is the capital and largest city of Albania. It is also the heart of Albania's cultural, economic and governmental activity, located on the central-west corner of the country surrounded by mountains and hills with the Dajti Mountain on the east and a slight valley opening on the north-west overlooking the Adriatic Sea in the distance. The city is located some 700 kilometres (430 miles) north of Ath
ens, 290 km (180 mi) west of Skopje, 250 km (160 mi) south-east of Pristina and 160 km (99 mi) south of Podgorica. Tirana was founded as a city in 1614, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. One of the ancient monuments, the Tirana Mosaic is believed to have been part of a 3rd-century Ancient Roman house. Later, in the 5th and 6th centuries, a Paleo-Christian Basilica was built around this site. Tirana did not attain much significance until the early 20th century, when the Congress of Lushnjë proclaimed it Albania's capital following the country's declaration of independence in 1912.
