It was in Vlorë on 28 November 1912 that an assembly of delegates led by Ismail Qemali declared Albania’s independence from the Ottoman Empire and raised the national flag. The date is still celebrated every year as Flag Day, and the square is the focus of national commemorations.
At its centre stands the Independence Monument, a 17-metre bronze sculpture unveiled in 1972 for the 60th anniversary of independence. It depicts Ismail Qemali surrounded by fighters and figures of the independence movement, with a flag-bearer rising above them. The monument is impressive at any time of day and especially atmospheric when lit in the evening.
To complete the story, visit the National Museum of Independence near the port, housed in the building where Albania’s first government worked after the declaration. Together, the square and the museum offer a meaningful introduction to the birth of modern Albania.
