Grand Park of Tirana

Artificial Lake Of Tirana
Tirana as seen from the south.
Location	Tirana, Tirana County, Albania
Coordinates	41°18′46″N 19°49′20″E / 41.31278°N 19.82222°E / 41.31278; 19.82222
Area	289 ha (710 acres)[1]

The Grand Park of Tirana (Albanian: Parku i Madh i Tiranës), or the Park on the Artificial Lake, is a 289 hectare public park situated on the southern part of Tirana, Albania, and administered by the Agency of Parks and Recreation of the Municipality of Tirana.

The Park includes an artificial lake and many other landmarks such as the Saint Procopius Church, the Presidential Palace, and memorials to several Albanian personalities. It remains one of the most relaxing places in the city, despite increasing buildings being developed near the park, an early-morning run or promenade is a daily routines for many citizens. To the southern end of the Park, there is the Zoo and the Botanical Garden. The latter includes many flowers and plants that are common to the Albanian environment.

There are almost 120 species of trees, bushes and flowers. The Botanical Garden area is of 14.5 hectares and the lake's size is of 55 hectares, whereas the area of the Park itself is of 230 hectares.^[2]

The Park was built between 1955 and 1956 based on a Bulgarian plan and used to be called the Gogo stable, in a green area. The Park starts at the southern end of the Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard, after the University of Tirana, south of the main Skanderbeg Square. It was formerly called 'Park of Saint Procopius' (Albanian: Parku i Shën Prokopit) from the Saint Procopius Church, which is located in the area. In the internal parts, there can be found the memorials of 45 British and Australian^[3] soldiers fallen during World War II, as well as a memorial of hundreds of German soldiers from the same war.