Rinia Park
Encyclopedia
Rinia Park is the central public park of Tirana
, Albania
, built in 1950 during the socialist system of government, covers an area of 29.81 hectares.
Every year on March 14, this park is one of the many venues of the Summer Festival. It is a national festival, a cultural heritage that symbolizes end of winter and start of nature's freshness. On this occasion circus acrobats and show performers entertain people in the park.
The park was rebuilt in 2000, with a new green area and water feature, after years of degradation.
to the east, Bulevardi Gjergi Fishta and Bajram Curri Boulevard
to the south, Rruga Deshmoret e 4 Shkurit to the west and Rruga Myslym Shyri to the north. Immediately to the north is the Teatri i Kukullave and the Orthodox Cathedral.
The Taivani
restaurant and water feature are located in the western perimeters of the park.
. It was initially a pleasant family park where inhabitants of Tirana could take their children. In 1991, after the end of communism, illegal shabby buildings sprang up all around the park; this was made possible by bribery. Most of these buildings were privately owned kiosks, bars and restaurants, and as a result the park became a notorious hang-out for Tirana's drug lords, dealers and other shady businesses.
During the period a café and restaurant complex were also built in the park. During the city's cleanup in 2000, these buildings were razed and the park was replanted. All in all, some 130 buildings were demolished and over 45,000 cubic meters of waste removed.
As a result of total restoration of the park, Tiranians flock to the park in the evenings to enjoy the many attractions such as the Spider-shaped white building (compared to a typical James Bond film villain’s den), fountains, restaurants, a swiss terrace café called the Taiwan cafe or Taivani and underground bowling. Taivani is the most prominent landmark in the park, one of Tirana's most modern and frequented restaurants which has a water feature. It is known as Taivani or "Taiwan" as it is said to resemble the island of Taiwan
. It was named so to mark the break of Albania's diplomatic relations with mainland China and recognition of Taiwan
as in independent country (Albania is said to be the first country to do so).
), the festival is widely celebrated in Tirana and as far afield as the Arbëresh colonies in Italy. In Tirana many festivities are organized including a city marathon and are generally performed between 9 am and 9 pm. In Rinia Park, a circus show is put on the evenings and is packed with circus performers, acrobats, magicians, and people celebrating the festival.
Tirana
Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
, Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, built in 1950 during the socialist system of government, covers an area of 29.81 hectares.
Every year on March 14, this park is one of the many venues of the Summer Festival. It is a national festival, a cultural heritage that symbolizes end of winter and start of nature's freshness. On this occasion circus acrobats and show performers entertain people in the park.
The park was rebuilt in 2000, with a new green area and water feature, after years of degradation.
Geography
The park, 500 m from the central square, is bordered by Dëshmorët e Kombit BoulevardDëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard
Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard is a major boulevard of Tirana, Albania, built by Italian architects. Formerly, it was called Bulevardi Mussolini. In 1934-35, a bridge was built over the boulevard by Gjovalin Gjadri....
to the east, Bulevardi Gjergi Fishta and Bajram Curri Boulevard
Bajram Curri Boulevard
Bajram Curri Boulevard is a major boulevard of Tirana, Albania. It runs in a west-east direction and crosses the city centre south of the central Skanderbeg Square. At Rinia Park it interects with Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard just south of the square. Towards the east it branches off into Ali Demi...
to the south, Rruga Deshmoret e 4 Shkurit to the west and Rruga Myslym Shyri to the north. Immediately to the north is the Teatri i Kukullave and the Orthodox Cathedral.
The Taivani
Taivani
Taivani or the Taiwan Center, is a restaurant located in Rinia Park, just south of the Skanderbeg Square in central Tirana, Albania. Taivani is one of Tirana's most modern and frequented restaurants. It is known as Taivani or "Taiwan" as it is said to resemble the island of Taiwan....
restaurant and water feature are located in the western perimeters of the park.
History
Rinia Park was built in 1950 as part of a major urban development program which developed after World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was initially a pleasant family park where inhabitants of Tirana could take their children. In 1991, after the end of communism, illegal shabby buildings sprang up all around the park; this was made possible by bribery. Most of these buildings were privately owned kiosks, bars and restaurants, and as a result the park became a notorious hang-out for Tirana's drug lords, dealers and other shady businesses.
During the period a café and restaurant complex were also built in the park. During the city's cleanup in 2000, these buildings were razed and the park was replanted. All in all, some 130 buildings were demolished and over 45,000 cubic meters of waste removed.
Taivani
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. It was named so to mark the break of Albania's diplomatic relations with mainland China and recognition of Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
as in independent country (Albania is said to be the first country to do so).
Summer Festival
Every year on March 14, the people of Tirana and Albania have the Summer Festival, their largest pagan festival which is intended to celebrate the end of winter, the rebirth of nature and a rejuvenation of spirit amongst the Albanians. Although the epicentre of this festival is in Shkumbin (ElbasanElbasan
Elbasan is a city in central Albania. It is located on the Shkumbin River in the District of Elbasan and the County of Elbasan, at...
), the festival is widely celebrated in Tirana and as far afield as the Arbëresh colonies in Italy. In Tirana many festivities are organized including a city marathon and are generally performed between 9 am and 9 pm. In Rinia Park, a circus show is put on the evenings and is packed with circus performers, acrobats, magicians, and people celebrating the festival.