Tirana

Also known as Tiranë

Tirana ( , ; ) 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.

AI overview

Tirana is the capital and largest city of Albania, situated in the country's center and surrounded by mountains including Dajti to the east, with views toward the Adriatic Sea to the northwest. The city is notable for being one of Europe's wettest and sunniest cities, receiving 2,544 hours of sunshine annually.

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Place details

Locality: Tiranë
Region: Shqipëria Qendrore
Country: Shqipëria
Population: 418,495

Travel guide

Understand

thumb|300px|A view of downtown Tirana from Skytower Sulejman Pasha Bargjini, a native feudal lord from Mullet, established the city in 1614. His first constructions were a mosque, a bakery and a hamam or Turkish bath. On 8 February 1920, Tirana was made the temporary capital by the Congress of Lushnje, and it was proclaimed the permanent capital on 31 December 1925.

Today, Tirana suffers from pollution problems mainly due to the rapid increase in cars in the city and continuous construction, compounded by its position in a valley and air pollution blown in from heavy industry in Serbia. Long gone are the days when Tirana used to be subject to power outages almost daily and this made Tirana a noisy city as the lack of power and lack of traffic lights had cars navigating by honking their horns. The situation has dramatically improved regarding power outages. Tirana is undergoing a major renovation from its totalitarian days. Many of the ugly dull buildings have been repainted (including many crossings), but a lot of work outside of center is still to be done. English is the second language of many younger population, with many older residents speaking Italian.

The main business and entertainment area (not by coincidence) has become "The Block" (Blloku), which is the area where in the past, the communist leaders used to live under strict protection. Tirana is a youthful and lively city of 528,000 people (2024) resonating constant energy. The city was the European Youth Capital…

Get around

thumb|Tirana’s colorful pedestrian crossings (zebras)

There are no metros available in Tirana. Feet, buses and taxis are the only options to get around in the city if you do not have private transportation.

See

thumb|Et'hem Bey Mosque inner walls

Do

thumb|Skanderbeg Square in downtown Tirana

Go for a walk in the evening along the main streets or at one of the several parks and sit for a coffee or drink. Take part in the vibrant nightlife by visiting one of the numerous nightclubs. If you are adventurous and brave enough, try the peculiar experience of driving in the city's streets by renting a car, or rent a bicycle from a bike renting station. You can also cruise the city with a limousine or venture out in the picturesque suburbs either south or northeast/west of Tirana.

~51 min read

Article

37 sections

Contents

History
Early development
Modern development
Contemporary
Geography
Climate
Urbanism
Politics
Administration
National capital
International relations
Economy
Infrastructure
Transport
Air
Road
Rail
Bus
Cycling
Education
Health
Demography
Religion in Tirana
Culture
Architecture
Museums
Cuisine
Sports
Media
Notable people
Key of Tirana
See also
Notes
References
Sources
Further reading
External links

Tirana was founded in 1614 by Ottoman Albanian general Sylejman Pasha Bargjini, centered on the Old Mosque and türbe. The site of present-day Tirana has been continuously inhabited since the Iron Age and was 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 the Roman Empire. With the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the fourth century, most of Albania came under the control of the Eastern Roman Empire. 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.