Albania. Tirana. Buildings in the City Center. Mural painting by Maximiliano Bagnasco. Ismail Kadare and the Albanian flag. Ismail Kadare (28 January 1936 – 1 July 2024) was an Albanian novelist, poet, essayist, screenwriter, and playwright. He was a leading international literary figure and intellectual. The flag of Albania which depicts a silhouetted black double-headed eagle in the center of a red background. The red stands for bravery, strength, valour and bloodshed, while the Eagle – traditionally the symbol of Albanians represents the sovereign state of Albania. The flag was established as the national flag of Albania when the country gained its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912.Tirana is the capital and largest city of Albania. 28.09.2024 © 2024 Didier Ruef