Tabakëve Bridge

Tabakëve Bridge (Ura e Tabakëve) is an 18th-century Ottoman stone bridge located in Tirana near the Tabakëve Mosque. It is 8 metres long, 2.5 metres wide, and 3.5 metres high, and crosses the Lana River.

History

The bridge was part of “Saint George’s Road,” which connected Tirana to the eastern highlands, the route along which livestock and crops were once transported into the city. It takes its name from the tanners’ quarter (Tabakëve) that thrived in this area centuries ago. The bridge lost its function when the Lana River’s course was diverted in the 1930s, then was restored in the 1990s to serve as a pedestrian crossing.

Today

The Tirana municipality today considers it one of the city’s most important cultural heritage landmarks, and it makes a short, worthwhile stop as part of a walking tour of historic central Tirana.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does the bridge’s name come from? From the “Tabakëve” (tanners’) quarter that once worked in this area.

When was the bridge restored? In the 1990s, after losing its original function in the 1930s.