The Flag’s Square, the main plaza and the symbol public space in the coastal city of Vlora, is undergoing a complete revamp according to an ambitious project designed to turn it into a space integrated with the public parks and the Martyrs’ Cemetery on the hilltop location. Second phase of Historic Area’s rehabilitation is also underway, with the project including construction of new road and underground infrastructure and expansion of the pedestrian walkways and public spaces.

Inspecting the ongoing works on the city’s main square, Prime Minister Edi Rama was familiarized with details of the project, which promises like never before the use of public spaces, preserving the elements of tradition and naturally merging the history of Independence with that of the National Liberation War.

“The project started from the so-called Four Cannons area and it envisages significant changes to the area around the Independence Memorial, an iconic monument of the whole history of Albanians, to create new public spaces by preserving the area’s monumental values,” Mayor Leli said.

The project also envisages for an uncompleted high-rise building at the centre of the square to be transformed into a community centre for all ages, featuring recreational and cultural spaces and creating this way another tourist attraction in the city.

“A high tower crane should be brought to the site in order to demolish the upper floors of the building. The lower floors will be a public property owned by the municipality to arrange various community spaces available to people of all ages with a museum space dedicated to art, becoming at the same time a tourist attraction with halls and galleries for young people, a library, internet centre, facilities for the elderly, playgrounds for children, transforming it into a large community center,” Prime Minister Rama said. The Premier, the Mayor of Vlora and specialists then discussed elements of the project, suggesting ideas to make the spaces available to citizens as functional as possible.