An important cultural event has opened at the Palace of Congresses in Tirana: an exhibition dedicated to Karl Gega, the distinguished engineer of Albanian origin, renowned for constructing the world’s first mountain railway—the Semmering Railway in Austria. This groundbreaking 19th-century project has since been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The exhibition offers an in-depth look at Gega’s legacy through original documents, engineering plans, rare illustrations, and archival materials. It aims to bring renewed attention to Gega as one of the most important figures in modern European engineering—an Albanian who gifted Europe with one of its greatest technical achievements of the 1800s.
Curated by renowned historian and albanologist Lucia Nadin and architect Gjon Radovani, the exhibition combines historical depth with a refined spatial and visual concept. According to Nadin, “This is an exhibition that tells the story of Karl Gega, of Albanian origin, who later lived and studied in Venice. It highlights the historic ties between Venice and Albania and serves as a valuable opportunity to strengthen these early connections that reflect the intertwined histories of both nations.”
In conjunction with the exhibition, a scientific conference was held, gathering researchers, historians, and engineering experts from Albania and abroad. The event highlighted Karl Gega’s pivotal role in the development of European technical infrastructure during a transformative era.
Archaeologist Gëzim Hoxha noted, “We now have at our disposal one of the most comprehensive catalogs ever produced about this towering figure. This exhibition represents one of the year’s most important cultural events and is the result of a significant collaborative effort. I hope it helps the Albanian public to discover and appreciate the life and work of this Albanian genius.”
Open to the public until June 25, the exhibition is a product of international cultural cooperation. It offers a rare opportunity to rediscover and celebrate the Albanian contributions to European science and technology, and to reclaim Karl Gega’s rightful place in the continent’s engineering history.