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

Durrës Durrës ( , ; sq-definite, Durrësi) is the List of cities and towns in Albania#List, second most populous city of the Albania, Republic of Albania and county seat, seat of Durrës County and Durrës Municipality. It is one of Albania's oldest ...

Historical figure

* Anastasius I,

Emperor The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...

of the

Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...

* Aretes of Dyrrachium, natural philosopher * Jahja Ballhysa, signatory of the Albanian Declaration of Independence * Pietro Bianco, pirate from

who lived in the 1450s * Bruti family, Medieval family who ruled in Durres * Abaz Efendi Çelkupa, signatory of the

Albanian Declaration of Independence The Albanian Declaration of Independence (Albanian language, 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 da ...

* Mustafa Hanxhiu, signatory of the Albanian Declaration of Independence * Nikollë Mekajshi, early 17th century Albanian patriot * Karl Topia,

Prince of Albania This is an archontological list of Albanian monarchs, containing monarchs of the medieval Albanian principalities, Albanian kingdoms and to heads of state of modern Albania. Starting from the first established monarch Progon of Kruja from th ...

Politics and public office

Pjetër Arbnori Pjetër Filip Arbnori (18 January 1935 – 8 July 2006) was an Albanian politician and dissident of the communist regime in Albania. He was dubbed "the Mandela of the Balkans" by Albanian statesmen because of the length of his 28-year internm ...

, "the Mandela of the Balkans" * Vangjush Dako, Mayor of Durrës * Namik Dokle, politician and former Chairman of the Parliament of Albania September 2001 – April 2002 * Grida Duma, female politician * Lefter Koka, former mayor of Durrës, politician, and former minister * Fatmir Mediu, politician, leader of

Republican Party of Albania The Republican Party of Albania (, PR or PRSH) is a national-conservative political party in Albania. It currently holds 1 of the 140 seats in the Parliament of Albania, in alliance with the Democratic Party of Albania. History The party was fou ...

* Bujar Nishani, politician and former

President of Albania The president of Albania (), officially the president of the Republic of Albania (), is the head of state, commander-in-chief of the Albanian Armed Forces, military and the representative of the unity of the Albanian people. The president sets ...

* Gazmend Oketa, politician, former minister * Sokol Olldashi, politician, former minister * Nako Spiru, high-ranking official of the Communist Party of Albania and Minister of Economy and Industry 1946–1947 * Ferdinand Xhaferraj, former Minister of Tourism, Cultural Affairs, Youth and Sports

Athletics, sports and recreation

Football

;A–H * Arbër Aliu * Dritan Babamusta * Haxhi Ballgjini * Shyqyri Ballgjini * Gentian Begeja * Fabian Beqja * Safet Berisha * Niko Bespalla * Mario Dajsinani * Alfred Deliallisi * Ardit Deliu * Enkeleid Dobi *

Niko Dovana Niko Dovana was a former Albanian football player who played for Teuta Durrës during the 1930s and 1940s. He is considered one of Teuta Durrës's most important players and was the main financier of the club until his death in 1949. The club' ...

* Bajram Fraholli * Jurgen Goxha * Nazmi Gripshi * Fatmir Hima * Bledar Hodo * Altin Hoxha * Fabio Hoxha * Rustem Hoxha * Sulejman Hoxha ;I–R * Skënder Jareci * Artan Jazxhi * Elvis Kabashi * Dejvid Kapllani * Edmond Kapllani * Xhevahir Kapllani * Artan Karapici * Elton Koça * Bledar Mançaku * Gentian Manuka * Kristi Marku * Rexhep Memini * Mikaela Metalla * Agim Murati * Stavri Nica * Alfred Osmani * Panajot Pano * Armand Pasha * Ermir Rezi * Bledjan Rizvani ;S–Z * Arlis Shala * Klaidi Shala * Orges Shehi * Shaqir Stafa * Guido Tepshi * Edlir Tetova * Rejnaldo Troplini * Artan Vila * Emiljano Vila * Lorenco Vila * Andi Xhixha

Other

* Erald Dervishi, chess player * Mirela Manjani, athlete * Kreshnik Qato, boxer * Shkëlqim Troplini, wrestler

Art, photography, architecture

* Andrea Alessi,

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

* Ibrahim Kodra,

painter Painting is a Visual arts, visual art, which is characterized by the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called "matrix" or "Support (art), support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with ...

* John Koukouzelis or Jan Kukuzeli, Byzantine music composer *

Kristaq Rama Kristaq Rama (31 July 193211 April 1998) was an Albanian sculptor, art educator and a member of the Communist Party in Albania under Enver Hoxha's rule. He had close ties to Hoxha's communist regime. He was the father of current Albanian Prime ...

, sculptor, art educator and the father of the Albanian PM,

Edi Rama Edi Rama (born Edvin Kristaq Rama; 4 July 1964) is an Albanian politician, artist and writer who has been serving as the 33rd and incumbent prime minister of Albania since 2013 and chairman of the Socialist Party of Albania since 2005. He was M ...

* Helidon Xhixha, sculptor

Literature, journalism, filmography

Elvira Dones Elvira Dones (born July 24, 1960) is an Albanian novelist, screenwriter, and documentary film producer. Biography Born in the coastal city of Durrës Dones graduated from the State University of Tirana. In 1988 she was employed by Albanian St ...

, novelist, screenwriter, and documentary film producer

Scholars, science, academicians

* Leonik Tomeu, professor of

Nicholas Copernicus Nicolaus Copernicus (19 February 1473 – 24 May 1543) was a Renaissance polymath who formulated a mathematical model, model of Celestial spheres#Renaissance, the universe that placed heliocentrism, the Sun rather than Earth at its cen ...

at the University of Padova

Religion and clergy

* Saint Astius of Durrës,

martyr A martyr (, ''mártys'', 'witness' Word stem, stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an external party. In ...

and Bishop of Dyrrhachium * Pal Engjëlli, cardinal, clergyman, scholar, and Archbishop of Durrës * Dom Nikollë Kaçorri, signatory of the Albanian Declaration of Independence * Jan Kukuzeli, Medieval Albanian Christian composer * Nikollë Mekajshi,

Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent Religious institute, religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor bei ...

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

, bishop of Stephanium

Others

* Ilir Hoti, economist and banker * Ina Rama, Magistrate, former Chief Prosecutor * Hygerta Sako, former Miss Albania

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:List of people from Durres