Tirana: Communist History Tour with Street Food

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Highlights

Visit the Bunk’Art 1 and 2 museums
Sample some of Tirana’s street food
Examine socialist and realism art works
Explore the ex-Blloku area
Wander through Skanderbeg Square

Description

You will begin your journey of the past at the Bunk’ Art Museum with a full immersion into Albanian history over the last 100 years. The ex–nuclear bunker, built to accommodate Communist Dictator Hoxha in the event of attack, tells a story of the dictator’s time as well as both world wars through photographs, items, and documents. Once you step out of the Bunk’ Art you will head for some local qofte (meat balls) complete with yogurt sauce, potato chips, and local beer, a combination of which comprises Tirana’s typical street food. You'll then walk towards Skanderbeg Square and learn about the historical buildings such as the Et’hem Bey Mosque and the clock tower, which surround the main square of Tirana. Following that, enter the National Gallery of Arts, which is home to socialist and realist art. There you will encounter powerful images which provide an insight into how “realistic” art was used to create propaganda throughout history. You can also behold the pyramid, the former Enver Hoxha Museum, whose once-white-marble walls are now crumbling and full of graffiti. Following the museum you'll take a break at the Komiteti-Kafe Museum for some raki, communist candy, and some optional coffee. You will then walk through the Blloku area, where you will discover the home of Enver Hoxha and other senior members of his regime. You'll stop at the Post Blloku Memorial, which honors former political prisoners, in an area which was once forbidden to enter. Your final stop is BunkArt 2. This museum reconstructs the history of the Albanian Ministry of Internal Affairs from 1912 to 1991 and reveals the secrets of “Sigurimi”, the political police that were the harsh persecution weapon used by the regime of Enver Hoxha. It is the first major video museum exhibition dedicated to the victims of communist terror.