29 October 2018). "'Build it and they will come': Tirana's plan for a 'kaleidoscope metropolis'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. from the original on 20 November 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  142. ^ . 23 February 2017. Archived from the original on 17 May 2017. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  143. ^ "Second paid parking space inaugurated in Tirana". top-channel.tv. from the original on 1 February 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  144. ^ . Bashkia Tiranë. Archived from the original on 18 July 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  145. ^ "National Archaeological Museum". Bashkia Tiranë. from the original on 18 July 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  146. ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 August 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
  147. ^ . Bashkia Tiranë. Archived from the original on 18 July 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  148. ^ . Bashkia Tiranë. Archived from the original on 18 July 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  149. ^ . Bashkia Tiranë. Archived from the original on 18 July 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  150. ^ . Bashkia Tiranë. Archived from the original on 18 July 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  151. ^ The Bektashi Library 20 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Kryegjyshata Botërore Bektashiane. Accessed 19 September 2021.
  152. ^ "Albania ranked first in the World for the number of Bars and Restaurants per inhabitant". Oculus News. from the original on 28 November 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  153. ^ "Albanian Fergese - Fergesë e Tiranës me piperka". My Albanian Food. from the original on 9 December 2018. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  154. ^ . arsimi.gov.al. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  155. ^ Shembet "Qemal Stafa" (25 June 2016). "Shemben 4 tribuna, lamtumirë stadiumi "Qemal Stafa" (FOTO)". Panorama (in Albanian). from the original on 25 June 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  156. ^ . sportekspres.com. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  157. ^ "OSCE Presence in Albania launches sports-based youth development programme - OSCE". osce.org. from the original on 8 December 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  158. ^ Euronews, Michael (23 November 2019). . Euronews Albania. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  159. ^ "Televizioni A2, partneri ekskluziv i CNN në Shqipëri, nis rekrutimin e stafit" (in Albanian). Telegrafi. 25 April 2018. from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  160. ^ Stegherr, Marc; Liesem, Kerstin (3 August 2010). Die Medien in Osteuropa: Mediensysteme im Transformationsprozess (in German). Springer-Verlag. pp. 159–166. ISBN 9783531924878. from the original on 21 January 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  161. ^ (in Albanian). Presidential Office of Kosovo. Archived from the original on 10 October 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  162. ^ a b (in Albanian). Klan Kosova. 10 September 2016. Archived from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  163. ^ "Kryebashkiaku Veliaj i jep "Çelësin e qytetit" Zv.Kryeministrit të Malit të Zi, Dritan Abazoviç" (in Albanian). Bashkia Tiranë. 6 October 2021. from the original on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  164. ^ "Çelësi i Qytetit për këngëtaren Dua Lipa" (in Albanian). Bashkia Tiranë. from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  165. ^ ""Çelësi i Qytetit" për këngëtaren me origjinë shqiptare, Eleni Foureira" (in Albanian). Bashkia Tiranë. from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  166. ^ "Kryebashkiaku Veliaj i jep "çelësin e qytetit" këngëtares së njohur Emeli Sande" (in Albanian). ABC News. 30 November 2017. from the original on 10 October 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  167. ^ "Fituesi i "Sanremo"-s merr "Çelësin e Qytetit"" (in Albanian). Top Channel. 1 June 2018. from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  168. ^ (in Albanian). Bashkia Tiranë. Archived from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  169. ^ (in Albanian). Bashkia Tiranë. Archived from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  170. ^ (in Albanian). Bashkia Tiranë. Archived from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  171. ^ (in Albanian). Bashkia Tiranë. Archived from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  172. ^ (in Albanian). ABC News. 7 May 2018. Archived from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  173. ^ ""Çelësi i Qytetit" Sir Noel Robert Malcolm" (in Albanian). Bashkia Tiranë. from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  174. ^ (in Albanian). Bashkia Tiranë. Archived from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  175. ^ (in Albanian). Klan Kosova. 4 June 2018. Archived from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  176. ^ (in Albanian). Top Channel. 19 October 2020. Archived from the original on 26 October 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  177. ^ (in Albanian). Top Channel. 27 October 2019. Archived from the original on 10 October 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.

Further reading

  • Burgen, Stephen (29 October 2018). . The Guardian. Archived from the original on 20 November 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  • Akkam, Alia (13 October 2017). . Vogue. Archived from the original on 20 November 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  • Hillsdon, Mark (27 February 2017). . The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 20 November 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  • Crevar, Alex (28 August 2015). . The New York Times. Archived from the original on 20 November 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  • McRae, Hamish (13 September 2008). . The Independent. Archived from the original on 4 July 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  • Capolino, Patrizia (2011). "Tirana: A Capital City Transformed by the Italians". Planning Perspectives. 26 (4): 591–615. Bibcode:2011PlPer..26..591C. doi:10.1080/02665433.2011.601610. S2CID 143255786.

External links

  • Official Website (in Albanian)
  • "Tirana" . Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). 1911.
  • December 2010 archive (in Albanian)

April 18, 2024
tirana, ɑː, albanian, pronunciation, tiˈɾana, gheg, albanian, tirona, capital, largest, city, albania, located, centre, country, enclosed, mountains, hills, with, dajti, rising, east, slight, valley, northwest, overlooking, adriatic, distance, among, wettest, . Tirana c t ɪ ˈ r ɑː n e tih RAH ne 10 11 Albanian pronunciation tiˈɾana Gheg Albanian Tirona is the capital and largest city of Albania It is located in the centre of the country enclosed by mountains and hills with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest overlooking the Adriatic Sea in the distance It is among the wettest and sunniest cities in Europe with 2 544 hours of sun per year 12 13 Tirana TironaCapital city and municipalityClockwise from top The Skanderbeg Square Kapllan Pasha Tomb Grand Mosque Clock Tower Grand Park Petrele Castle Resurrection Orthodox Cathedral and Toptani Center FlagSealTiranaShow map of AlbaniaTiranaShow map of EuropeCoordinates 41 19 44 N 19 49 04 E 41 32889 N 19 81778 E 41 32889 19 81778CountryAlbaniaRegionCentral AlbaniaCountyTiranaMunicipalityTiranaSettled1614Government TypeMayor council MayorErion Veliaj 1 PS CouncilTirana Municipal Council ChairmanToni Gogu 2 Area 3 4 Capital city and municipality1 110 km2 430 sq mi Metro1 652 km2 638 sq mi Unit41 8 km2 16 1 sq mi Elevation110 m 360 ft Population 2011 Metro912 190 Municipality557 422 a Municipality density502 km2 1 300 sq mi Unit418 495 b Demonym s Albanian Tiranas e Tirana dialect Tirons e Time zoneUTC 1 CET Summer DST UTC 2 CEST Postal code s 1000 1054Area code s 355 0 4AirportTirana International AirportMotorwaysHighwaysVehicle registrationTRWebsitetirana wbr alTirana was founded as a city in 1614 by the Ottoman Albanian general Sylejman Pasha Bargjini and flourished by then around the Old Mosque and the turbe The area that today corresponds to the city s territory has been continuously inhabited since the Iron Age It was inhabited by Illyrians and was most likely the core of the Illyrian Kingdom of the Taulantii which in Classical Antiquity was centred in the hinterland of Epidamnus Following the Illyrian Wars it was annexed by Rome and became an integral part of the Roman Empire The heritage of that period is still evident and represented by the Mosaics of Tirana Later in the 5th and 6th centuries an Early Christian basilica was built around this site After the Roman Empire split into East and West in the 4th century its successor the Byzantine Empire took control over most of Albania and built the Petrele Castle in the reign of Justinian I The city was fairly unimportant until the 20th century when the Congress of Lushnje proclaimed it as Albania s capital after the Albanian Declaration of Independence in 1912 Classified as a gamma world city citation needed Tirana is the most important economic financial political and trade centre in Albania due to its significant location in the centre of the country and its modern air maritime rail and road transportation 14 It is the seat of power of the Government of Albania with the official residences of the President and Prime Minister of Albania and the Parliament of Albania The city was announced as the European Youth Capital for 2022 Contents 1 History 1 1 Early development 1 2 Modern development 1 3 Contemporary 2 Geography 2 1 Climate 2 2 Urbanism 3 Politics 3 1 Administration 3 2 National capital 3 3 International relations 4 Economy 5 Infrastructure 5 1 Transport 5 1 1 Air 5 1 2 Road 5 1 3 Rail 5 1 4 Bus 5 1 5 Cycling 5 2 Education 5 3 Health 6 Demography 7 Culture 7 1 Architecture 7 2 Museums 7 3 Cuisine 7 4 Sports 7 5 Media 8 Notable people 8 1 Key of Tirana 9 See also 10 Notes 11 References 12 Further reading 13 External linksHistorySee also Timeline of Tirana This section needs to be updated Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information July 2020 Early development nbsp The mosaics of an Ancient Roman house from the 3rd century ADThe area of Tirana has been inhabited by humans since prehistoric times with the earliest recognised reference found at the Cave of Pellumbas belonging to the Palaeolithic period Illyrians were the first population of the area and formed most likely the core of the Illyrian kingdom of the Taulantii which in classical antiquity was centered in the hinterland of Epidamnus 15 When the Romans arrived in Illyria after their victory of the Illyrian 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 a Roman house dating to the 3rd century which was transformed into an aisleless church with a mosaic floor A castle possibly known as Tirkan was built by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I between the 4th and 6th century and later restored by Ahmed Pasha Toptani in the 18th century 16 nbsp Castle of Petrele was founded in the 6th century by Justinian ITirana is mentioned in Venetian documents in 1418 one year after the Ottoman conquest of the area the resident Pjeter son of late Domenik from the village of Tirana 17 Records of the first land registrations under the Ottomans 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 hero Skanderbeg 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 as Borgo di Tirana 18 According to Hahn the settlement had already started to develop as a bazaar and included several watermills 19 even before 1614 when Sulejman Bargjini a local ruler built the Old Mosque a small commercial centre and a hammam 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 s Ali Demi Street The Mosque of Rec and the Mosque of Mujo were positioned on the left side of the Lana river and were older than the Old Mosque 19 Later the Et hem Bey Mosque built by Molla Bey of Petrela was constructed It employed the best artisans in the country and was completed in 1821 by Molla s son Etehem who was also Sulejman Bargjini s great nephew In 1800 the first newcomers arrived in the settlement clarification needed the so called ortodoksit They were Aromanians from villages near Korce and Pogradec who settled around modern day Tirana Park on the Artificial Lake 20 They started to be known as the llacifac and were the first Christians to arrive after the creation of the town 21 In 1807 Tirana became the centre of the Subprefecture of Kruje Tirana citation needed After 1816 Tirana languished under the control of the Toptani family of Kruje citation needed Later Tirana became a sub prefecture of the newly created Vilayet of Shkoder and the Sanjak of Durres In 1889 the Albanian language started to be taught in Tirana s schools citation needed and the patriotic club Bashkimi was founded in 1908 nbsp The Old Bazaar at the turn of the 20th century The Sulejman Pasha Mosque is visible in the background It was destroyed in World War II Modern development On 28 November 1912 the national flag was raised in Vlore by President Ismail Qemali marking the symbolic birth of Albania as a sovereign country The next years however were marked by turmoil During the Balkan Wars Tirana was temporarily occupied by the Serbian army and it took part in uprising of the villages led by Haxhi 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 of Debar by Serbia many of its Albanian inhabitants fled to Turkey the rest went to Tirana 23 Of those that ended up in Istanbul some of their number migrated to Albania mainly to Tirana where the Dibran community formed an important segment of the city s population from 1920 onward and for some years thereafter 23 On 8 February 1920 the Congress of Lushnje 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 of Florestano Di Fausto and Armando Brasini well known architects of the Mussolini 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 Frasheri 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 nbsp Old villa architecture in TiranaTirana was the venue for the signing of the Pact of Tirana between Fascist Italy and Albania During the rule of King Zog many Muhaxhirs emigrated towards Tirana which led to a growing population in the capital city in the early 20th century 26 In 1939 Tirana was captured by Fascist forces who appointed a puppet government In the meantime Italian architect Gherardo Bosio was asked to elaborate on previous plans and introduce a new project in the area of present day Mother Teresa Square 27 A failed assassination attempt was made on Victor Emmanuel III of Italy by a local resistance activist during a visit to Tirana In November 1941 two emissaries of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia KPJ Miladin Popovic and Dusan Mugosa called a meeting of three Albanian communist groups citation needed and founded the Communist Party of Albania and Enver Hoxha soon emerged as its leader The town soon became the centre of the Albanian communists who mobilised locals against Italian fascists and later Nazi Germans while spreading ideological propaganda On 4 February 1944 the Gestapo supported by the forces of Xhafer Deva executed 86 anti fascists in Tirana 28 On 17 November 1944 the town was liberated after a fierce battle between the Communists and German forces citation needed The Nazis eventually withdrew and the communists seized power nbsp Skanderbeg Square in 1988 two years prior to the Fall of communism in AlbaniaFrom 1944 to 1991 massive socialist style apartment complexes and factories were built while Skanderbeg Square was redesigned with a number of buildings demolished For instance Tirana s former Old Bazaar and the Orthodox Cathedral were razed to the ground in order to build the Soviet styled Palace of Culture The northern portion of the main boulevard was renamed Stalin Boulevard 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 a pyramidal museum was constructed in his memory by the government citation needed Before and after the proclamation of Albania s policy of self imposed isolationism a number of high profile figures paid visits to the city such as Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai and East German Foreign Minister Oskar 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 long anti religious atheist stance She paid respects to her mother and sister resting at a local cemetery nbsp Tirana s main boulevard in 1991Starting at the campus and ending at Skanderbeg Square with the toppling of Enver Hoxha s statue the city saw significant demonstrations by University 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 State James Baker and Pope 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 the 1997 unrest in Albania and a failed coup d etat on 14 September 1998 In 1999 following the Kosovo War Tirana Airport became a NATO airbase serving its mission in the former Yugoslavia Contemporary See also 2018 2019 student protest in Albania Further information 2019 Albania earthquake nbsp Mustafa Matohiti Street near the Pyramid of Tirana After the fall of communism in Albania many areas saw new development During his term from 2000 to 2011 the former mayor of Tirana Edi Rama undertook a campaign to demolish illegal constructed buildings across Tirana as well as along the river banks of Lane 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 Kavajes and the main boulevard Rama also led the initiative to paint the facades 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 first U S President to visit the former communist country 34 35 In 2008 the Gerdec explosions were felt in the capital as windows were shattered and citizens shaken In January 2011 the Albanian 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 minister Sali 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 the Democratic Party representative Lulzim Basha to the Socialist Party candidate Erion 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 a series 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 6 magnitude earthquake with an epicenter located near Durres 46 47 48 Two months after in November 2019 another strong earthquake with the magnitude of 6 4 hit the region again resulting comparatively few damages in Tirana 49 The same month Tirana was announced as the European Youth Capital for 2022 with a planned program including events of cultural and social importance 50 Geography nbsp View of Tirana Metropolitan AreaTirana extends at the Plain of Tirana in the centre of Albania between the mount of Dajti in the east the hills of Kerrabe Sauk and Vaqarr in the south and a valley to the north overlooking the Adriatic 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 51 The city is surrounded by two important protected areas the Dajti National Park and Mali me Gropa Bize 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 of biodiversity the forests are mainly composed of pine oak and beech while its interior relief clarification needed is dotted with canyons waterfalls caves lakes and other landforms 52 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 Tirane river flows through the city as does the Lane river Tirana is home to several artificial lakes including Tirana Farka Tufina and Kashar The present municipality was formed in the 2015 local government reform by the merger of the former municipalities of Baldushk Berzhite Dajt Farke Kashar Krrabe Ndroq Petrele Peze Shengjergj Tirana Vaqarr Zall Bastar and Zall Herr which became municipal units The seat of the municipality is the city of Tirana 6 Climate nbsp Snow at the Dajti National Park It generally melts quickly in the region 53 Tirana has a humid subtropical climate Cfa according to the Koppen climate classification and receives enough precipitation during summer to avoid the Mediterranean climate Csa classification 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 in Europe 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 and summers are very warm to hot often reaching over 20 C 68 F from May to September During autumn and winter 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 54 Climate data for Tirana 7 d 1961 1990 normals and extremes 1940 present e Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec YearRecord high C F 21 3 70 3 28 0 82 4 30 3 86 5 32 6 90 7 35 9 96 6 39 7 103 5 43 0 109 4 41 4 106 5 39 7 103 5 36 1 97 0 31 3 88 3 22 5 72 5 42 2 108 0 Mean daily maximum C F 11 6 52 9 12 9 55 2 15 6 60 1 19 0 66 2 23 8 74 8 27 7 81 9 30 7 87 3 30 7 87 3 27 3 81 1 21 8 71 2 17 1 62 8 13 0 55 4 21 0 69 8 Daily mean C F 6 7 44 1 7 8 46 0 10 0 50 0 13 4 56 1 18 0 64 4 21 6 70 9 24 0 75 2 23 8 74 8 20 7 69 3 16 0 60 8 11 7 53 1 8 1 46 6 15 2 59 4 Mean daily minimum C F 1 8 35 2 2 6 36 7 4 5 40 1 7 9 46 2 12 1 53 8 15 6 60 1 17 2 63 0 16 9 62 4 14 1 57 4 10 1 50 2 6 3 43 3 3 2 37 8 9 4 48 9 Record low C F 10 4 13 3 9 4 15 1 7 0 19 4 1 0 30 2 2 5 36 5 5 6 42 1 4 2 39 6 10 0 50 0 3 8 38 8 1 3 29 7 4 3 24 3 6 9 19 6 10 4 13 3 Average precipitation mm inches 143 5 6 132 5 2 115 4 5 104 4 1 103 4 1 68 2 7 42 1 7 46 1 8 78 3 1 114 4 5 172 6 8 148 5 8 1 266 49 8 Average precipitation days 0 1 mm 13 13 14 13 12 7 5 4 6 9 16 16 128Average relative humidity 74 73 69 72 68 69 62 64 71 70 76 79 71Mean monthly sunshine hours 124 125 165 191 263 298 354 327 264 218 127 88 2 544Average ultraviolet index 2 2 4 6 8 9 9 8 6 4 2 1 5Source DWD 55 56 f Meteo Climat record highs and lows 57 NOAA some records rain and snow days 58 and Weather Atlas 59 Urbanism nbsp The artificial lake of Tirana built from local waters in 1955In 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 60 61 The city suffers from problems related to overpopulation 62 such as waste management high levels of air pollution and significant noise 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 2000s diesel cars 63 while it is widely believed that the fuel used in Albania contains larger amounts of sulfur and lead than in the European 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 5 inhaled particulate matter and NO2 gases 64 65 resulting from rapid growth in the construction of new buildings and expanding road infrastructure 66 Untreated solid 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 Farke Vaqarr and Dajt These parks are part of the new urban plan striving to increase the concentration of green spaces in the capital 67 The government has included designated green areas around Tirana as part of the Tirana Greenbelt where construction is not permitted or limited 68 69 PoliticsAdministration Main article Units of Tirana See also Neighborhoods of Tirana Further information Mayor of Tirana nbsp 11 10 9 8 7 6 4 3 1 2 5 The municipality of Tirana is encompassed in the County of Tirana within the Central Region of Albania and consists of the rural administrative units of Baldushk Berzhite Dajt Farke Kashar Krrabe Ndroq Petrele Peze Shengjergj Vaqarr Zall Bastar Zall Herr and Tirana 70 71 The administrative unit of Tirana is further partitioned into eleven urban administrative units namely Tirana 1 Tirana 2 Tirana 3 Tirana 4 Tirana 5 Tirana 6 Tirana 7 Tirana 8 Tirana 9 Tirana 10 and Tirana 11 70 nbsp Tirana City HallThe 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 the Government 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 is Blloku In 2010 the municipality undertook the installing of street name signs and entrance numbers while every apartment entrance was physically stamped 72 National capital nbsp The Kryeministria at the Deshmoret e Kombit Boulevard is the official office of the Prime Minister of Albania Tirana is the capital city of the Republic of Albania thus playing an essential role in shaping the political and economic life of the country 73 It is the home to government functions and institutions for which the government of Albania is responsible as for instance the executive juridical and legislative branches of Albania The President and Prime Minister of Albania officially reside and work in Tirana specifically at the Presidenca and Kryeministria respectively nevertheless the Parliament of Albania is headquartered at the Deshmoret e Kombit Boulevard 74 75 76 Tirana is also the home to the national Constitutional Court and Supreme Court Important national institutions housed in Tirana include the Appeal Court and Administrative Court The Bank of Albania is located at the Skanderbeg Square while other institutions such as the ministries of Culture Defence Education Finance Foreign Affairs Health Infrastructure Internal Affairs Justice and Tourism are spread over Tirana The city is also the home to all the consulates and embassies in Albania thereby making it an important centre for international diplomacy in the country International relations See also List of twin towns and sister cities in Albania Tirana is a founding member of the Union of Albanian Municipalities in the Region 77 78 Tirana is twinned with Ankara Beijing Bursa Doha Florence Kharkiv Sarajevo and has signed partnership agreements with Verona and Zagreb g 86 87 It has also signed special bilateral agreements with Zaragoza 88 Economy nbsp Bank of AlbaniaTirana is the heart of the economy of Albania and the most industrialised and economically fastest growing region in Albania Of the main sectors the tertiary sector is the most important for the economy of Tirana and employs more than 68 of work force of Tirana 89 26 of the working population makes up the secondary sector followed by the primary sector with only 5 89 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 90 In the 20th century the city and its surrounding areas expanded rapidly and became the most heavily industrialised region of the country The most significant contribution is made by the tertiary sector which has developed considerably since the fall of communism in Albania Forming the financial centre of the country the financial industry is a major component of the city s tertiary sector and remains in good conditions overall due to privatization and the commendable monetary policy 91 All of the most important financial institutions such as the Bank of Albania and the Albanian Stock Exchange are centred in Tirana as well as most of the banking companies such as the Banka Kombetare Tregtare Raiffeisen Bank Credins Bank Intesa Sanpaolo Bank and Tirana Bank nbsp Maritim Plaza Tirana is in the centre of Tirana The telecommunication industry represents another major and growing contributor to the sector 92 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 and Eagle are the leading telecommunication providers in Tirana as in all the country The tourism industry of the city has expanded in recent years to become a vital component of the economy 93 Tirana has been officially dubbed as The Place Beyond Belief by local authorities 94 The increasing number of international arrivals at the Tirana International Airport and Port of Durres from across Europe Australia and Asia has rapidly grown the number of foreign visitors in the city 95 96 The largest hotels of the city are the Tirana International Hotel Maritim Plaza Tirana both situated in the heart of the city near Skanderbeg Square and the Hyatt owned luxury Mak Hotel Tirana 97 located next to the Air Albania Stadium where Mariott Tirana Hotel is also planned to open 98 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 InfrastructureTransport nbsp The terminal of Nene Tereza International AirportAir Tirana is served by Nene 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 principal hub for the country s flag carrier Air Albania 99 Road nbsp The Rruga Shteterore 2 SH2 connecting Tirana with DurresThe city s geographical location in the centre of Albania has long established the city as an integral terminus for the national road transportation thus connecting the city to all parts of Albania and the neighbouring countries 100 The Rruga Shteterore 1 SH1 connects Tirana with Shkoder and Montenegro in the north and constitutes an essential section of the proposed Adriatic Ionian motorway The Rruga Shteterore 2 SH2 continues in the west and provides direct connection to Durres on the Adriatic Sea The Rruga Shteterore 3 SH3 is being transformed to the Autostrada 3 A3 and follows the ancient Via Egnatia It significantly constitutes a major section of the Pan European Corridor VIII and links the city with Elbasan Korce and Greece in the south Tirana is further connected through the Milot interchange in the northwest with Kosovo following as part of the Autostrada 1 A1 During the communist regime in Albania a plan for the construction of a ring road around Tirana arose in 1989s with no implementation until the 2010s 101 It is of major importance especially concerning the demographic growth of the metropolitan 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 102 Rail Rail lines of Hekurudha Shqiptare HSH connected Tirana with all of the major cities of Albania including Durres Shkoder and Vlore In 2013 the Tirana 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 103 The new Tirana Station will be constructed in Laprake which is projected to be a multifunctional terminal for rail tram and bus transportation 104 105 City officials have also talked about a light rail extension all the way to the location of the former rail station 106 The new rail line from Tirana through Nene Tereza International Airport to Durres has started construction 106 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 107 Busses often get stuck in traffic There were only 7 kilometres 4 3 miles of dedicated bus lines in 2020 107 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 average headway of 9 minutes on a daily basis in 2018 and in the first half of 2019 107 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 107 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 107 nbsp An Ecovolis station near Mother Teresa SquareCycling During the administration of mayor Erion Veliaj the government of Tirana has significantly increased the creation and expansion of a cycling infrastructure in the city in order to reduce traffic congestion as well as to improve the sustainable transportation 108 109 110 Ecovolis was launched in 2011 offering rental services for bicycles at different centrally located stations for a small fee 111 112 The international bicycle sharing system Mobike launched its operations on 8 June 2018 by deploying 4000 bicycles in the city 113 114 Both services are no longer available 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 107 Education nbsp The University of Arts at Mother Teresa SquareTirana has the highest concentration of institutions of tertiary education in Albania consisting of numerous academies colleges and universities Most prominent among these is the University of Tirana with campuses around the city and more than 28 000 students from all backgrounds 115 The Polytechnic University of Tirana is another distinguished institution and also the most renowned engineering and technical university in the country The four other public institutions in Tirana are the University of Arts University of Agriculture University of Medicine and University of Sports 115 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 116 117 For primary and secondary education a variety of schools are available tagged with the public private and international labels Some of the international schools are the Tirana International School Albanian International School British School Montessori School Memorial School and World Academy The public primary and secondary Servete Maci School won an award at the 2020 International Architecture Awards 118 Health There are numerous public and private hospitals as well as smaller public and private health care facilities in the territory of Tirana The Mother Teresa University Hospital is one of the largest medical tertiary institutions of the country Other medical institutions include the Shefqet Ndroqi University Hospital Koco Gliozheni Hospital Mbreteresha Gjeraldine Hospital and the Military Hospital DemographyPopulation growth of Tirana in selected periodsYear17031820192319371955198920012012Pop 4 00012 00010 84535 000108 200324 532430 407557 422 p a 0 94 0 10 8 73 6 47 3 28 2 38 2 38 Source 119 120 121 122 123 The Institute of Statistics INSTAT estimated the population of the municipality of Tirana at 418 495 in 2011 7 With a population density of 502 people per square kilometre Tirana is the most densely populated municipality in the country 3 The encompassing metropolitan area consisting of the regions of Durres and Tirana has a combined population of approximately 1 million amounting to nearly one third of the country s total population 124 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 of employment 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 125 Religion in Tirana 126 Islam 55 7 Orthodoxy 6 4 Catholicism 5 4 Bektashism 3 4 Other mostly undeclared and non religious 29 1 Tirana s population is composed by a mixture of different cultural and ethnic groups from Southern Europe The most represented ethnicities are Albanians 84 10 Greeks 0 35 Aromanians 0 11 Macedonians 0 07 and Italians 0 03 127 In Albania a secular state with no state religion the freedom of belief conscience and religion is explicitly guaranteed in the constitution of Albania 128 129 Tirana is religiously diverse and has many places of worship catering to its religious population whom are adherents of Islam Christianity and Judaism but also of Atheism and Agnosticism They all maintain their Albanian headquarters spread across the territory of Tirana Nevertheless the Bektashi Order leadership established their world centre also in the city In the 2011 census 55 7 of the population of the municipality of Tirana was counted as Muslim 3 4 as Bektashis and 11 8 as Christian including 5 4 as Roman Catholic and 6 4 as Eastern Orthodox 130 The remaining 29 1 of the population reported having no religion or did not provide an adequate answer The census of 2011 did not included specific municipality level data for other religious groups The Roman Catholic Church is represented in Tirana by the Archdiocese of Tirane and Durres with the St Paul s Cathedral as the seat of the prelacy The Albanian Orthodox community is served by the Archbishop of Tirana in the Resurrection Cathedral Religious buildings in Tirana nbsp Et hem Bey Mosque nbsp Sacred Heart Church nbsp St Paul s Cathedral nbsp Resurrection Cathedral nbsp Bektashi World Center nbsp Namazgah MosqueCultureMain article Culture of Tirana nbsp Panorama of The Albanians History mosaic above the entrance of the National Museum of History 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 including Christmas Eid Hanukkah and Nowruz Another festival is Dita e Veres 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 the National 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 cultural monuments eight public libraries 131 There are many domestic and foreign cultural institutions in Tirana amongst them the British Council Canadian Institute of Technology as well as the German Goethe Institut and Friedrich Ebert Foundation 132 133 134 135 Other cultural institutions include the Chinese Confucius Institute Greek Hellenic Foundation for Culture Italian Istituto Italiano di Cultura and the French Alliance Francaise 136 137 138 139 Architecture nbsp The Toptani house from the 18th centuryTirana 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 the Second World War and the regime of Enver Hoxha in the aftermath The Palace 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 Deshmoret e Kombit Boulevard was built in 1930 and given the name King Zog I Boulevard nbsp Florestano Di Fausto and Armando Brasini designed the city plan for Tirana in Neo Renaissance style with articulate angular solutions and giant order fascias 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 1939 Italian 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 140 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 architect Stefano Boeri announced the start of the works for the redaction of the Master Plan Tirana 2030 141 nbsp The entrance of the Grand Park of TiranaTirana 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 142 The park includes many children s playgrounds sport facilities and landmarks such as the Saint Procopius Church the Presidential Palace the Botanical Gardens the Tirana Zoo the Amphitheatre the Monument of the Frasheri Brothers and many others The Rinia Park was built during the Communist era It bordered by Deshmoret e Kombit Boulevard to the east Gjergi Fishta Boulevard and Bajram Curri Boulevard to the south Rruga Ibrahim Rugova to the west and Rruga Myslym Shyri to the north The Taivani Centre is the main landmark in the park and houses cafes 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 143 nbsp The Alban Tower designed by Archea Associati Italy completed in 2021Museums Further information Museums in Tirana nbsp The National Museum of History at the Skanderbeg SquareTirana is the home to a number of museums dedicated to a wide array of arts The National Museum of History is located at the Skanderbeg Square and the most representative museum of Tirana 144 The mosaic above the entrance is the most dominant feature of the museum displaying the story of how the Albanian people have fought against invasion and occupation throughout history Founded in 1948 the National Museum of Archaeology at the Mother Teresa Square displays a wide collection of research and discoveries belonging to the archaeological locations around Albania 145 It exhibits span from prehistory through antiquity and the Middle Ages to the twentieth century offering an overview of the country s historical diversity nbsp The Cloud Pavilion outside the National Art Gallery installed by Japanese artist Sou Fujimoto 146 The National Art Gallery is considered the most important gallery in Albania housing one of the greatest collections of paintings in the region 147 Located at the Deshmoret e Kombit Boulevard it holds approximately 4 500 works of art including the most important collection of Albanian art of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries The Bunk 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 and Cold War 148 149 The Museum of Secret Surveillance was founded in 2017 and is housed within a twentieth century mansion the building known as the House of Leaves near the Deshmoret e Kombit Boulevard 150 It commemorates and honours the victims who fell to the communist terrorism and violence during the communist period in Albania Other museums include the Natural Sciences Museum which has branches in zoology botany and geology the former Enver Hoxha Museum and the Bunk art Museum The Bektashi Museum was opened at the World Headquarters of the Bektashi on 7 September 2015 The museum contains exhibits relating to Bektashi history and leadership 151 Cuisine 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 152 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 Tirana s restaurant scene has evolved recently characterised by stylish interiors and delicious food grown locally The Tirana region is known for the Fergesa traditional dish made with either peppers or liver 153 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 existing Olympic Park that will provide infrastructure for most intramural sports 154 Tirana hosted in the past three major events the FIBA EuroBasket 2006 2011 World Mountain Running Championships and the 2013 European Weightlifting Championships nbsp Air Albania Stadium in the city centre under constructionThere are two major stadiums the former Qemal Stafa Stadium and the Selman Stermasi stadium The former was demolished in 2016 to make way for the new national stadium 155 The new stadium called the Air Albania Stadium was constructed on the same site of the former Qemal Stafa Stadium and it is planned to open in late 2019 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 the government Football is the most widely followed sport in Tirana as well as in the country having numerous club teams including the KF Tirana Partizani Tirana and Dinamo 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 combined 57 championships out of 72 championships organised by the FSHF i e 79 of them Another popular sport in Albania is basketball represented in particular by the teams KB Tirana BC Partizani BC Dinamo Ardhmeria and also the women s PBC Tirana Recently two rugby teams were created Tirana Rugby Club 156 founded in 2013 and Iliret Rugby Club 157 founded in 2016 Media nbsp The former grounds of the headquarters of Radio 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 international television stations including the national broadcaster Radio Televizioni Shqiptar RTSH along with all its television and radio networks The three largest Albanian commercial broadcasters such as Televizioni Klan Top Channel and Vizion Plus also maintains their headquarters in the city The European broadcaster Euronews operates a franchise in the city as well as the American broadcaster CNN 158 159 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 including Gazeta Shqip Gazeta Tema Koha Jone and Panorama Gazeta Shqiptare one of the oldest Albanian language newspapers in Albania operates and has its headquarters in the city 160 Tirana also has a well established English language newspaper notably the daily of Tirana Times Notable peopleMain article List of people from Tirana Key of Tirana The Key of Tirana Albanian Celesi i Qytetit is a symbolic recognition given by the Mayor of Tirana to an esteemed personality It was given to Atifete Jahjaga Kosovo Albanian politician and activist 161 Bebe Rexha Albanian American singer and songwriter 162 Dritan Abazovic Montenegrin Albanian politician 163 Dua Lipa English Albanian singer and songwriter 164 Eleni Foureira Greek Albanian singer 165 Emeli Sande Scottish singer and songwriter 166 Ermal Meta Italian Albanian singer and songwriter 167 Giorgio Toschi Italian commander 168 Giusy Ferreri Italian singer and songwriter 169 Fatboy Slim English musician 162 Istvan Tarlos Hungarian politician 170 Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic Croatian politician 171 Nexhmije Pagarusha Kosovo Albanian icon and singer 172 Noel Malcolm English journalist and historian 173 Riccardo Cocciante Italian singer and songwriter 174 Rita Ora British Albanian singer and songwriter 175 Robin Krasniqi German Albanian boxer 176 Stevo Pendarovski Macedonian politician 177 See alsoTimeline of Tirana Symbols of Tirana Landmarks of TiranaNotes The municipality of Tirana consists of the administrative units of Baldushk Berzhite Dajt Farke Kashar Krrabe Ndroq Petrele Peze Shengjergj Vaqarr Zall Bastar Zall Herr and Tirana 3 5 6 The population of the municipality results from the sum of the listed administrative units in the former as of the 2011 Albanian census 3 7 The estimation for the administrative unit of Tirana is to be taken into consideration 7 Indefinite Albanian form Tirane pronounced tiˈɾane Elevation at 90 m 300 ft The monthly estimations for rainy and snowy days are not available only annual Station ID for Tirana is 13615 Use this station ID to locate the sunshine duration Citations regarding the twin or sister cities of Tirana 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 References Mayor of Tirana Bashkia Tirane Archived from the original on 23 September 2020 Retrieved 23 September 2020 Municipal chairman of Tirana Bashkia Tirane Archived from the original on 23 September 2020 Retrieved 23 September 2020 a b c d Pasaporta e Bashkise Tirana in Albanian Porta Vendore Archived from the original on 6 October 2021 Retrieved 6 October 2021 Bashkia Tirana Albanian Association of Municipalities AAM Archived from the original on 12 October 2020 Retrieved 12 October 2020 A new Urban Rural Classification of Albanian Population PDF Instituti i Statistikes INSTAT May 2014 p 15 Archived from the original PDF on 14 November 2019 Retrieved 6 October 2021 a b Law nr 115 2014 PDF in Albanian p 6375 Archived PDF from the original on 25 February 2022 Retrieved 25 February 2022 a b c Censusi i popullsise dhe banesave Population and Housing Census Tirane 2011 PDF in Albanian Tirana Instituti i Statistikes INSTAT p 85 Archived from the original PDF on 23 August 2017 Retrieved 20 July 2020 44 of the economy in 2021 concentrated in Tirana other districts fading euronews al Retrieved 5 April 2024 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Economic inequality deepens year after year Tirana has the highest per capita income of 134 of the average politiko al Retrieved 5 April 2024 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Tirana Lexico UK English Dictionary Oxford University Press Archived from the original on 26 February 2021 Tirana The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language 5th ed HarperCollins Retrieved 21 September 2020 Sunniest Cities in Europe currentresults com p 1 Archived from the original on 19 January 2024 Retrieved 21 January 2024 a b European Cities With the Wettest Rainiest Weather currentresults com p 1 Archived from the original on 8 December 2017 Retrieved 7 December 2017 The World According to GaWC 2020 Globalization and World Cities Research Network GaWC Archived from the original on 6 October 2020 Retrieved 6 October 2020 Hammond Nicholas Geoffrey Lempriere 1966 The Kingdoms in Illyria circa 400 167 B C The Annual of the British School at Athens 61 British School at Athens 247 doi 10 1017 S0068245400019043 JSTOR 30103175 S2CID 164155370 Heppner Harald 1994 Hauptstadte in Sudosteuropa Geschichte Funktion nationale Symbolkraft Wien u a Bohlau pp 133 135 ISBN 978 3 205 98255 5 Archived from the original on 21 January 2024 Retrieved 3 October 2020 a b Heppner Harald 1994 Hauptstadte in Sudosteuropa Geschichte Funktion nationale Symbolkraft Wien u a Bohlau p 137 ISBN 978 3 205 98255 5 Archived from the original on 21 January 2024 Retrieved 3 October 2020 E J Van Donzel 1994 Islamic Desk Reference E J Brill p 451 ISBN 9780585305561 OCLC 45731063 archived from the original on 21 January 2024 retrieved 5 January 2016 il borgo di Tirana is already mentioned as early as 1572 a b Koco Miho 1987 J Tocka ed Trajta te profilit urbanistik te qytetit te Tiranes prej fillimeve deri me 1944 Tirana 8 Nentori p 57 OCLC 20994870 Tiranasit e ardhur rishtaz in Albanian Gazeta Shqiptare Archived from the original on 2 February 2010 Retrieved 17 August 2008 Delvina Sherif 2006 Low Albania Epirus and Cham issue Tirane Eurorilindja p 196 ISBN 99943 861 0 7 OCLC 124184965 Archived from the original on 21 January 2024 Retrieved 18 October 2022 Klan magazine Klan 527 534 265 2007 Archived from the original on 21 January 2024 Retrieved 10 October 2018 a b Clayer Nathalie 2005 The Albanian students of the Mekteb i Mulkiye Social networks and trends of thought In Ozdalga Elisabeth ed Late Ottoman Society The Intellectual Legacy Routledge pp 306 307 ISBN 9780415341646 Archived from the original on 21 January 2024 Retrieved 3 October 2020 Pearson Owen 2006 Albania and King Zog independence republic and monarchy 1908 1939 IB Taurus p 140 ISBN 1 84511 013 7 Archived from the original on 21 January 2024 Retrieved 3 October 2020 It was decided that the Congress of Lushnje was not to be dissolved until elections had been held and the new government had taken power into its hands and begun to exercise its functions in Tirana in opposition to the Provisional Government in Italian occupied Durres Kera Gentiana Aspects of the urban development of Tirana 1820 1939 Archived 25 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine Seventh International Conference of Urban History Athens 2004 Stefanovic Djordje 2005 Seeing the Albanians through Serbian eyes The Inventors of the Tradition of Intolerance and their Critics 1804 1939 European History Quarterly 35 3 470 Bleta Indrit Influences of political regime shifts on the urban scene of a capital city Case Study Tirana Archived 15 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine Turkey 2010 Pearson Owen 2006 Albania in Occupation and War From Fascism to Communism 1940 1945 I B Tauris p 326 ISBN 978 1 84511 104 5 Archived from the original on 21 January 2024 Retrieved 21 January 2021 ENVER HOXHA DIES ALBANIAN LEADER The New York Times Reuters 12 April 1985 ISSN 0362 4331 Archived from the original on 18 January 2022 Retrieved 18 January 2022 Mother Teresa Biography 24 February 2020 Archived from the original on 2 May 2020 Retrieved 10 May 2020 Kempster Norman 23 June 1991 Albanians Mob Baker Cheer U S Europe Freedom works he exhorts a rally of 200 000 The country hopes for aid to rebuild an economy shattered by lengthy Stalinist isolation Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on 16 October 2015 Retrieved 8 December 2018 A bright and colourful new style of urban design emerges in Albania Resource for Urban Design Information Archived from the original on 7 August 2008 Retrieved 16 August 2008 Pusca Anca 2008 The aesthetics of change Exploring post Communist spaces PDF Global Society 22 3 369 386 doi 10 1080 13600820802090512 S2CID 7735000 Archived PDF from the original on 23 September 2020 Retrieved 3 June 2020 Bush makes landmark visit to Albania The Daily Telegraph 10 June 2007 Archived from the original on 7 October 2020 Retrieved 7 October 2020 Stolberg Sheryl Gay 11 June 2007 Thousands Hails Bush in Visit to Albania The New York Times Archived from the original on 7 October 2020 Retrieved 7 October 2020 Albania 20 000 Protesters March Against Government 3 Killed The New York Times 21 January 2011 Archived from the original on 7 October 2020 Retrieved 7 October 2020 Pope Francis arrives in Albania on a flying visit Deutsche Welle DW 21 September 2014 Archived from the original on 7 October 2020 Retrieved 7 October 2020 Pope Francis praises human rights and religious freedom during Albania visit The Guardian 21 September 2014 Archived from the original on 7 October 2020 Retrieved 7 October 2020 Erion Veliaj takes office as Mayor of Tirana Archived from the original on 1 August 2015 Retrieved 31 August 2015 Reforma Territoriale Harta 61 bashki reformaterritoriale al Archived from the original on 28 August 2015 Retrieved 31 August 2015 a b Veliaj suspends construction permits Archived from the original on 16 August 2015 Retrieved 31 August 2015 Tirana City Council approves the allocation of social housing for 242 families Archived from the original on 20 August 2015 Retrieved 31 August 2015 University students protest tariff hikes low education standards in Albania Tirana Times 5 December 2018 Archived from the original on 6 October 2020 Retrieved 6 October 2020 Pomeroy Robin 11 December 2018 Albanian students block Tirana highway in protest at higher fees Reuters Archived from the original on 6 October 2020 Retrieved 6 October 2020 Ehl David 18 December 2018 France Hungary Serbia Is half of Europe protesting Deutsche Welle DW Archived from the original on 6 October 2020 Retrieved 6 October 2020 Albania jolted by strong earthquake dozens reported injured Deutsche Welle DW 21 September 2019 Archived from the original on 6 October 2020 Retrieved 6 October 2020 Andone Dakin Gashi Aldona 21 September 2019 Albania struck by 5 6 magnitude earthquake injuring at least 37 Cable News Network CNN Archived from the original on 6 October 2020 Retrieved 6 October 2020 Albania earthquake Magnitude 5 6 tremor felt in capital Tirana Euronews 21 September 2019 Archived from the original on 6 October 2020 Retrieved 6 October 2020 Peltier Elian Magra Iliana Victor Daniel 25 November 2019 Albania Earthquake Kills at Least 23 The New York Times Archived from the original on 6 October 2020 Retrieved 6 October 2020 Congratulations Tirana Winner of the European Youth Capital for 2022 European Youth Capital EYC 21 November 2019 Archived from the original on 6 October 2020 Retrieved 6 October 2020 Koncepti i Zhvillimit Rajonal per Qarkun e Tiranes 2012 2017 Concept of Regional Development for the District of Tirana 2012 2017 PDF in Albanian 22 April 2013 Archived from the original PDF on 22 July 2020 Retrieved 9 August 2020 Dajti National Park A Recreational Area for Citizens of Tirana Albania PDF boku ac at p 2 Archived PDF from the original on 10 August 2017 Retrieved 11 September 2017 Kottek Markus Grieser Jurgen Beck Christoph Rudolf Bruno Rube Franz June 2006 World Map of the Koppen Geiger climate classification updated PDF Meteorologische Zeitschrift 15 3 259 263 Bibcode 2006MetZe 15 259K doi 10 1127 0941 2948 2006 0130 Archived PDF from the original on 12 April 2019 Retrieved 6 October 2020 Telegraph Media Group 21 November 2016 Mapped the sunniest and dullest cities in Europe The Telegraph Archived from the original on 11 January 2022 Klimatafel von Tirana Flugh Albanien PDF Baseline climate means 1961 1990 from stations all over the world in German Deutscher Wetterdienst Archived PDF from the original on 9 February 2020 Retrieved 30 January 2016 Station 13615 Tirana Global station data 1961 1990 Sunshine Duration Deutscher Wetterdienst Archived from the original on 17 October 2017 Retrieved 30 January 2016 Station Tirana in French Meteo Climat Archived from the original on 3 December 2019 Retrieved 11 June 2016 Tirane 13615 WMO Weather Station NOAA Archived from the original on 21 January 2024 Retrieved 12 May 2019 Tirana Albania Detailed climate information and monthly weather forecast Weather Atlas Yu Media Group Archived from the original on 3 July 2019 Retrieved 3 July 2019 Albania Announces Car Free Days for First Sunday of Each Month Exit Explaining Albania 25 March 2022 Archived from the original on 18 October 2022 Retrieved 18 October 2022 Car free day in Tirana these are the roads where driving isn t permitted Euronews Albania 22 March 2022 Archived from the original on 18 October 2022 Retrieved 18 October 2022 State of the Environment in Albania 1997 1998 Archived from the original on 20 December 2016 Retrieved 18 February 2018 VizionPlusAlbania 7 November 2013 Stoku i makinave te perdorura News Lajme Vizion Plus Archived from the original on 30 October 2021 via YouTube Environmental Center for Administration amp Technology Tirana 2008 Tirana Air Quality Report Tirana EU LIFE Program German Federal Ministry of the Environment Nature Protection and Nuclear Safety PDF Archived from the original PDF on 10 March 2012 Retrieved 20 May 2020 Dako Alba Lika Mirela and Hysen Mankolli 2008 Monitoring aspects of air quality in urban areas of Tirana and Tirana and Durres Albania PDF Natura Montenegrina 7 2 549 557 Archived from the original PDF on 25 March 2012 Retrieved 21 January 2013 Cameron Rob 3 December 2004 Tirana Where the streets have no name BBC News Archived from the original on 30 May 2006 Retrieved 3 December 2004 Oranews tv Veliaj Ne Farke do ndertohet terminali i autobusave per juglindjen Oranews Archived from the original on 22 August 2015 Retrieved 31 August 2015 HOME planifikimi gov al Archived from the original on 23 March 2017 Retrieved 10 July 2017 Baza Ligjore APR Tirana aprtirana al Archived from the original on 20 August 2017 Retrieved 10 July 2017 a b Strategjia e Zhvillimit te Qendrueshem te Bashkise Tirane 2018 2022 PDF in Albanian Bashkia Tirane p 22 Archived from the original PDF on 13 June 2020 Retrieved 23 September 2020 Dorina Pojani 6 March 2010 Tirana City Profile Cities 27 483 495 doi 10 1016 j cities 2010 02 002 Bashkia Lajmet e Ditarit Tirana gov al Archived from the original on 27 September 2011 Retrieved 15 September 2011 Constitution of the Republic of Albania Organization for Security and Co operation in Europe OSCE p 3 Archived from the original on 4 October 2022 Retrieved 8 June 2020 The capital city of the Republic of Albania is Tirana Presidency Bashkia Tirane Archived from the original on 19 July 2020 Retrieved 19 July 2020 The Prime Minister Offices Bashkia Tirane Archived from the original on 19 July 2020 Retrieved 19 July 2020 Albania s Assembly Hall Bashkia Tirane Archived from the original on 19 July 2020 Retrieved 19 July 2020 Zyrtarizohet UBSHR mbledh Konferencen e pare in Albanian Unioni i Bashkive Shqiptare UBSHR 21 November 2016 Archived from the original on 2 October 2021 Retrieved 6 October 2021 Politikat Lokale Bashk olitikat Lokale Bashkepunimi Nderkomunal ne K epunimi Nderkomunal ne Kosove in Albanian University for Business and Technology UBT p 42 Archived from the original on 12 August 2021 Retrieved 2 October 2021 Sister cities of Ankara Ankara Municipality Archived from the original on 2 October 2021 Retrieved 6 October 2021 Beijing Info Sister Cities Beijing Municipality Archived from the original on 6 October 2021 Retrieved 6 October 2021 Kardes Sehirler in Turkish Bursa Municipality Archived from the original on 2 October 2021 Retrieved 6 October 2021 Twin cities Doha amp Tirana Arabian Business 8 March 2012 Archived from the original on 6 October 2021 Retrieved 6 October 2021 Firenze internazionale Gemellaggi e patti di amicizia in Italian Florence Comune Archived from the original on 6 October 2021 Retrieved 6 October 2021 Goroda partnery in Ukrainian Kharkiv Archived from the original on 6 October 2021 Retrieved 6 October 2021 Gradovi pobratimi Spisak in Bosnian Sarajevo Archived from the original on 10 March 2021 Retrieved 6 October 2021 Statistical Yearbook of the City of Zagreb 2018 PDF City of Zagreb p 34 Archived PDF from the original on 22 October 2020 Retrieved 6 October 2021 Grandi Eventi Gemellaggi e Patti d Amicizia in Italian Verona Comune 5 September 2019 Archived from the original on 6 October 2021 Retrieved 6 October 2021 Hermanamientos con Zaragoza in Spanish Zaragoza Archived from the original on 6 September 2021 Retrieved 6 October 2021 a b 50 7 of Albanian Employees Work in Agriculture agroweb org 26 May 2017 Archived from the original on 25 June 2017 Retrieved 22 June 2017 Hysa Armanda The History Form and Function of the Old Bazaar in Tirana academia edu Archived from the original on 7 February 2023 Retrieved 12 December 2017 Analysis of the Albanian Banking System in the Transition Years PDF ijbcnet com Archived from the original PDF on 9 October 2022 Retrieved 12 January 2019 Muharremi Oltiana Madani Filloreta Pelari Erald The Development of the Service Sector in Albania and Its Future researchgate net pp 2 9 TOURISM AND EMPLOYMENT IN ALBANIA IS THERE A STRONG CORRELATION PDF asecu gr pp 1 9 Archived PDF from the original on 9 October 2022 Retrieved 12 January 2019 Mayor Veliaj in Singapore Tirana a place beyond belief Radio Tirana International Archived from the original on 19 December 2018 Retrieved 11 March 2019 Turizmi ne Tirane fluks nga Evropa Azia e Australia forum al com in Albanian Tirana 11 August 2018 Archived from the original on 12 January 2019 Retrieved 12 January 2019 Veliaj Ambicia jone eshte qe Tirana te kape 1 milion turiste kete vit ata gov al in Albanian Tirana 7 June 2018 Archived from the original on 7 February 2023 Retrieved 12 January 2019 US giant Hyatt takes over former Sheraton Tirana management Tirana Times Archived from the original on 5 August 2020 Retrieved 18 December 2019 Jonuzaj Klaudjo Marriott to open hotel in Albania s Tirana govt SEE News Archived from the original on 3 November 2019 Retrieved 18 December 2019 Statistikat e transportit PDF in Albanian Instituti i Statistikes INSTAT 27 January 2019 p 2 Archived PDF from the original on 9 October 2022 Retrieved 13 June 2020 Strategjija e Zhvillimit te Qendrueshem te Bashkise Tirane 2018 2022 PDF in Albanian Bashkia Tirane pp 18 23 Archived from the original PDF on 13 June 2020 Retrieved 13 June 2020 Albania economy briefing Tirana s Outer Ring Road and the controversial case of 2 1 km segment Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries China CEE 6 March 2019 Archived from the original on 13 June 2020 Retrieved 13 June 2020 Unaza e Madhe e Tiranes hapet ne shtator in Albanian TV Klan 14 August 2017 Archived from the original on 13 June 2020 Retrieved 13 June 2020 Lamtumira e trenit ne kryeqytet stacioni tashme zhvendoset ne Vore in Albanian Gazeta Shqip 1 September 2013 Archived from the original on 14 June 2020 Retrieved 14 June 2020 New Public Transport Terminal of Tirana Italferr Archived from the original on 8 December 2019 Retrieved 14 June 2020 Tirana me stacion modern multimodal in Albanian Koha 2 May 2018 Archived from the original on 14 June 2020 Retrieved 14 June 2020 a b Arlinda Gjonaj Veliaj Linja e re hekurudhore Tirane Rinas Durres perfundon ne vitin 2024 Albanian Telegraph Agency in Albanian Archived from the original on 12 May 2023 Retrieved 16 September 2023 a b c d e f Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan for the City of TIRANA PDF Bashkia Tirane Archived PDF from the original on 29 October 2023 Retrieved 16 September 2023 Pas rikonfirmimit per mandatin e dyte Veliaj ftohet nga BERZH per vijimin e investimeve ne Tirane in Albanian Administrata al Archived from the original on 14 June 2020 Retrieved 14 June 2020 Burgen Stephen 29 October 2018 Build it and they will come Tirana s plan for a kaleidoscope metropolis The Guardian Tirana Archived from the original on 20 November 2020 Retrieved 14 June 2020 Tirana eshte kthyer ne qytetin me me shume korsi bicikletash ne Shqiperi in Albanian TRT 14 July 2018 Archived from the original on 14 June 2020 Retrieved 14 June 2020 Ecovolis Ecovolis Archived from the original on 6 January 2012 Retrieved 21 January 2013 Christiaens Jan 1 August 2014 Public bike service opens in Tirana Albania Eltis Archived from the original on 14 June 2020 Retrieved 14 June 2020 Global Mobike 8 June 2018 Mobike Launches in Tirana Albania Mobike Archived from the original on 22 September 2020 Retrieved 14 June 2020 Mobike ngushton harten e perdorimit ne Tirane in Albanian Radio Televizioni Shqiptar RTSH 17 January 2019 Archived from the original on 17 January 2019 Retrieved 14 June 2020 a b Strategjia e Zhvillimit te Qendrueshem te Bashkise Tirane 2018 2022 PDF in Albanian Bashkia Tirane pp 75 77 Archived from the original PDF on 13 June 2020 Retrieved 26 September 2020 Programi Buxhetor Afatmesem 2018 2020 PDF in Albanian Bashkia Tirane Archived from the original PDF on 26 September 2020 Retrieved 26 September 2020 Perurohet shkolla 9 vjecare 1 Maji in Albanian Bashkia Tirane Archived from the original on 26 September 2020 Retrieved 26 September 2020 Harrouk Christele 11 September 2020 2020 International Architecture Awards Winners Announced ArchDaily Archived from the original on 26 September 2020 Retrieved 26 September 2020 Albania largest cities and towns and statistics of their population World Gazetteer Archived from the original on 5 December 2012 Retrieved 12 June 2020 Te dhena te pergjithshme per Qytetin e Tiranes PDF in Albanian Bashkia Tirane Archived from the original PDF on 11 September 2008 Retrieved 12 June 2020 Popullsia e Shqiperise PDF in Albanian Instituti i Statistikes INSTAT 19 February 2016 Archived from the original PDF on 12 April 2016 Retrieved 12 June 2020 Popullsia e Shqiperise PDF in Albanian Instituti i Statistikes INSTAT 13 February 2017 Archived from the original PDF on 5 May 2017 Retrieved 12 June 2020 Citation regarding the Albanian censuses of 1989 and 2001 Gjonca Arjan Elezi Pranvera Sado Lantona Pabarazite ne Tiranen e madhe PDF in Albanian Instituti i Statistikes INSTAT p 8 Archived from the original PDF on 12 June 2020 Retrieved 12 June 2020 Population INSTAT Instituti i Statistikes INSTAT Archived from the original on 16 March 2013 Retrieved 20 July 2020 See table Population growth of Tirana in selected periods Religion in the Municipality of Tirana 2011 Instituti i Statistikes INSTAT Archived from the original on 22 January 2019 Retrieved 20 July 2020 Censusi i popullsise dhe banesave Population and Housing Census Tirane 2011 PDF in Albanian Tirana Instituti i Statistikes INSTAT 2013 pp 38 39 Archived from the original PDF on 23 August 2017 Retrieved 20 July 2020 Constitution of the Republic of Albania Organization for Security and Co operation in Europe OSCE p 2 Archived from the original on 4 October 2022 Retrieved 20 July 2020 Albania 2016 International Religious Freedom Report PDF United States Department of State pp 1 7 Archived from the original PDF on 15 August 2017 Retrieved 20 July 2020 Instat Gis Instituti i Statistikes INSTAT Archived from the original on 22 January 2019 Retrieved 24 July 2018 in Albanian Statistikat 2007 Archived 11 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine PDF Municipality of Tirana Retrieved 20 July 2008 Rreth nesh in Albanian British Council Archived from the original on 6 October 2020 Retrieved 6 October 2020 Rreth nesh in Albanian Canadian Institute of Technology Archived from the original on 6 October 2020 Retrieved 6 October 2020 Rreth nesh in Albanian Goethe Institut Archived from the original on 22 July 2020 Retrieved 6 October 2020 Per ne FES Tirane in Albanian Friedrich Ebert Foundation Archived from the original on 6 October 2020 Retrieved 6 October 2020 Rreth nesh Confucius Institute Archived from the original on 6 October 2020 Retrieved 6 October 2020 Tiranas Centre of Hellenic Foundation of Culture Anna Lindh Foundation Archived from the original on 6 October 2020 Retrieved 6 October 2020 Rreth nesh in Albanian Istituto Italiano di Cultura Archived from the original on 6 October 2020 Retrieved 6 October 2020 Historiku Alliance Francaise Archived from the original on 6 October 2020 Retrieved 6 October 2020 Municipality of Tirana partner in a transnational project on totalitarian architecture atrium see eu Archived from the original on 25 October 2016 Retrieved 25 October 2016 Burgen Stephen 29 October 2018 Build it and they will come Tirana s plan for a kaleidoscope metropolis The Guardian ISSN 0261 3077 Archived from the original on 20 November 2020 Retrieved 12 June 2023 Mayor of Tirana inaugurates second workout area at Artificial Lake Park 23 February 2017 Archived from the original on 17 May 2017 Retrieved 25 March 2017 Second paid parking space inaugurated in Tirana top channel tv Archived from the original on 1 February 2020 Retrieved 10 May 2020 National Historical Museum Bashkia Tirane Archived from the original on 18 July 2020 Retrieved 18 July 2020 National Archaeological Museum Bashkia Tirane Archived from the original on 18 July 2020 Retrieved 18 July 2020 The Cloud Art Pavilion at National Gallery Gardens PDF Archived from the original PDF on 17 August 2018 Retrieved 18 February 2018 National Gallery of Arts Bashkia Tirane Archived from the original on 18 July 2020 Retrieved 18 July 2020 Bunk Art 1 Bashkia Tirane Archived from the original on 18 July 2020 Retrieved 18 July 2020 Bunk Art 2 Bashkia Tirane Archived from the original on 18 July 2020 Retrieved 18 July 2020 The Museum of Secret Surveillance Bashkia Tirane Archived from the original on 18 July 2020 Retrieved 18 July 2020 The Bektashi Library Archived 20 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine Kryegjyshata Boterore Bektashiane Accessed 19 September 2021 Albania ranked first in the World for the number of Bars and Restaurants per inhabitant Oculus News Archived from the original on 28 November 2022 Retrieved 22 September 2019 Albanian Fergese Fergese e Tiranes me piperka My Albanian Food Archived from the original on 9 December 2018 Retrieved 8 December 2018 Me sportistet elitar prezantohet Parku Olimpik i Tiranes arsimi gov al Archived from the original on 23 September 2015 Retrieved 31 August 2015 Shembet Qemal Stafa 25 June 2016 Shemben 4 tribuna lamtumire stadiumi Qemal Stafa FOTO Panorama in Albanian Archived from the original on 25 June 2016 Retrieved 21 January 2024 Tirana Regbi Klub kthen sportin e munguar ne kryeqytet sportekspres com Archived from the original on 10 March 2016 Retrieved 15 May 2017 OSCE Presence in Albania launches sports based youth development programme OSCE osce org Archived from the original on 8 December 2016 Retrieved 15 May 2017 Euronews Michael 23 November 2019 Michael Peters welcomes Euronews Albania to the Euronews family Euronews Albania Archived from the original on 1 October 2020 Retrieved 14 June 2020 Televizioni A2 partneri ekskluziv i CNN ne Shqiperi nis rekrutimin e stafit in Albanian Telegrafi 25 April 2018 Archived from the original on 10 March 2021 Retrieved 14 June 2020 Stegherr Marc Liesem Kerstin 3 August 2010 Die Medien in Osteuropa Mediensysteme im Transformationsprozess in German Springer Verlag pp 159 166 ISBN 9783531924878 Archived from the original on 21 January 2024 Retrieved 14 June 2020 Presidentja Atifete Jahjaga u takua me kryetarin e Bashkise se Tiranes Erion Veliaj in Albanian Presidential Office of Kosovo Archived from the original on 10 October 2020 Retrieved 10 October 2020 a b Veliaj i dorezon Celesin e Qytetit kengetares Bebe Rexha in Albanian Klan Kosova 10 September 2016 Archived from the original on 7 October 2020 Retrieved 7 October 2020 Kryebashkiaku Veliaj i jep Celesin e qytetit Zv Kryeministrit te Malit te Zi Dritan Abazovic in Albanian Bashkia Tirane 6 October 2021 Archived from the original on 6 October 2021 Retrieved 6 October 2021 Celesi i Qytetit per kengetaren Dua Lipa in Albanian Bashkia Tirane Archived from the original on 7 October 2020 Retrieved 7 October 2020 Celesi i Qytetit per kengetaren me origjine shqiptare Eleni Foureira in Albanian Bashkia Tirane Archived from the original on 7 October 2020 Retrieved 7 October 2020 Kryebashkiaku Veliaj i jep celesin e qytetit kengetares se njohur Emeli Sande in Albanian ABC News 30 November 2017 Archived from the original on 10 October 2020 Retrieved 10 October 2020 Fituesi i Sanremo s merr Celesin e Qytetit in Albanian Top Channel 1 June 2018 Archived from the original on 7 October 2020 Retrieved 7 October 2020 Celesi i Qytetit per Komandantin e Pergjithshem te Guardia di Finanza Giorgio Toschi in Albanian Bashkia Tirane Archived from the original on 7 October 2020 Retrieved 7 October 2020 Celesi i Qytetit per kengetaren italiane Giusy Ferreri in Albanian Bashkia Tirane Archived from the original on 7 October 2020 Retrieved 7 October 2020 Celesi i Qytetit per kryebashkiakun e Budapestit Istvan Tarlos in Albanian Bashkia Tirane Archived from the original on 7 October 2020 Retrieved 7 October 2020 Celesi i Qytetit per Presidenten e Kroacise Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic in Albanian Bashkia Tirane Archived from the original on 7 October 2020 Retrieved 7 October 2020 Celesi i Qytetit per kengetaren Nexhmije Pagarusha in Albanian ABC News 7 May 2018 Archived from the original on 7 October 2020 Retrieved 7 October 2020 Celesi i Qytetit Sir Noel Robert Malcolm in Albanian Bashkia Tirane Archived from the original on 7 October 2020 Retrieved 7 October 2020 Kryetari i Bashkise se Tiranes i dhuroi Celesin e Qytetit kengetarit italian Riccardo Cocciante in Albanian Bashkia Tirane Archived from the original on 7 October 2020 Retrieved 7 October 2020 Erion Veliaj i dhuron Celesin e Qytetit Rita Ores in Albanian Klan Kosova 4 June 2018 Archived from the original on 7 October 2020 Retrieved 7 October 2020 Celesi i qytetit per Robin Krasniqin Boksieri shqiptar u shpall pak dite me pare kampion bote in Albanian Top Channel 19 October 2020 Archived from the original on 26 October 2020 Retrieved 26 October 2020 Celesi i Qytetit per Pendarovskin Bashkia e Tiranes nderon Presidentin e Maqedonise se Veriut in Albanian Top Channel 27 October 2019 Archived from the original on 10 October 2020 Retrieved 10 October 2020 Further readingBurgen Stephen 29 October 2018 Build it and they will come Tirana s plan for a kaleidoscope metropolis The Guardian Archived from the original on 20 November 2020 Retrieved 20 November 2020 Akkam Alia 13 October 2017 The Capital of Albania Has Transformed Into a Lively Affordable Destination Vogue Archived from the original on 20 November 2020 Retrieved 20 November 2020 Hillsdon Mark 27 February 2017 The European capital you d never thought to visit but really should The Telegraph Archived from the original on 20 November 2020 Retrieved 20 November 2020 Crevar Alex 28 August 2015 Tirana Breaking Free From Communist Past Is a City Transformed The New York Times Archived from the original on 20 November 2020 Retrieved 20 November 2020 McRae Hamish 13 September 2008 Albania Charmed by Tirana The Independent Archived from the original on 4 July 2020 Retrieved 20 November 2020 Capolino Patrizia 2011 Tirana A Capital City Transformed by the Italians Planning Perspectives 26 4 591 615 Bibcode 2011PlPer 26 591C doi 10 1080 02665433 2011 601610 S2CID 143255786 External linksTirana at Wikipedia s sister projects nbsp Definitions from Wiktionary nbsp Media from Commons nbsp News from Wikinews nbsp Quotations from Wikiquote nbsp Texts from Wikisource nbsp Textbooks from Wikibooks nbsp Resources from Wikiversity nbsp Travel information from Wikivoyage Official Website in Albanian Tirana Encyclopaedia Britannica 11th ed 1911 The rebirth of the city December 2010 archive in Albanian Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tirana amp oldid 1217450520, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.