Top 7 Places to go in Tirana
You'd think Tirana, Albania's capital city, would be a dull and uninteresting place to visit after being isolated for so long behind the Iron Curtain until 1991. But since you will arrive in the city center, you will bombard with colorful architecture, lively boulevards, and rich culture, unlike any other country.
Most visitors to Albania begin their adventure in Tirana before continuing to the Albanian Alps and the Riviera, but if you skip Tirana, you will lose out on an opportunity to learn about Albania's rich history, which is mostly unknown to foreigners.
1. Skanderbeg Square
Skanderbeg Square is a popular tourist destination and the main square of Tirana. It was named in 1968 in honor of the Albanian national hero - Skanderbeg. Since 2016 - a completely pedestrian zone.
Especially worth visiting in the evening when you can take lovely photos.
2. Grand Park of Tirana
Big Tirana Park is a large park with an artificial lake, a church, and various monuments dedicated to historical events. You can spend there a lot of hours and enjoy the nature
3. BUNK'ART
In fact it is the government bunker, built in 1978 on the orders of Enver Hoxha inside the mountain. It even surpassed Stalin's famous bunker in size.
There are 5 levels, 106 rooms, kilometers of tunnels, 10 exits, one of which is located in the center of Tirana.
Today, there is the BUNK'ART museum, and in hundreds of rooms there are interactive, sometimes shocking expositions about the history of Albania in World War II and the establishment of the tyranny of Enver Hoxha.
Ticket price - 5$
In general, there are many bunkers in the country. They were built after World War II by Enver Hoxha, who thought he would be attacked. The bunkers were never used.
4. Mother Albania
Mother Albania is a white 12-meter statue. It is the symbol of the country that symbolizes Albania, like a mother sad for her sons who were killed in the wars for the independence of Albania. From there you have an incredible view of the city and the surrounding mountains.
5. Tanners' Bridge
Tanner's Bridge is the stone ottoman bridge of the 18th century. There is a bridge, but there is no river! This is because in the 1930s a movement of the Lana River was reversed, and now Lana flows 20 m parallel to the bridge
6. Air Albania Stadium
Air Albania Sports Stadium is the largest stadium in Albania. It can accommodate 22,500 people. And It just looks amazing! Unusual shape, thousands of windows, red and black decoration and one of the highest hotel tower in Tirana - 112 m
7. Pyramid of Tirana
Pyramid of Tirana is a former museum in the capital. It was opened on October 14, 1988, as a museum of Enver Hoxha, a longtime leader of communist Albania. But now it is completely abandoned.