The White Stone Palace of Culture, which has a theatre, shops and art galleries, is located east of Skanderbeg Square. The Palace of Culture includes the National Library of Albania and the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet of Albania. The Culture Palace was built over Tirana’s old bazaar and the historic mosque of Mahmud Muhsin Bey Stërmasi.

Building the palace began in 1960 as a gift from the Soviet people, former Soviet president Nikita Khrushchev put the first brick, and was finished in 1966, years after the Soviet-Albanian split in 1961.

The interior of the opera house, has a distinct communist feel to it although unfortunately you are usually only allowed in if you have tickets for an event. Some performances are free but usually tickets are very reasonably priced and under €5. Tickets can be booked by contacting them by e-mail on their social networks as well as on the phone number – latest details of which can be found on their website.

The Palace of Culture appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Tirana!

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