Sweet Freedoms in Tirana, Tirana, Albania

For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others

Under the dictatorship of Enver Hoxha many freedoms were denied to Albanians. Among them the freedom to travel abroad, the freedom to express dissent, and the freedom to worship. Hoxha declared that ‘the only religion of Albania is Albanianism’.

Today’s Albania is very different and in the heart of Tirana we found three striking places of worship. All lie in the immediate vicinity of Skanderbeg Square where Hoxha’s statue once stood. One, the mosque, is historic; prior to Hoxha’s time the country was the only predominantly Muslim one in Europe. The other two are modern, both Christian cathedrals.

Our walk from the Catholic cathedral to the Orthodox one took us past both the mosque and Skanderbeg Square. If you’ve never thought about visiting Tirana, join me to see a little of what the city has to offer.

This will make a pleasant Monday Walk for Jo, I hope, and fit well with Terri’s Sunday Stills theme of Temples, Churches, and Spiritual Centres.

This Roman Catholic cathedral sits on the north bank of the Lana River. It was built between 1993, the cornerstone having been laid by Pope John Paul II on his visit to Albania that year, and 2002. It has a striking design, both outside and in. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).