Rinia Park (Youth Park Tirana)

Rinia Park (“Youth Park”) is a small park with a huge fountain and a pavilion with restaurants in the centre of Tirana. It was built in 1950 during the Soviet period and encompasses 2.98 hectares (7.4 acres).

The park, 500 metres (1,600 ft) from the central square, is bordered by Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard to the east, Bulevardi Gjergi Fishta and Bajram Curri Boulevard to the south, Rruga Ibrahim Rugova (former “Deshmoret e 4 Shkurtit”) to the west and Rruga Myslym Shyri to the north. Immediately to the north is the Teatri i Kukullave and the Orthodox Cathedral. The Taivani Center and water fountain are located on the western perimeter of the park.

Rinia Park was constructed in 1950 as part of a large post-World War II urban development initiative. It began as a beautiful family park where Tirana residents might bring their children. It was a comparatively open environment for Tirana’s young, and since it was just in front of the communist “Block” across the Lana River, it was humorously dubbed “Taiwan.” Later, a café and restaurant complex was built.

Following the fall of communism in 1991, illegal structures sprang up all throughout the park, the majority of which were kiosks, bars, and restaurants, and the park became known as a hangout for Tirana’s underworld kingpins. These structures were demolished and the park was replanted during the city’s cleaning in 2000. Over 130 structures were destroyed in all, with over 45,000 cubic meters (1,600,000 cubic feet) of garbage removed.

The main landmark of Rinia Park is a white, terraced building on the park’s western edge, which houses cafés, restaurants, the Regency Casino (one of only a few legally operating casinos in Tirana), fountains, and a bowling lane in the basement, and has been compared to a typical James Bond film villain’s den or described as spider-shaped due to its peculiar architecture. One of the restaurants (Taivani Bar & Grill) and the whole complex (Taivani Center) are named after a historical moniker for the park.

Every year on March 14, the people of Tirana and Albania celebrate the Summer Holiday, their major pagan festival, which is meant to commemorate the end of winter, the renewal of nature, and the renewal of the Albanian spirit. Despite the fact that the festival’s epicenter is in Shkumbin (Elbasan), it is extensively celebrated in Tirana and as far as the Arbresh colonies in Italy. Many festivals, including a city marathon, are held in Tirana between the hours of 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. In the evenings, a circus performance is held in Rinia Park, which is crowded with circus artists, acrobats, magicians, and festival goers.