| Tirana Tiranë | ||
 | ||
Coat of arms and flag   | ||
| State | Albania | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Northeastern Albania | |
| Inhabitants | 726.547 (2008) | |
| Name inhabitants | Tiranas | |
| Prefix tel | 355 4 | |
| POSTAL CODE | 1001-1028 | |
| Time zone | UTC 1 | |
Position
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| Institutional website | ||
Tirana (IPA: [tiˈɾanə], Tiranë in Albanian language, locally Tirona) is the capital Albanian as well as the capital of the district and of the prefecture of the same name; by virtue of its status as capital, it is administratively an Albanian special district. Located inNortheastern Albania.
To know
Tirana is the most populated city inAlbania and one of the largest municipalities. The city is home to public institutions, universities, and the center of the administrative, political, economic and cultural life of the country.
Geographical notes
Located in the center of Albania, about 35 km east of Durres and about 40 km northwest of Elbasan, is in a valley surrounded by high mountains and flanked by a lake (Liqeni i Farkës) and a national nature reserve (Parku i Madh).
Background
Officially founded in 1614, it was declared the capital of Albania in 1920 by the Albanian Constitutional Assembly. Throughout its history it has been a Roman (Theranda) and Byzantine center (period of its first expansion), inexorably occupied in the fifteenth century by the Turkish-Ottoman Empire, it was agglomerated, after the liberation of Turkish domination (1912) in the Kingdom of 'Italy; all, in different ways, influenced the society, culture, art, architecture, religion and law of the following centuries. Central place of the People's Socialist Republic of Albania, the city today is experiencing a period of great and progressive economic, social and urban development, with the construction and monumental arrangement of parks, buildings, including the reconstruction of religious buildings, so particularly Orthodox Christians, destroyed during the Turkish domination and the communist regime.
How to orient yourself
Tirana: full screen map.Giogio Castriota Scanderbeg squareSheshi Skënderbeu - The very large central square of Tirana (five hectares) was the place of parades and parades in the communist era of surface ideally represents the geographical and political center of Albania. The square bears the name of the Albanian national hero Giorgio Castriota Scanderbeg, the most famous and representative character in the history of Albania. Scanderbeg fought against the Ottoman Turks and managed to repel them for more than two decades. Considering the greatness of Albania and the might of the Ottoman Empire, it was then an incredible victory of great patriotic value. It took its current name in 1968 when the Monument to Scanderbeg, an equestrian bronze work by the sculptor Odhise Paskali.
Initially conceived in the historic center of Tirana by King Zog I according to the neo-rationalist style, it was enlarged in the years between 1920 and 1930 under the fascist dictatorship of the Kingdom of Italy, and subsequently, from 1945 to 1992, modified in the period of communism according to the current ideals of the regime: wide and orderly avenues that branch off from it constitute the center and lead to various public buildings, the University, the Gallery of Contemporary Art (where, among others, evocative realist works of the Communist period), and to the majestic Pyramidal Mausoleum designed to set up a museum dedicated to the life of Enver Hoxha (now prosaically become a fair, recreational, bar and, total desecration).
The centerpiece of the square is the equestrian statue dedicated to the national hero, against which, on the basis of symbolic architectural and urban planning symmetries, the rationalist-style building of the historical museum stands imposing. The rectangular facade is surmounted by a mosaic pediment that illustrates the cornerstones of the history of Albania from the perspective of the past regime. In the square today there are the Municipality of Tirana (1920), the Clock Tower (1821-1830), the Palace of Culture, the National Library, the Opera and Ballet Theater (1960), the National Historical Museum ( 1981), the Ethem Bey mosque (1821), the Hotel Tirana International (built in 1979 in a Soviet-inspired style on the site of the ancient Orthodox Cathedral, razed to the ground by the regime), the new Orthodox Cathedral (2001- 2012), the Marionette Theater (1920), the Bank of Albania (1936) and other public buildings.The streets of Tirana are numerous, but the main ones are the famous avenues,Bulevard.
Neighborhoods
The first suburb of Tirana was Bam. The three oldest suburban districts are Mujos and Pazari, located between the geographical center and via Elbasan, on the side opposite the Lana river, and Brraka, located east of the avenue Zog I, around the modern Haxhi Hysen Dalliu street.
- Tirana and Re (New Tirana) - The most modern district of Tirana. It stands out for its numerous cafes, bars, restaurants, etc. It is located in the southern area of Tirana and borders the Kombinat and the city center. it includes a part known as Ish-Blloku or Blloku (a term used to identify the former building complex of the residences of the members of the Communist leaders of Albania).
- Ali Demi, located in the southwestern part of the city.
- Laprakë or Lapraka, located in the north-west of Tirana.
- Kombinat, located on the southwest side of Tirana.
- Xhamlliku, located in the eastern part of the city
- Allias, located in the north-eastern area of Tirana.
- Bathore, more than a neighborhood is a slum, located on the edge of the city and born immediately after the collapse of communism in Albania.
How to get
By plane
The city is served by an airport:
- 1 Tirana International Airport (IATA: TIA) (15 km from the center of Tirana.). As of 2020, the airlines with the most flights were Air Albania, Albawings, Blue Panorama Airlines and Wizz Air.
- The shuttle service to / from the center consists of a bus line with terminus outside the arrivals terminal. They are on duty from 7 am to 11 pm and their frequency is one hour.The terminus in the center is located at the back of the opera house. The rides last approximately 30 minutes
By car
Private transport to move around the capital Tirana and other areas is mainly provided by the taxi service and recently by car rental.
Tirana does not have its own port, but the port city of Durres is not far from the capital. There are departures from Durres to Trieste, Ancona, Brindisi and Bari.
By bus
The main 2 long distance bus station it is located in the neighborhood of Laprakë, west of the center.
How to get around
Licensed taxis in Tirana have license plates with a yellow background and red text. A ride into the city costs an average of 3/4 € and all official taxis have a meter. A taxi ride from the city center to the airport usually takes 20-30min and costs around € 17 each way.
When traveling from the airport to the city, only the taxi service offered by the airport is available at the airport, which costs around € 20.
In the city and in the province there is a taxi booking service offered by different companies which are available 24/7. Most of them offer the possibility to make a reservation through their website. Some companies are:
- Merr taxi 0800 55 55 / 0800 55 555
- City taxi 042 444 888 / 0800 0000
- Speed taxi 355 42 222 555
- Alo taxi 355 67 666 6667
- Smart taxi 069 702 0002 / 0800 7070
What see
Civil architectures
- 1 Palace of Culture.
- 2 Clock tower.
Religious architectures
- 3 Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ.
- 4 Ethem Bey Mosque.
Museums and galleries
Events and parties
What to do
Shopping
- Shëtitorja Murat Toptani. The shopping street.
Traditional markets
- New Bazaar (Pazari i Ri), Avni Rustemi. The New Bazaar was rebuilt in 2016, replacing a 1931 structure built on the site of the historic open-air market where farmers from the surrounding area flocked to sell their products.
Shopping centers
- 1 Toptani Shopping Center, Wrinkle Abdi Toptani 1001, ☎ 355 4 454 0999.
Mon-Sun 09: 00-22: 00. The largest shopping center in Tirana.
Mon-Sun 09: 00-22: 00. The largest shopping center in Tirana.How to have fun
Where to eat
Kolonat is the most renowned local fast food chain.
Average prices
- Craftsman at Vila, Rruga Papa Gjon Pali, ☎ 355 67 600 0480. Mon-Sun 11: 30-00: 00.
- Was, ☎ 355 68 902 4561. Mon-Sun 11: 00–00: 00.
- Romagna Mia, Rruga Pjeter Bogdani, 20, ☎ 355 69 654 2689, @[email protected]. Mon-Sat 11: 00-19: 00.
- Restorant Piceri Natyra E Qete (Natyra And Qete), Rr. Elbasanit, Km 4 (Mjull Bathore), ☎ 355 68 205 5445. Mon-Sun 08: 00-23: 30.
- Oda (Restorant Oda), Rruga Luigj Gurakuqi, Tirana Albania, ☎ 355 4 224 9541. Mon-Sun 11: 00-23: 00. Local, Albanian, Eastern European, vegetarian cuisine.
Where stay
Moderate prices
- 1 Tirana Backpacker Hostel, Rruga Kavajes 175, ☎ 355 692119596 (Mobile phone), 355 682167357 (Mobile phone), 355 683133451 (Mobile phone). 25 beds in a 1930s villa.
- 2 Freddy's Hotel (Loreni Hostel), 75 Bardhok Biba Street, ☎ 355 68 203 5261.
Average prices
- Tirana International Hotel (Tirana hotels), ☎ 355 4 223 41 85, @[email protected].
- Dajti Hotel.
High prices
- 3 Maritim Plaza Tirana, Wrinkle 28 Nentori 18. A hotel spread over 24 floors and 85 meters high. The project was developed by the Belgian architecture firm 51N4E and construction began on January 14, 2007.
- 4 Rogner Hotel, Bulevardi Dëshmorët and Kombit, ☎ 355 4 2235035, fax: 355 4 2235050, @[email protected].
- Sheraton Tirana Hotel. 5 star hotel.
- Xheko Imperial Luxury Boutique Hotel (Xheko Imperial), Rr "Ibrahim Rugova", Nr. 56 / H2, 1019, ☎ 355 682029777, @[email protected].
Safety
Security in Tirana has improved in recent times and, compared to many other Albanian cities or areas, it is possible to move independently with relative peace of mind.
