The following are notable people who were either born, raised, or have lived for a significant period of time in Tirana, Albania.

List

Beqir Balluku Beqir Balluku (14 February 1917 – 5 November 1975) was an Albanian politician, military leader, and Minister of Defense of Albania. Balluku assisted Enver Hoxha in carrying out the 1956 purge within the Labour Party. However, in 1974, Balluku h ...

(1917–1975) – former member of the

Politburo A politburo () or political bureau is the executive committee for communist parties. It is present in most former and existing communist states. Names The term "politburo" in English comes from the Russian ''Politbyuro'' (), itself a contraction ...

; accused as organizer of a '' coup d'etat'' in 1974, and sentenced to death *

Erjon Bogdani Erjon Bogdani (born 14 April 1977) is an Albanian professional football coach and former player. He is nicknamed "Bogu" or "Er-Bomber". Regarded as one of the most successful Albanian players of all time, Bogdani began his career at Partizani T ...

(born 1977) – football player * Albert Brojka (born 1958) – former Tirana mayor * Pirro Çako (born 1965) – singer and composer *

Fabiola Laco Egro Fabiola Laço - Egro (born 1963) is one of the prominent activists of civil society dating back to the beginning of the civil movement for women's rights in Albania in the 1990s. She is founder and leader of "Today for the Future" Network for co ...

(born 1963) - social activist *

Shpresa Gjongecaj Shpresa Gjongecaj Vangjeli (born 6 February 1952) is an Albanian archaeologist and numismatist, who was the Director of the Institute of Archaeology at the Academy of Albanological Studies from 2008 to 2013. She is the recipient of the Vermeil To ...

(born 1952) - archaeologist and numismatist *

Besiana Kadare Besiana Kadare is an Albanian diplomat. She served as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Representative of Albania to the United Nations, a Vice President of the United Nations General Assembly for its 75th session, and A ...

(born 1972) - Albanian Ambassador to the United Nations * Ismail Kadare (1936—2024) – novelist and poet, winner of the 2005 Man Booker International Prize, the 2009 Prince of Asturias Award, and the 2015

Jerusalem Prize The Jerusalem Prize for the Freedom of the Individual in Society is a biennial literary award given to writers whose works have dealt with themes of human freedom in society. It is awarded at the Jerusalem International Book Forum (previously kn ...

. *

Kledi Kadiu Kledi Kadiu (born 7 April 1974) is an Albanians, Albanian-born, naturalized Italian dancer, coreographer, dance teacher, and television personality. He is a regular dancer on the popular talent show ''Amici di Maria De Filippi'' (Friends of Mari ...

(born 1974) – dancer and actor; lives and works in Italy *

Sali Kelmendi Sali Kelmendi (31 May 1947 – 7 February 2015) was an engineer and a politician. One of the founders of the Democratic Party of Albania The Democratic Party of Albania ( sq, Partia Demokratike e Shqipërisë, PD or PDSH) is a conservative p ...

(1947–2015) – former Tirana mayor *

Vedat Kokona Vedat Kokona (August 8, 1913 – October 14, 1998) was an Albanian translator, writer and lexicologist of the 20th century, well known for his dual dictionaries English-Albanian and French-Albanian and his contributions in Albanian lexicology a ...

(1913–1998) – translator of the Albanian language * Maksim Konomi (born 1946) – politician * Saimir Kumbaro (born 1945) – film director *

Elsa Lila Elsa Lila (; born 4 July 1981) is an Albanian singer. Life and career Elsa Lila was born on 4 July 1981 in Tirana, Albania. Her father was a singer of the former Albanian state choir, while her mother was a violinist, so both of her parents r ...

(born 1981) – singer * Leka, Crown Prince of Albania (1939–2011) – heir of King Zog I *

Masiela Lusha Masiela Lusha (; born October 23, 1985) is an Albanian-born American actress and author. She gained recognition for playing Carmen Lopez on the globally syndicated ABC sitcom ''George Lopez'', a role that earned her two consecutive Young Artist ...

(born 1985) – actress, poet, and writer *

Pandeli Majko Pandeli Sotir Majko (born 15 November 1967) is an Albanian socialist politician. He served twice as Prime Minister of Albania; once from 1998 to 1999, and again in 2002. Political career Early career Majko has been a member of the Euro-Socialist ...

(born 1967) – twice Prime Minister of Albania *

Rexhep Meidani Rexhep Qemal Meidani (; born on 17 August 1944) is an Albanian physics professor, diplomat and politician. Meidani was the 4th President of Albania from 1997 to 2002, and the second to be elected after the first multi-party elections in 1991. ...

(born 1944) – former President of Albania *

Aleksandër Meksi Aleksandër Gabriel Meksi (born March 8, 1939) is an Albanian archaeologist and politician who served as the 34th Prime Minister of Albania from April 13, 1992, to March 11, 1997. A former archaeologist, he was the first person to be prime minis ...

(born 1939) – former Prime Minister * Inva Mula (born 1963) – opera singer * Elvis Naçi (born 1977) – Imam *

Blendi Nallbani Blendi Nallbani (born 30 May 1971 in Tiranë) is a retired Albanian professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Nallbani was a member of the Albania national team prior to his international retirement in 2002. Nicknamed ''Tata'', he is ...

(born 1971) – football player * Fatos Nano (born 1952) – former Prime Minister of Albania *

Agim Nesho Agim Nesho (born in 1956) is an Albanian American diplomat, author, and political analyst. He served as Permanent Representative of Albania to the United Nations between 1996 and 2005, and Ambassador to the United States from 2005 to 2006. Biogr ...

(born 1956) – former Ambassador * Essad Pasha (1863/4 or 1875–1920) – politician *

Aleksandër Peçi Aleksandër Peçi (born Tirana, 11 July 1951) is an Albanian composer; who has received high acclaim on national and international level He has received his education from institutions and cities such as Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musi ...

(born 1951) – composer * Edi Rama (born 1964) – Prime Minister of Albania * Jusuf Reçi — Murderer of Avni Rustemi *

Skënder Sallaku Skënder Sallaku (25 January 1935 – 11 February 2014) was an Albanian comedian and actor, recipient of the People's Artist of Albania award. He was also a notable national champion of Albania in Greco-Roman wrestling. His filmography inclu ...

(1935–2014) – comic actor *

Klodiana Shala Klodiana Shala (born 22 August 1979 in Tirana) is an Albanian track and field athlete who competes in the 200 metres and 400 metres sprints. Her personal bests are 23.27 and 52.86 seconds, respectively. She was the bearer of the Flag of Albani ...

(born 1979) – athlete * Bamir Topi (born 1957) – former President of Albania * Abdi bej Toptani (1864–1942) – signatory of the

Albanian Declaration of Independence The Albanian Declaration of Independence ( Albanian: ''Deklarata e Pavarësisë'') was the declaration of independence of Albania from the Ottoman Empire. Independent Albania was proclaimed in Vlorë on 28 November 1912. Six days later the Assem ...

Murat bej Toptani Murad bej Toptani (13 July 1867 – 11 February 1918) was an Albanian poet, artist and activist of the Albanian National Awakening. Along with his relative Abdi Toptani he became one of the signatories of the Albanian Declaration of Independ ...

(1867–1918) – signatory of the Albanian Declaration of Independence * Gjergj Xhuvani (1963–2019) – film director *

Zenel Bastari Zenel Bastari or Zenel Hyka (c. 1767 – c. 1837) was an Albanian poet of the Bejtexhinj literary movement. A native of Tirana, he lived and worked from the end of 18th century until mid 19th century. Together with Hasan Zyko Kamberi and Nezim Fra ...

(c. 1767–c. 1837) - Albanian Poet of the Ottoman era. *

Haxhi Ymer Kashari Haxhi Ymer Kashari known also as Ymer Mustafa Kashari was an Albanian bejtexhi of the 18th century. Haxhi Ymer was born in Tirana in early 18th century. Back then part of the Sanjak of Scutari of the Ottoman Empire, Tirana was already flourishi ...

- Albanian Poet of the 18th century. * Erion Veliaj (born 1979) - Current Mayor of Tirana. *

Ornela Vorpsi Ornela Vorpsi (born 3 August 1968, Tirana), is an Albanian writer and photographer from the Vorpsi family in Tirana. Ornela studied at the Academy of Fine Arts of Brera in Milan, and has been living and working in Paris since 1997. In 2012 she w ...

(born 3 August 1968), is an Albanian writer and photographer from Tirana. *

Ronela Hajati Ronela Hajati (; born 2 September 1989), also known mononymously as Ronela, is an Albanian singer, songwriter and dancer. Born and raised in Tirana, she began performing in various singing and dancing competitions as a child before pursuing a ca ...

(born 1989) - singer-songwriter and dancer, Albanian representative at the Eurovision Song Contest 2022

List

See also