Tirana

Tirana(/tɪˈrɑːnə/tih-RAH-nə,Albanian pronunciation:[tiˈɾana];Gheg Albanian:Tirona) is the capital andlargest cityofAlbania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills, withDajtirising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest overlooking theAdriatic Seain the distance. It is among the wettest and sunniest cities in Europe, with 2,544 hours of sun per year.
Tirana was founded in 1614 byOttoman AlbaniangeneralSylejman Pasha Bargjini, centered on theOld Mosqueandtürbe. The site of present-day Tirana has been continuously inhabited since theIron Ageand was likely the core of theIllyrian Kingdomof theTaulantii, which inClassical Antiquitywas centred in the hinterland ofEpidamnus. Following theIllyrian Wars, it was annexed byRomeand became an integral part of theRoman Empire; the heritage of that period is reflected by theMosaics of Tirana. With the collapse of theWestern Roman Empirein the fourth century, most of Albania came under the control of the easternByzantine Empire, as evident by thePetrelë Castlebuilt during the reign ofJustinian I. The city was fairly unimportant until the 20th century, when theCongress of Lushnjëproclaimed it as Albania's capital after theAlbanian Declaration of Independencein 1912.
Classified as agamma-world-city,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 modernairandroad transportation.As the seat of power of theGovernment of Albania, it hosts the official residences of thePresidentandPrime Minister of Albaniaand theParliament of Albania. The city was announced as theEuropean Youth Capitalfor 2022.
The area of Tirana has been inhabited by humans since prehistoric times with the earliest recognised reference found at theCave of Pëllumbasbelonging to the Palaeolithic period.Illyrianswere the first population of the area and formed most likely the core of theIllyrian kingdomof theTaulantii, which in classical antiquity was centered in the hinterland ofEpidamnus.When the Romans arrived in Illyria after their victory of theIllyrian Wars, they populated and integrated the area into their empire under the political control of the city of Rome. The oldest surviving discovery from this period is aRoman housedating to the 3rd century, which was transformed into anaisleless churchwith a mosaic floor. Acastle, possibly known asTirkan, was built by the Byzantine EmperorJustinian Ibetween the 4th and 6th century and later restored by Ahmed Pasha Toptani in the 18th century.
Tirana is mentioned inVenetiandocuments in the 1350s as well as in 1418:"...the resident Pjeter, son of late Domenik from the village of Tirana...".Records of the first land registrations under theOttomansin 1431–32 show that Tirana consisted of 60 inhabited areas, with nearly 2,028 houses and 7,300 inhabitants.In 1510,Marin Barleti, an Albanian Catholic priest and scholar, in the biography of the Albanian national heroSkanderbeg,Historia de vita et gestis Scanderbegi Epirotarum principis(The story of life and deeds of Skanderbeg, the prince of Epirotes), referred to this area as a small village, distinguishing between "Little Tirana" and "Great Tirana".It is later mentioned in 1572 asBorgo di Tirana.
According toHahn, the settlement had already started to develop as abazaarand included severalwatermills,even before 1614, whenSulejman Bargjini, a local ruler, built theOld Mosque, a small commercial centre, and ahammam(Turkish bath). This is confirmed by oral sources, which state that there were two earlier mosques 300–400 m from the Old Mosque, towards today'sAli Demi Street. The Mosque of Reç and the Mosque of Mujo were positioned on the left side of theLana Riverand were older than the Old Mosque.Later, theEt'hem Bey Mosque, built byMolla Bey of Petrela, was constructed. It employed the bestartisansin the country and was completed in 1821 by Molla's sonEtëhem, who was also Sulejman Bargjini's great-nephew.
In 1800, the first newcomers arrived in thesettlement, the so-calledortodoksit. They wereAromaniansfrom villages nearKorçëandPogradec, who settled around modern dayTirana Park on the Artificial Lake.They started to be known as thellacifacand were the first Christians to arrive after the creation of the town.In 1807, Tirana became the centre of theSubprefectureof Krujë-Tirana.After 1816, Tirana languished under the control of theToptanifamily ofKrujë.Later, Tirana became a sub-prefecture of the newly createdVilayet of Shkodërand the Sanjak of Durrës. In 1889, theAlbanian languagestarted to be taught in Tirana's schools,and the patriotic club Bashkimi was founded in 1908.
On 28 November 1912, the national flag was raised inVlorëbyPresidentIsmail Qemali, marking the symbolic birth of Albania as a sovereign country. The next years, however, were marked by turmoil. During theBalkan Wars, Tirana was temporarily occupied by the Serbian army and it took part in uprising of the villages led byHaxhi Qamili. In August 1916, the first city map was compiled by the specialists of the Austro-Hungarian army.Following the capture of the town ofDebarbySerbia, many of its Albanian inhabitants fled toTurkey, the rest went to Tirana.Of those that ended up inIstanbul, some of their number migrated to Albania, mainly to Tirana where the Dibran community (people fromDibër County) formed an important segment of the city's population from 1920 onward and for some years thereafter.On 8 February 1920, theCongress of Lushnjëproclaimed Tirana as the temporary capital of Albania, which had gained independence in 1912.The city acquired that status permanently on 31 December 1925. In 1923, the first regulatory city plan was compiled by Austrian architects.The centre of Tirana was the project ofFlorestano Di FaustoandArmando Brasini, well-known architects of theMussoliniperiod 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.The modern Albanian parliament building served as an officers' club. It was there that, in September 1928,Zog of Albaniawas crowned King Zog I, King of the Albanians.
Tirana was the venue for the signing of the Pact of Tirana between FascistItalyand Albania.
During the rule of King Zog, manyMuhaxhirsemigrated towards Tirana, which led to a growing population in the capital city in the early 20th century.
In 1939, Tirana was captured by Fascist forces, who appointed apuppet government. In the meantime, Italian architectGherardo Bosiowas asked to elaborate on previous plans and introduce a new project in the area of present-dayMother Teresa Square.A failed assassination attempt was made onVictor Emmanuel III of Italyby a local resistance activist during a visit to Tirana. In November 1941, two emissaries of theCommunist Party of Yugoslavia(KPJ), Miladin Popović and Dušan Mugoša, called a meeting of three Albanian communist groupsand founded theCommunist Party of Albania, andEnver Hoxhasoon emerged as its leader.
The town soon became the centre of the Albanian communists, who mobilised locals against Italian fascists and laterNaziGermans, while spreading ideological propaganda. On 4 February 1944, theGestapo, supported by the forces ofXhafer Deva, executed 86 anti-fascists in Tirana.On 17 November 1944, thetown was liberatedafter afierce battle between the Communists and German forces.The Nazis eventually withdrew and the communists seized power.
From 1944 to 1991, massive socialist-style apartment complexes and factories were built, whileSkanderbeg Squarewas redesigned, with a number of buildings demolished. For instance, Tirana's former Old Bazaar and theOrthodoxCathedral were razed to the ground in order to build the Soviet-styled Palace of Culture. The northern portion of the main boulevard was renamedStalinBoulevardand his statue was erected in the city square. Because private car ownership was banned, mass transportation consisted mainly of bicycles, trucks and buses. After Hoxha's death, apyramidal museumwas constructed in his memory by the government.
Before and after the proclamation of Albania's policy of self-imposedisolationism, a number of high-profile figures paid visits to the city, such as Soviet leaderNikita Khrushchev,ChinesePremierZhou EnlaiandEast GermanForeign MinisterOskar Fischer. In 1985, Enver Hoxha's funeral was held in Tirana.A few years later,Mother Teresabecame the first religious figureto visit the country after the end of Albania's longanti-religiousatheiststance. She paid respects to her mother and sister resting at a local cemetery.
Starting at the campus and ending at Skanderbeg Square with the toppling of Enver Hoxha's statue, the city sawsignificant demonstrationsbyUniversity of Tiranastudents demanding political freedoms in the early 1990s. On the political aspect, the city witnessed a number of events. Personalities visited the capital, such as former U.S. Secretary of StateJames BakerandPope 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!".Pope John Paul II became the first major religious leader to visit Tirana, though Mother Teresa had visited few years prior.
During the Balkans turmoil in the mid-1990s, the city experienced dramatic events such as the unfolding of the1997 unrest in Albaniaand afailed coup d'étaton 14 September 1998.
In 1999, following theKosovo War, Tirana Airport became a NATO airbase, serving its mission in the former Yugoslavia.
During his term from 2000 to 2011, the formermayor of Tirana,Edi Rama, undertook a campaign to demolish illegal constructed buildings across Tirana as well as along the river banks ofLanëto 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 Kavajësand 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.
In June 2007,George W. Bushtraveled to Tirana on an official state visit, becoming the firstU.S. Presidentto visit the former communist country.In 2008, theGërdec explosionswere felt in the capital as windows were shattered and citizens shaken. In January 2011, theAlbanian opposition demonstrationswere triggered in front of the governmental buildings in Tirana protesting against political corruption and state capture, particularly associated with the former prime ministerSali Berisha's government.In September 2014,Pope Francismade an official state visit to Tirana simultaneously becoming the second pontiff to visit Albania, after Pope John Paul II in 1992.
Following the municipal elections of 2015, power was transferred from theDemocratic PartyrepresentativeLulzim Bashato theSocialist PartycandidateErion Veliaj.Albania then underwent a territorial reform, in which defunct communes were merged with municipalities.Thirteen of Tirana's former communes were integrated as administrative units joining the existing eleven.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.Construction permits were suspended until the capital's development plan is revised and synthesized.
Between December 2018 and February 2019, aseries of demonstrationserupted 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.In September 2019, Tirana was ravaged by a 5.6magnitudeearthquakewith an epicenter located near Durrës.Two months after, in November 2019, another strongearthquakewith the magnitude of 6.4 hit the region again resulting in comparatively few damages in Tirana.The same month, Tirana was announced as theEuropean Youth Capitalfor 2022 with a planned program including events of cultural and social importance.
In December 2022, Tirana hosted theEU-Western Balkans summit, marking the inaugural summit to be held outside the European Union's borders.On 21 September 2024, it was reported thatPrime Minister of AlbaniaEdi Ramawas planning to create theSovereign State of the Bektashi Order, a sovereignmicrostatefor the Order within Tirana.
Tirana extends at thePlain of Tiranain the centre of Albania between the mount ofDajtiin the east, the hills of Kërrabe, Sauk and Vaqarr in the south, and a valley to the north overlooking theAdriatic Sea. The average altitude is about 110 meters (360 ft)above sea level, with a maximum of 1,828 metres (5,997 feet) at Maja Mincekut of Mali me Gropa in Shenmeri.
The city is surrounded by two importantprotected areas: theDajti National ParkandMali me Gropa-Bizë-Martanesh Protected Landscape. In winter, the mountains are often covered with snow and are a popular retreat for the population of Tirana, which rarely receives snowfalls. In terms ofbiodiversity, the forests are mainly composed ofpine,oakandbeech, while its interior reliefis dotted withcanyons, waterfalls, caves, lakes and other landforms.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 riverflows through the city, as does the Lanë river. Tirana is home to several artificial lakes, includingTirana, Farka, Tufina, and Kashar. The present municipality was formed in the 2015 local government reform by the merger of the former municipalities of Baldushk, Bërzhitë, Dajt, Farkë, Kashar, Krrabë, Ndroq, Petrelë, Pezë, Shëngjergj, Tirana, Vaqarr, Zall-Bastar and Zall-Herr, which became municipal units. The seat of the municipality is the city of Tirana.
Tirana has ahumid subtropical climate(Cfa) according to theKöppen climate classificationand receives enoughprecipitationduring summer to avoid theMediterranean 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 inEurope.
Temperatures vary throughout the year from an average of 6.7 °C (44.1 °F) in January to 24 °C (75 °F) in July.Springsandsummersare very warm to hot often reaching over 20 °C (68 °F) from May to September. Duringautumnandwinter, 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.
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.
The city suffers from problems related tooverpopulation,such aswaste management, high levels ofair pollutionand significantnoise pollution.
Over the last decades, air pollution has become a pressing concern as the number of cars has increased. These are mostly 1990s and early 2000sdieselcars,while it is widely believed that thefuelused in Albania contains larger amounts ofsulfurandleadthan in theEuropean Union. Effective 1 January 2019, the government has imposed an import ban of used vehicles made prior to 2005 in an effort to curb pollution, encourage the buying of new cars from certified domestic dealerships, and to improve overall road safety. Another source of pollution are PM10 and PM2.5inhaled particulate matterandNO2gasesresulting from rapid growth in the construction of new buildings and expanding road infrastructure.
Untreatedsolid wasteis 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 CO2emissions, while over 2.000 trees have been planted around sidewalks.
Works for four new large parks have started in the summer of 2015 located in Kashar,Farkë, Vaqarr, andDajt. These parks are part of the new urban plan striving to increase the concentration of green spaces in the capital.The government has included designated green areas around Tirana as part of the Tirana Greenbelt where construction is not permitted or limited.
Themunicipality of Tiranais encompassed in theCounty of Tiranawithin theCentral Region of Albaniaand consists of the rural administrative units ofBaldushk,Bërzhitë,Dajt,Farkë,Kashar,Krrabë,Ndroq,Petrelë,Pezë,Shëngjergj,Vaqarr,Zall-Bastar,Zall-Herrand Tirana.Theadministrative unit of Tiranais further partitioned into eleven urban administrative units, namelyTirana 1,Tirana 2,Tirana 3,Tirana 4,Tirana 5,Tirana 6,Tirana 7,Tirana 8,Tirana 9,Tirana 10andTirana 11.
The Mayor of Tirana along with the Cabinet of Tirana exercises executive power. The Assembly of Tirana functions as the city parliament and consists of 55 members, serving four-year terms. It primarily deals with budget, global orientations and relations between the city and theGovernment of Albania. It has 14 committees and its chairman is Aldrin Dalipi from the Socialist Party. Each of the members have a specific portfolio such as economy, finance, juridical, education, health care, and several professional services, agencies and institutes.
In 2000, the centre of Tirana from the central campus of University of Tirana in the Mother Teresa Square up to the Skanderbeg Square, was declared the place of Cultural Assembly, and given state protection. The historical core of the capital lies around pedestrian only Murat Toptani Street, while the most prominent city district isBlloku. In 2010, the municipality undertook the installing of street name signs and entrance numbers while every apartment entrance was physically stamped.
Tirana is thecapital cityof theRepublic of Albaniathus playing an essential role in shaping the political and economic life of the country.It is the home to government functions and institutions for which the government of Albania is responsible, as for instance theexecutive,juridicalandlegislativebranches of Albania.
The President andPrime Minister of Albaniaofficially reside and work in Tirana specifically at thePresidencaandKryeministria, respectively, nevertheless theParliament of Albaniais headquartered at theDëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard.Tirana is also the home to the nationalConstitutional CourtandSupreme Court. Important national institutions housed in Tirana include theAppeal CourtandAdministrative Court.
TheBank of Albaniais located at the Skanderbeg Square while other institutions such as the ministries ofCulture,Defence,Education,Finance,Foreign Affairs,Health,Infrastructure,Internal Affairs,JusticeandTourismare 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.
Tirana is a founding member of the Union of Albanian Municipalities in the Region.Tirana istwinnedwithAnkara,Beijing,Bursa,Doha,Florence,Kharkiv,Sarajevoand has signed partnership agreements withVeronaandZagreb.It has also signed special bilateral agreements withZaragoza.
Tirana is the heart of theeconomy of Albaniaand the mostindustrialisedand economically fastest growing region in Albania. Of the mainsectors, thetertiary sectoris the most important for the economy of Tirana and employs more than 68% of work force of Tirana.26% of the working population makes up thesecondary sectorfollowed by theprimary sectorwith only 5%.
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.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, thefinancial industryis a major component of the city's tertiary sector and remains in good conditions overall due toprivatizationand the commendablemonetary policy.All of the most important financial institutions, such as the Bank of Albania and theAlbanian Stock Exchangeare centred in Tirana as well as most of thebanking companiessuch as theBanka Kombëtare Tregtare,Raiffeisen Bank,Credins Bank,Intesa Sanpaolo BankandTirana Bank.
Thetelecommunication industryrepresents another major and growing contributor to the sector.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 AlbaniaandEagleare the leading telecommunication providers in Tirana, as in all the country.
Thetourism industryof the city has expanded in recent years to become a vital component of the economy.Tirana has been officially dubbed as 'The Place Beyond Belief' by local authorities.The increasing number of international arrivals at theTirana International AirportandPort of Durrësfrom across Europe, Australia and Asia has rapidly grown the number of foreign visitors in the city.
The largest hotels of the city are theTirana International Hotel,Maritim Plaza Tiranaboth situated in the heart of the city near Skanderbeg Square, and the Hyatt-owned luxury Mak Hotel Tiranalocated next to theAir Albania Stadium, where Mariott Tirana Hotel is also planned to open.Other major hotels present in central Tirana include the Rogner Hotel, Hilton Garden Inn Tirana, Xheko Imperial Hotel, Best Western Premier Ark Hotel, and Mondial Hotel.
Tirana is served byNënë Tereza International Airport, which is simultaneously the premier air gateway to the country. The airport was officially named in honour of the Albanian Roman Catholic nun and missionary, Mother Teresa. It connects Tirana with many destinations in different countries across Europe, Africa, and Asia. The airport carried more than 3.3 million passengers in 2019 and is also the principalhubfor the country'sflag carrier,Air Albania.
The city's geographical location in the centre of Albania has long established the city as an integral terminus for thenational road transportation, thus connecting the city to all parts of Albania and the neighbouring countries.TheRruga Shtetërore 1(SH1) connects Tirana withShkodërandMontenegroin the north, and constitutes an essential section of the proposedAdriatic–Ionian motorway.
TheRruga Shtetërore 2(SH2) continues in the west and provides direct connection to Durrës on the Adriatic Sea. The Rruga Shtetërore 3 (SH3) is being transformed to theAutostrada 3(A3) and follows the ancientVia Egnatia. It significantly constitutes a major section of thePan-European Corridor VIIIand links the city withElbasan, Korçë and Greece in the south. Tirana is further connected, through the Milot interchange in the northwest, withKosovofollowing as part of theAutostrada 1(A1).
During thecommunist regime in Albania, a plan for the construction of aring roadaround Tirana arose in 1989s with no implementation until the 2010s.It is of major importance, especially concerning the demographic growth of themetropolitan regionof 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.
Rail lines ofHekurudha Shqiptare(HSH) connected Tirana with all of the major cities of Albania, including Durrës, Shkodër and Vlorë. In 2013, theTirana Railway Stationwas closed and moved to Kashar by the city government in order to create space for the New Boulevard (Albanian:Bulevardi i Ri) project.The new Tirana Station will be constructed inLaprakë, which is projected to be a multifunctional terminal for rail, tram and bus transportation.City officials have also talked about a light rail extension all the way to the location of the former rail station.The new rail line from Tirana through Nënë Tereza International Airport to Durrës has started construction.
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.
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.
Busses often get stuck in traffic. There were only 7 kilometres (4.3 miles) of dedicated bus lines in 2020.
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 averageheadwayof 9 minutes on a daily basis in 2018 and in the first half of 2019.
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.
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.
During the administration of mayor Erion Veliaj, the government of Tirana has significantly increased the creation and expansion of acycling infrastructurein the city in order to reducetraffic congestionas well as to improve thesustainable transportation.Ecovoliswas launched in 2011 offering rental services forbicyclesat different centrally located stations for a small fee.The internationalbicycle sharing system,Mobike, launched its operations on 8 June 2018 by deploying 4000 bicycles in the city.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.
Tirana has the highest concentration of institutions oftertiary educationin Albania, consisting of numerousacademies,collegesanduniversities. Most prominent among these is the University of Tirana with campuses around the city and more than 28,000 students from all backgrounds.ThePolytechnic University of Tiranais another distinguished institution and also the most renowned engineering and technical university in the country. The four other public institutions in Tirana are theUniversity of Arts,University of Agriculture,University of MedicineandUniversity of Sports.
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.Forprimaryandsecondaryeducation, a variety of schools are available, tagged with the public, private and international labels. Some of the international schools are theTirana International School,Albanian International School, British School, Montessori School, Memorial School and World Academy. The public primary and secondary Servete Maçi School won an award at the 2020International Architecture Awards.
There are numerous public and privatehospitalsas well as smaller public and privatehealth care facilitiesin the territory of Tirana. TheMother Teresa University Hospitalis one of the largest medical tertiary institutions of the country. Other medical institutions include theShefqet Ndroqi University Hospital, Koço Gliozheni Hospital, Mbretëresha Gjeraldinë Hospital and theMilitary Hospital.
TheInstitute of Statistics(INSTAT) estimated the population of the municipality of Tirana at 598,176 in the 2023 census.With a population density of 502 people per square kilometre, Tirana is the most densely populated municipality in the country.The encompassingmetropolitan area, consisting of the regions of Durrës and Tirana, has a combined population of approximately 1 million amounting to nearly one third of the country's total population.
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 ofemploymentand 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.
Tirana's population is composed by a mixture of different cultural and ethnic groups fromSouthern Europe. The most represented ethnicities are Albanians (84.10%), Greeks (0.35%), Aromanians (0.11%),Macedonians(0.07%) andItalians(0.03%).
In Albania, asecular statewith nostate religion, the freedom ofbelief,conscienceandreligionis explicitly guaranteed in theconstitution of Albania.Tirana is religiously diverse and has many places of worship catering to its religious population whom are adherents ofIslam,ChristianityandJudaismbut also ofAtheismandAgnosticism. They all maintain their Albanian headquarters spread across the territory of Tirana. Nevertheless, theBektashi Orderleadership established their world centre also in the city.
In the 2011 census, 55.7% of the population of the municipality of Tirana was counted asMuslim, 3.4% asBektashisand 11.8% as Christian including 5.4% as Roman Catholic and 6.4% asEastern Orthodox.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. TheRoman Catholic Churchis represented in Tirana by theArchdiocese of Tiranë and Durrës, with theSt Paul's Cathedralas the seat of the prelacy. TheAlbanian Orthodoxcommunity is served by theArchbishop of Tiranain theResurrection Cathedral.
Tirana offers a blend of traditional and modern lifestyle with a variety of arts, food, entertainment, music and night life. Its population celebrates a wide range of religious and other festivals includingChristmas,Eid,HanukkahandNowruz. Another festival isDita e Verëstaking place every year on 14 March, during which the Albanians celebrate the end of winter and the arrival of spring.
Among the local institutions are theNational Library, that keeps more than a million books, periodicals, maps, atlases, microfilms and other library materials. The city has five well-preserved traditional houses (museum-houses), 56 culturalmonuments, eight publiclibraries.
There are many domestic and foreign cultural institutions in Tirana, amongst them theBritish Council,Canadian Institute of Technologyas well as the GermanGoethe-InstitutandFriedrich Ebert Foundation.Other cultural institutions include the ChineseConfucius Institute, GreekHellenic Foundation for Culture, ItalianIstituto Italiano di Culturaand the FrenchAlliance Française.
Tirana is home to a mixture of architectural styles reflecting the influential periods in its history. Its current appearance was considerably shaped by two totalitarian regimes, once by the fascist regime of Benito Mussolini during theSecond World Warand the regime of Enver Hoxha in theaftermath. ThePalace of Brigades, the ministries buildings, the government building and the municipality hall are designed by Florestano Di Fausto and Armando Brasini, both well-known architects of the Mussolini period in Italy. The Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard was built in 1930 and given the nameKing Zog IBoulevard.
In the 20th century, the part from Skanderbeg Square up to the train station was named Stalin Boulevard. The Royal Palace or Palace of Brigades previously served as the official residence of King Zog I. It has been used by different Albanian governments for various purposes. Because of the outbreak of World War II, and the 1939Italian invasion of Albania, Zog I fled Albania and never had a chance to see the Palace fully constructed. The Italians finished it and used it as the Army Headquarters. The Palace took its nickname Palace of Brigades because it was taken from the Italians by a people's army brigade.
In the 21st century, Tirana turned into a proper modernist city, with large blocks of flats, modern new buildings, new shopping centres and many green spaces. In June 2016, the Mayor of Tirana Erion Veliaj and the Italian architectStefano Boeriannounced the start of the works for the redaction of the Master PlanTirana 2030.
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.The park includes many children's playgrounds, sport facilities and landmarks such as theSaint Procopius Church, thePresidential Palace, theBotanical Gardens, theTirana Zoo, the Amphitheatre, the Monument of the Frashëri Brothers and many others.
TheRinia Parkwas built during the Communist era. It bordered by Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard to the east, Gjergi Fishta Boulevard andBajram Curri Boulevardto the south, Rruga Ibrahim Rugova to the west and Rruga Myslym Shyri to the north. TheTaivaniCentre 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.
Tirana is the home to a number of museums dedicated to a wide array of arts. TheNational Museum of Historyis located at the Skanderbeg Square and the most representative museum of Tirana.The mosaic above the entrance is the most dominant feature of the museum displaying the story of how theAlbanian peoplehave fought against invasion and occupation throughout history.
Founded in 1948, theNational Museum of Archaeologyat the Mother Teresa Square displays a wide collection of research and discoveries belonging to the archaeological locations around Albania.It exhibits span from prehistory through antiquity and the Middle Ages to the twentieth century, offering an overview of the country's historical diversity.
TheNational Art Galleryis considered the most important gallery in Albania housing one of the greatest collections of paintings in the region.Located at the Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard, it holds approximately 4.500 works of art including the most important collection ofAlbanian artof the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
TheBunk'art Museumconsists of two underground bunkers built under the orders and direction of Hoxha during the communist era. Located at the Fadil Deliu Street and Abdi Toptani Street respectively, the bunkers have been transformed into a history museum and contemporary art gallery with exhibits from the Second World War andCold War.
TheMuseum of Secret Surveillancewas founded in 2017 and is housed within a twentieth century mansion, the building known as theHouse of Leaves, near the Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard.It commemorates and honours the victims who fell to the communist terrorism and violence during the communist period in Albania. Other museums include theNatural Sciences Museum, which has branches in zoology, botany and geology, the former Enver Hoxha Museum and the Bunk'art Museum.
TheBektashi Museumwas opened at theWorld Headquarters of the Bektashion 7 September 2015. The museum contains exhibits relating to Bektashi history and leadership.
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.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.
The Tirana region is known for the Fergesa traditional dish made with either peppers or liver,and is found at a number of traditional restaurants in the city and agri-tourism sites on the outskirts of Tirana.
Being the capital, Tirana is the centre of sport in Albania, where activity is organised across amateur and professional levels. It is home to many major sporting facilities. Starting from 2007, the Tirana Municipality has built up to 80 sport gardens in most of Tirana's neighborhoods. One of the latest projects is the reconstruction of the existingOlympic Park, that will provide infrastructure for most intramural sports.
Tirana hosted in the past three major events, the2006 European Promotion Cup for Men,2011 World Mountain Running Championshipsand the2013 European Weightlifting Championships.
There are two major stadiums, the formerQemal Stafa Stadiumand theSelman Stërmasi stadium. The former was demolished in 2016 to make way for the new national stadium.The new stadium called theAir Albania Stadiumwas 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 thegovernment.
Footballis the most widely followed sport in Tirana as well as in the country, having numerous club teams including theKF Tirana,Partizani Tirana, andDinamo Tirana. It is popular at every level of society, from children to wealthy professionals. In football, as of April 2012, the Tirana-based teams have won a combined57 championshipsout of 72 championships organised by theFSHF, i.e. 79% of them. Another popular sport in Albania is basketball, represented in particular by the teamsKB Tirana,BC Partizani,BC Dinamo,Ardhmëriaand also the women'sPBC Tirana.
Recently tworugby teamswere created:Tirana Rugby Club,founded in 2013 and Ilirët Rugby Clubfounded in 2016.
As the capital, Tirana is the most significant location for the Albanian media industry whose content is distributed throughout Albania, Kosovo and other Albanian-speaking territories. Tirana is the home to most of the national and internationaltelevision stations, including the national broadcaster,Radio Televizioni Shqiptar(RTSH), along with all its television and radio networks. The three largest Albanian commercial broadcasters, such asTelevizioni Klan,Top ChannelandVizion Plus, also maintains their headquarters in the city. The European broadcaster,Euronews, operates a franchise in the city as well as the American broadcasterCNN.
Tirana is also a principal location for the largest Albanian newspapers, magazines and publications. The newspapers with the largest circulations in Albania are published in Tirana, includingGazeta Shqip,Gazeta Tema,Koha Jonëand Panorama.Gazeta Shqiptare, one of the oldest Albanian-language newspapers in Albania, operates and has its headquarters in the city.Tirana also has a well-establishedEnglish-languagenewspaper, notably the daily ofTirana Times.
TheKey of Tirana(Albanian:Çelësi i Qytetit) is a symbolic recognition given by the Mayor of Tirana to an esteemed personality. It was given to: