From 1970 to 1973 Albania had more than 750,000 bunkers built throughout its territory.
Historian Enriketa Papa PAndelejmoni says that the Communist Party decided to build a fortified line along the entire coastline but also within Albania, to defend the country from possible attacks, due to the frequent conflicts between East and West.
27 years after pluralism was established in Albania, these communist symbols are still present. However, people have revitalized them with fantasy and adopted these bunkers to business venues, art works, and they have even been used shelters by families in need, such as the Noka family which has moved from Kukes to Shkoza.
Pjerin Gjekaj has turned another bunker into a tattoo parlor. He has been working there for the past 15 years, and has met with many tourists, who have taken pictures and have also made tattoos, even with Albanian symbols.
A hotel owner in Golem has adopted the bunkers as a tourist attraction, after repairing and cleaning them. The same thing was one by Xhemal Arapi in Fier, who attracts many tourists who visit Apolonia.
The craziest idea was in 2012, when some German students wanted to turn the Tale bunkers into hotel rooms, but they didn’t succeed.
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