Albania’s Pyramid: From Communist Relic to Unexpected Cultural Phenomenon
David.r.1929/Wikimedia CommonsAfter a massive renovation, the Pyramid of Tirana reopened in 2023 as a state-of-the-art technology center for the city’s youth.
The government suggested demolition, commissioning an Austrian firm to design a new parliament building. This was quickly met with backlash from citizens, who delivered a petition to stop the building’s destruction.
“No one in a normal state of mind would ever decide to demolish the Pyramid,” Adrian Klosi told Albania’s Top Channel in 2011. “This is a caprice, or maybe more than that. This is a big affair and many people could make a fortune out of it, while the Albanian culture will become poorer.”
While the plan was ultimately abandoned, the future of the pyramid remained uncertain. Eventually, it was announced that the former monument would be refurbished and turned into a genuine cultural hub.
To do this, Dutch architecture firm MVRDV used the current building as a template. Seeing that people liked to climb up the pyramid and sit at its top, they turned that into a central feature, adding staircases along the sides of the building.
The purpose of this new structure would primarily focus on the city’s youth who had embraced it so wholly: the exterior would be filled with cafes, bookstores, and restaurants, while the interior would host classes to teach coding and other skills. The resultant building, known simply as the Pyramid of Tirana, opened in October 2023.
Today, the pyramid has become an icon in Tirana once again — even if its new purpose differs greatly from its original.
After learning the history of the Pyramid of Tirana, go inside the story of King Zog, the Albanian monarch who survived over 50 assassination attempts. Then, read about Templo Mayor, the massive pyramid built by the Aztecs.
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