Great Constructions in Albania during the Period ‘70-‘80

Abstract

The Albanian architecture during the XXth century reflects worthily the aspirations of the country’s foreign or native leaders who were in power until the fall of the Berlin Wall. Starting from Zogu, Mussolini, and finishing with Enver Hoxha, they all demanded for the architecture to be personalized according to the state’s ideology, giving a demarking spirit to the main square of the capital, like they wanted to do to all the country. The sober rationalism of the ‘40s created by Bozio, was attempted without success to be substituted by the “Red Doric” of the ‘50s, and then coming back to the rational, but functional language of the ‘60s, a very contemporary voluminous one. Its gazing towards the West gave a little freedom to the ideological solidification that would legitimate the decades that would follow. The ‘70s-‘80s period would be the confirmation of the native architectonic language, with buildings that aggravated the state’s finances as the image of the dictator was aggravating everything else until his last years of life. As a typical mirroring of a disintegrating or delirious regime, it followed its destiny until the last hours, as a typical confirmation of the will imposed from the power-holders, like happens in any dictatorship.

DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2014.v3n1p379