Albania Edifices

Albania was one of the staunchest communist countries and one of the last to implement a market based economy. One can feel the dynamics in the street. Enver Hoxha, the first and only leader of communist Albania, left his marks in the architecture and in the society. Like many of his communist cohorts, he and his children idolized cement.

Bicycling on a side street under massive external wiring.

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Some solid examples from the communist era.

Abandoned pyramid of Enver Hoxha and the freedom bell.

Cement seats at the outdoor auditorium.

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Tirana Mosque – rebirth of religious freedom

“The mosque reopened as a house of worship in 1991, without permission from the authorities. 10,000 courageous people dared to attend and remarkably the police did not interfere. The event was a milestone in the rebirth of religious freedom in Albania.”