Tirana^[b] (/tɪˈrɑːnə/ ^ⓘ tih-RAH-nə,^[11][12] Albanian pronunciation: [tiˈɾana]; Gheg Albanian: Tirona) is the capital and largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills, with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest overlooking the Adriatic Sea in the distance. It is among the wettest and sunniest cities in Europe, with 2,544 hours of sun per year.^[13][14]

Tirana was founded in 1614 by Ottoman Albanian general Sylejman Pasha Bargjini, centered on the Old Mosque and türbe. The site of present-day Tirana has been continuously inhabited since the Iron Age and was likely the core of the Illyrian Kingdom of the Taulantii, which in Classical Antiquity was centred in the hinterland of Epidamnus. Following the Illyrian Wars, it was annexed by Rome and became an integral part of the Roman Empire; the heritage of that period is reflected by the Mosaics of Tirana. With the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the fourth century, most of Albania came under the control of the eastern Byzantine Empire, as evident by the Petrelë Castle built during the reign of Justinian I. The city was fairly unimportant until the 20th century, when the Congress of Lushnjë proclaimed it as Albania’s capital after the Albanian Declaration of Independence in 1912.

Classified as a gamma-world-city,^[15] Tirana is the most important economic, financial, political, and trade centre in Albania due to its significant location in the centre of the country and its modern air, maritime, rail and road transportation.^[16] As the seat of power of the Government of Albania, it hosts the official residences of the President and Prime Minister of Albania and the Parliament of Albania. The city was announced as the European Youth Capital for 2022.