20) TIRANA ART GALLERY & ODA for ambience

At ODA, (see at end of this page).

ET'HEM BEY MOSQUE, 1789-1823, closed by the Communists in 1967, was spared destruction during the atheism campaign because of its status as a cultural monument.  It's one of the oldest buildings left in the city. It reopened in the 90s.

     NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

     Mosaic tracing Albanian history since the earliest times till now - above the entrance to the Natural History Museum. The mosaic mural, entitled "Albania", shows Albanians victorious and proud from Illyrian times through to WWII.

        NATIONAL ART GALLERY

      The National Art Gallery holds paintings from the early 19th century to the present day. There are 19th century paintings depicting scenes from everyday Albanian life and art that takes on a political dimension with examples of Albanian social realism. Propaganda paintings under the Communists depict young, strong workers doing trades. They remind me of the young Soviet heroes depicted in the same way throughout Moscow.

Below, three 20th century portraits and self-portraits by women artists.

Sophia Papadhimitri

1915-1976

Autoportret 1939, (self portrait)

Today, the Serbian Prime Minister visited Tirana and was escorted by car through Skanderberg Square to a waiting audience.

I stop at the ADRION INTERNATIONAL BOOKSHOP in the Palace of Culture, Sheshi Skënderbej and spend an hour looking at books in Albanian, French , Italian and English and I buy these:

ISMAIL KADARE is an international Man Booker Prize winner, who won the prize for his body of work.

        And this female Albanian-Italian writer is the winner of the English Pen Award for this novel:

 ODA, TRADITIONAL ALBANIAN RESTAURANT

Tony and I enjoy a delicious lunch at ODA, recommended by LPlanet. In an alley off Rr Luigj Guraqi, it's decorated with 20th century photos (see below) and paintings of Albanian people and landscapes (below). It is as homey as the food served and the personable owner whose film actor father started the restaurant ten years ago. He died two years ago and now his wife and daughter alternate shifts.

Entrance to ODA:

       

      Photos dated 1900s

        

        Restaurant interior

         

       Artworks on the walls

      ODA's desserts containing honey, eggs and cornstarch