A Historical Overview of the Urban Development of the City of Durrës, Albania

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to describe the urban development and its influencing factors of the city of Durrës, Albania, throughout the years. It is divided in two periods: the period between the years 1912-1990, and the period from the year 1990- present. The great political changes that took place in Albania in the year 1990, the change of the regime from a communist one to a democracy, as well as its entrance into the world of free market economy significantly increased the differences between the two systems in terms of urban development. The economy, demography and geographic location of Durrës, which are closely linked with the transition from a one-party system to pluralism, are all addressed in the article. These elements are found essential to the urban development of the city. Furthermore, it is important to consider the pre-1990s urban development situation of Durrës, because it contains the necessary elements which continue to be given a priority to the present day. These elements will be analyzed in a thorough overview throughout the article, in the two major historical periods.