London is not known for its Albanian population—fewer than 50,000 people with an Albanian background were living in the United Kingdom as of 2019. But in the middle of London’s Bayswater neighborhood, you’ll find a memorial to George Kastrioti, better known as Skanderbeg, a 15th-century Albanian noble who fought for independence against the Ottoman Empire.
As deserving as Skanderbeg is for memorializing, it’s not clear why he’s honored in this particular corner of London. The memorial was installed as part of the City of Sculpture initiative created by the City of Westminster, the borough of London to which Bayswater belongs. It was unveiled in 2012, on the 100th anniversary of modern Albania’s independence.
The memorial can be found at the corner of Inverness Terrace and Porchester Gardens.
