Skanderbeg square in Tirana
Skanderbeg square in Tirana Tirana it is much more than a symbol.
It represents the "Albanian miracle" and is the tangible testimony of the renewal and change that has characterized all Albania.
Skanderbeg square in Tirana it represents the whole of Albania. The urban renewal project signed by the architecture firm 51N4E won the first prize of “European Award for Architectural Heritage Intervention”.
The project was particularly complex considering that Skanderbeg Square in Tirana represents a place of particular historical and cultural interest.
The events of Albanian history have all passed through this square.
Dominating the architectural complex is the equestrian statue of Skanderberg, the Albanian hero protagonist of the resistance against the advance of the Ottoman Empire.
The architects' studio managed to keep the historical evidence of the past unchanged and to bring together all the Albanian regions in the square: the flooring is made with all types of stone that are extracted in Albania while among the many trees planted there are all the plant species present in the nation.
Skanderbeg Square in Tirana is the center of the city and of the whole nation
The reasons that allowed Skanderbeg Square to be awarded with the first prize of the “European Award for Architectural Heritage Intervention” report to the great result of having respected the history of the places while having managed to guarantee modernity and functionality.
For example, a huge underground car park has been created under the square.
But the importance of Skanderbeg Square in Tirana is also that common to all urban centers: the streets branch off from the square leading to cities (near and far) throughout Albania. A powerful symbolism that claims the centrality of the capital.
What to see in Skanderbeg Square in Tirana
- Dominating the square is the large building decorated with mosaic that houses the Historical Museum which displays artifacts from all eras from prehistory to the Second World War.
- Another monument to visit is the Ethem Bey mosque the oldest in Albania and the only one that was respected during the state atheism imposed by communism. A peculiarity common to all urban centers in Albania is the proximity and peaceful coexistence of Mosques, Orthodox and Catholic Churches which often face each other in the main square. On Sunday, the faithful meet in the square, greet each other and separate only to attend the different functions, returning to a peaceful coexistence immediately after the religious rites.
In Tirana the Orthodox Cathedral is slightly distant from the square while the Catholic one is on a nearby avenue named after Joan of Arc.
- The Clock Tower is another historical reference that Albanians show with pride. In truth it has nothing special when compared to the bell towers and medieval towers present in almost all Italian countries. While the skyscraper that houses the Tirana Plaza Hotel arouses greater admiration.
- The building that houses the Tirana International Hotel, however, although not ancient, represents another important historical moment for Albania: when the communist regime fell, it was the only hotel where foreign journalists could stay, who told the horrors from those windows which were made in a mad attempt to support the regime.
- Bunkart 2 is right on Skanderdeg square and is a museum created in the bunkers used by the political police of the communist regime to imprison and torture dissidents.
- The famous is located near Skanderbeg Square in Tirana “Blloku” the neighborhood that is the beating heart of Albania's economy by day and becomes the center of Movida and entertainment at night.
Tirana is always one of the stops of our travels
Holidays in Albania proposes travel experiences in Albania and in all the Balkans. In almost all our proposals there is always at least one stop in Tirana.
The Albanian capital is a perfect logistic base for planning itineraries that visit the Balkans. Easily reachable by plane or ship (via Durres) and from which it is possible to start magnificent trips or to day trips with departure and return to the capital.
