Tirana: Architectural Guide

The first guide on architecture of Tirana - the capital of Albania is a collection of 100 buildings that represent the construction of the city in the modern period, soon after the declaration of independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912. The 20th century has been a period of many vicissitudes for the Albanians, from a relatively unstable period of nationalist governments transformed into a monarchy, to the WW2 with the annihilation of the previous elite and the rise into power of a revolutionary Communist regime. The city is presented as a fusion of the Ottoman architecture, the bourgeois architecture of the early 20th century, fascist totalitarianism and socialist realism within a post socialist and contemporary architectural framework, which is getting increasing priority as a result of a renovation policy that seeks to promote economic development and western integration. Tirana Architecture Guide is written as a practical and vivid way of communication with its readers, either architects or city lovers. The book is divided into seven chapters matching the main street itineraries included in the guide.