Once upon a time
… The new political center designed by Fascist Italy in the late 1930s was monumental in nature and dominated by the tall building of the Casa del Fascio. The building, raised by an imposing staircase, materially and morally dominates the city.
The square, which has become the culminating element of the Viale dell’Impero and the ideal destination for the city tour in the new Italian Tirana. It held together the primary functions of the new colonial city and is structured as a perspective system with the Casa del Fascio of the central beam placed on a raised base. “Casa” has the Opera Dopolavoro building with the theater on the right and the Gioventù Littoria building on the left.
Gherardo Bosio, Casa del Fascio Project, 1939/40. Original design
The building of the University of Tirana was designed by the italian architect Gherardo Basio in 1939-1940 and it was finished in 1942 as “Casa del Fascio”(House of Fascism) or “Palazzo Littorio”. Its architecture is characterized by compact parallelepided united with each other that gives the impression of a Roman fortress and brings in memory the traditional Albanian tower that is performed in terms of modernity. This building is in harmony with the hill that lies in the background. Since this building is the last element of the boulevard is characterized by heavy structural monumentality but also by clear and lucid line.