Reconstruction with the principle ‘where is was, as it was’ The case of National Theater, Albania

In terms of urban heritage monuments, those located inside the city core, in Albania, are often target to new development, disregarding the cultural heritage values, and though destroying them partially or totally. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the importance of National Theater (Teatri Kombëtar) of Albania, from the point of view of citizens architects and historians. The building was destroyed on 17 Maj 2020, after a protest in ita protection was on by 27 months. The research questions is if historians, architects and the citizens, think that the National Theater carries enough cultural heritage values and to be built ‘Where it was! As it was’? case study should be defined as Research strategy is chosen as case study the National Theater, in order to inquire and investigate the phenomenon within its real-life context. As instruments are used interviews to citizens part of the target group. Desk research is conducted to also evaluate the three variables taken into consideration for purpose of this research: the historical values of the building; the architectonic values; social and cultural values, from the point of view of the target group. Part of the interviews the citizens part of the protest’s group in protection of the theater, called ‘Alliance for the protection of the theater’1 as a group of interest. As conclusion to the research, on the point of view of the interviewrs, the National Theater, carries architectonic, historic and social values as a to be reconstructed with the principle ‘Where is was! As it was!’