Royal Villa

The Royal Villa of Durrës was King Zog's summer palace in Durrës and still remains a symbol of the Monarchy in the City.

The villa is set on Durrës hill, 98 meters above sea level with a wonderful view over the sea. It was designed by the Albanian architect Kristo Sotiri, an architect who had graduated from the University of Padova and the University of Venice. The building was finished in 1937, a few months before King Zog married Queen Geraldine.

The villa was used after World War II as a place for government receptions. During the communist period the building hosted many communist leaders including Nikita Khrushchev. During the 1990s the palace also hosted U.S. former President Jimmy Carter. The interior of the villa was vandalized during the civil unrest in Albania in 1997.