Skanderbeg Square

Skanderbeg Square is the central square of Tirana, Albania. The plaza is named after Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu, an Albanian national hero. The entire size of the building is around 40,000 square metres. The plaza is dominated by the Skanderbeg Monument.

Armando Brasini devised the city plan for Tirana in 1925, and Florestano Di Fausto completed it in a Neo-Renaissance style with articulate geometric solutions and gigantic order fascias. Following the Italian invasion of Albania in 1939, Gherardo Bosio modified the master plan.

The square is surrounded by numerous structures, including the Tirana International Hotel, the Palace of Culture, the National Opera, the National Library, the National Bank, the Ethem Bey Mosque, the Clock Tower, the City Hall, the Ministry of Infrastructure, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Energy, and the National Historical Museum.

Skanderbeg Monument in Skanderbeg Square has been recognized as the heart of Tirana for more than half a century. It honors the 15th-century aristocrat and national hero for his resistance to the Ottomans. He is our Arthurian knight, our William Tell. The sculpture, designed by Odhise Paskali, is 11 metres (36 ft) tall and was unveiled in 1968 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Skanderbeg’s death. The plaza bearing his name serves as a focal point for all Albanians. It is here that many of Tirana’s and Albania’s most significant cultural sites are located—the National Museum, the Clock Tower, the Et’hem Bey Mosque, the Palace of Culture, the National Library, the Theatre of Opera and Ballet, and the Bank of Albania—while the majority of the government buildings are lined up behind him.

Scanderbeg Square had a major repair and reopened on June 10th, 2017. A massive pedestrian plaza that Mayor Veliaj claims is the largest in the Balkans. The new plaza is over 28 000 square meters in size and is tiled with tiles from all of Albania’s regions. This stoned pavement is shaped like a shallow pyramid, with the tallest point in the center measuring around 1.80 m. The square has over 100 fountains filled with fresh water that help keep the area cool throughout the hot summer months. The stone pavement is surrounded by the Scanderbeg Square, the National Opera, the National Museum, and the National Bank, while trees from all across Albania have been planted behind these structures. The area is surrounded with mini-parks, seats, flowers, platforms for shooting photographs, and an altar for weddings. There are 32 square meters planted with various fragrant trees and 90,000 square meters of walking space, while the underground parking garage can accommodate around 300 vehicles.