Tirana was founded as a village in the 17th century and is now the nation’s largest city. It has architecture from every era, like Ottoman mosques, Italian-stle palaces, Communist-era blocks, and modern glass buildings. Its monuments and museums make it a must-see for history fans. This guide introduces the historic places in Tirana where Albania’s past comes alive, from medieval heroes to Cold War relics. If you rent a car, you can easily drive between sites.
These attractions in Tirana span centuries. Travellers will find old bridges, Italian-era buildings, Communist monuments, and modern cathedrals.
Tirana’s central plaza is named after national hero Skanderbeg, who led resistance against Ottoman rule in the 15th century. Skanderbeg Square is located at the main public space of the city and is one of the most visited heritage sites in Tirana. Its centrepiece is a large statue of Skanderbeg on horseback, which shows deep national pride.
Surrounding the plaza are historic buildings, including the Et’hem Bey Mosque and the National History Museum. The museum features a massive mosaic façade titled “The Albanians,” which showcases scenes spanning from ancient times to the modern era. The square became entirely pedestrian in 2017, which has a wide and calm open space with fountains.
Many visitors begin here to familiarize themselves with the city's layout. You can climb the nearby Clock Tower for open views of the plaza. The area has many cafes and government offices, making it feel lively at all hours. Festivals and concerts frequently take place here.
Et’hem Bey Mosque is an Ottoman-era mosque that dates back to the late 1700s. Construction began under Molla Bey and was completed in 1819 by his son Haxhi Et’hem Bey. The mosque survived Albania’s atheist communist period, when many places of worship were closed or damaged. In January 1991, approximately 10,000 people gathered here, waving Albanian flags and praying together. It became a historic moment that showed the return of religious freedom in Albania.
Today, the mosque’s exterior and interior are beautifully preserved. Before entering, remove your shoes as is customary. Inside, look up at the bright ceiling art and detailed wall designs. They show trees, waterfalls, and bridges, which are rare themes in Islamic art of that time. This colorful fresco stle is a local specialty.
Beside the Et’hem Bey Mosque is Tirana’s Clock Tower, a cultural monument from 1822. It was built by Haxhi Et’hem Bey and stands more than 30 metres tall. A narrow staircase with about 90 wooden steps leads to the top. When you climb it, you will see a wide view of Skanderbeg Square and the rooftops of Tirana. On clear days you can see the nearby hills. The tower’s Ottoman-stle brickwork and the mechanical clock make it a symbol of Tirana’s past. It also appears in the city’s coat of arms. As Albania’s oldest clock tower, it was once seen as a sign of modern city life in the 19th century.
If you want the big picture of Albanian history, the National History Museum is one of the top places to visit in Tirana. It opened in 1981 on Skanderbeg Square and is known as the most important museum in the country. Inside, eight thematic pavilions guide you through the eras of antiquity, the medieval and modern periods, communism, and recent history. One pavilion covers the National Awakening, another covers independence and wartime events. Finally, there is a Pavilion of Communist Terror with photos and documents from the Hoxha regime.
A major highlight is the huge mosaic on the museum façade that shows scenes from Illyrian warriors to modern partisans. Inside, you can spend 2 or 3 hours exploring artifacts such as ancient mosaics, icons of Mother Teresa, and relics from Partisan fighters. The museum is perfect for travellers who want context for all the sites they see in the city. It has a small entry fee and needs enough time to explore.
Bunk’Art 2 is one of Tirana’s secret tunnel museums. This massive underground bunker was once used by the communist-era Ministry of Internal Affairs. It was built in the early 1980s as a nuclear shelter and stayed sealed after communism ended. Inside Bunk’Art 2, 24 dark rooms explain the story of the former secret police, known as the Sigurimi, and daily life under the regime.
There are recreated offices, jail cells, video archives, and art installations from that period. One room still shows a cracked entrance dome, left untouched as a symbol of the regime’s fall. If you enjoy Cold War history or military sites, this bunker museum will fascinate you. It is situated in the heart of Tirana, close to Skanderbeg Square, yet it feels like a step into another world. It is one of the most striking heritage sites in the city for learning about the 20th century.
The House of Leaves is a small museum focused on communist surveillance. The building was once the headquarters of the State Security (Sigurimi) under Hoxha. Locals even referred to it as the House of Spies. Today, entrance is through a former villa, built in 1931 as a clinic, and a walk through the rooms reveals old files, audio recordings, and news reports that show how the secret police operated. Exhibits include surveillance photos, interrogation rooms, and a video theatre that plays a documentary about the period. It is located across the Orthodox Cathedral, so it is easy to add to your city walk.
The Pyramid of Tirana is a large concrete cone built in 1988 as a museum for dictator Enver Hoxha. For years after 1991, it served many uses. It became a TV studio, a conference centre, and even a NATO base during the Kosovo War. Locals loved climbing and sliding down its steep sides. By the 2010s, the building had been damaged and was partly abandoned.
In recent years, the Pyramid has been reborn. A 2023 renovation turned it into a youth IT and cultural centre. Colourful box-shaped structures fill the inside and outside of the old concrete shell. These hold classrooms, tech workshops, and cafes. The project retained part of the original structure, and visitors can climb it safely. Wide staircases were added to make it more open and welcoming.
As a traveller, you may visit for the novelty. Kids can slide on the slopes and play around the open spaces. The view from the top, accessible by climbing the steps, offers an unusual panorama of the city. The Pyramid now shows two sides of Albania. It serves as a reminder of the communist era, yet it also showcases the country’s new creative energy.
Hidden in a quiet neighbourhood of Tabakëve, near the old riverbed of the Lanë, is the Tanners’ Bridge (Ura e Tabakëve). It is a simple stone arch from the 18th century. This Ottoman stone footbridge once crossed the Lanë river. It stood on the old Tanners’ Road, the caravan route that linked Tirana with the eastern highlands. Local leather tanners worked nearby, which is how the bridge got its name. By the 20th century, the river had been diverted, and the bridge had almost been forgotten.
In the 1990s, the city restored it. Workers rebuilt parts of the old cobbled road, added small ponds to mimic the lost stream, and cleaned the stone. Today, the bridge looks very close to its original form. You can walk across the gentle arch and picture Ottoman-era travellers passing under it.
The area is now a protected cultural spot with small gardens. Visiting the Tanners’ Bridge feels like stepping into a piece of Tirana’s living history. It is along the main roads, so you may have it to yourself. It is only a short walk from the city centre, and you can take a detour for photos.
Tirana’s newest grand church is the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ, completed in 2012. It was built to mark 20 years since the Albanian Orthodox Church was revived after communism. With its high white walls and gold domes, it is known as one of the largest Eastern Orthodox churches in the Balkans.
A New York-based team designed it. The main dome measures approximately 32 metres, and the bell tower stands at around 46 metres. Inside, you will see bright mosaics and icons. Beneath the church is an amphitheatre and cultural centre used for lectures and concerts.
Even if you are not Orthodox, the cathedral is worth visiting for its impressive size and stle. It stands in central Tirana, close to the House of Leaves, and its bells ring every hour. From the plaza, you can admire the classical-stle columns and the strong Neo-Byzantine design. After your visit, pause in the churchyard to see the polished marble steps and statues.
St. Paul’s Cathedral is Tirana’s main Catholic church. Completed in 2002, it was built soon after Pope John Paul II became the first pope to visit Albania. He laid the cornerstone during his 1993 visit. The cathedral has a modern design. The architects combined a triangle, which symbolizes the Trinity, with a circle, which symbolizes eternity. The exterior looks simple, but inside you find a calm worship space and notable artwork.
Above the entrance is a large stained glass window showing Pope John Paul II and Mother Teresa, reflecting Albania’s strong Catholic heritage. Outside, a statue of Mother Teresa highlights Albania’s spiritual influence. Walking up the aisle, there are clean white walls and colourful glass that brightens the space. It stands as an example of Tirana’s new religious architecture in a free Albania. Make time to visit both this church and the Orthodox cathedral on the same walk.
Tirana’s most important heritage sites are a window into Albanian history. Remember that many of Tirana’s old monuments are clustered downtown, so you can walk between several in a day. Walking is enjoyable here, thanks to parks and pedestrian zones. In any case, budget time for queues or museum visits, and try to visit a mix of outdoor landmarks and indoor museums.
For an easier way to move between sites, consider renting a car in Tirana with Final Rentals. With Final Rentals, renters get unlimited mileage, free cancellation, and theft protection on every booking. Pick up your vehicle at Tirana International Airport and explore the city at your own pace. For extra convenience, you can also download the Final Rentals app on Google Play and the App Store.
