The role of landmarks in shaping Tirana’s urban identity: the shift from socialist to post-socialist city

This study examines the change of urban identity from the socialist period to post-socialist Tirana, evaluating the role of landmarks. The continuously changing city image in the post-socialist period, associated with the construction of new high-rise buildings, is the commencement of this research. The aim is to measure to what extent the change of the landmarks in the post-socialist period impacts Tirana’s identity. To achieve this goal, we interviewed Tirana citizens (N = 209) about the socialist/post-socialist period landmarks representing city identity. The methodology includes surveying, mapping, visualization, and clustering. Through a conceptual diagram, the study emphasizes the role of landmarks within the urban identity concept by utilizing their salience-providing features, which are visual, semantic, and locational. The results reveal that the socialist city identity is represented by landmarks that possess a strong image and semantic values. In contrast, post-socialist city identity is represented by new landmarks, which are reported as many and emphasize the rise of experience-oriented landmarks in an entertainment district. The study found a location shift in the landmarks representing Tirana’s urban identity from the socialist to post-socialist city. However, in both periods, the majority are on the city’s main Boulevard (city spine), which works as a mental skeleton.