Tour of Communist Tirana

On this tour of communist Tirana, we'll travel back in time to learn about the history of the capital of Albania while visiting the Bunk'Art 2, the Secret Surveillance Museum and the house-museum of Ismail Kadare.

Tour of Communist Tirana

At 9 am we'll meet at the entrance of the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet of Albania in central Tirana to begin a tour exploring the traces of communism in Albania.

We will learn about the history of the People's Socialist Republic of Albania from 1946 to 1992, visit Scanderbeg Square to see the national hero's statue, and stop at the House Studio Kadare, home of writer Ismail Kadare, who faced challenges during the communist regime.

Next, we will visit Bunk'Art 2, the largest nuclear shelter in Tirana, which includes 36 rooms built between 1981 and 1986. Our tour will also take us past various government buildings and down the main boulevard to the Pyramid of Tirana. A coffee break will follow at Komiteti - Kafe Muzeum.

We will see the Post-Block Memorial, an original piece of the Berlin Wall gifted by the German Embassy. The final part of our tour will take us to the former Blloku area, known for its unique stories from the communist era.

Our last stop will be the Museum of Secret Surveillance, which has served various functions throughout its history, including as a gynecology clinic and as a Gestapo facility during the German occupation.

We will conclude the tour at the museum's exit around 1 pm.