Is one of the tourist location close to Tirana that attracts a great number of visitors. The Castle, the prominent wooden structure is a restaurant, is perched on a rocky hill, above the village with the same name. It has a triangular shape with two observation towers. Although it was first built in ancient times, the present building dates from the 15th century.

The House of Leaves (named after the climbing plant that covers its facade) is one of the most sinister museums in Tirana dedicated to one of the most feared institutions during the Hoxha dictatorship, the regime's secret police called Sigurimi. This building was the headquarters where espionage work was organized on the Albanian population and on the few foreigners who visited or resided in Albania, especially members of the diplomatic corps of other countries. Inaugurated in May 2017, the museum shows the original tools of the secret service, those used for interrogation and torture, espionage, and much more. We were a family of 4 and the price of admission seemed a little high for the entire group.

The opening schedule: May 15 - September 30 Monday - Sunday 09:00 - 19:00 Tickets: Adult- 700 Lekë Kid under 8 years old - FREE Last Sunday of every month (except June – July – August) It’s a cool place to visit if you are in the city area. It’s opposites the Resurrection of Christ Orthodox Cathedral Katedralja Ortodokse and near to Skanderbeg Square.

Amazing museum with a lot of history, not exactly a beautiful one but is important to learn and remember to not let it happen again. Explanations in English, two floors, bunker and a of lot espionage equipment. It costs 700 LEK. Definitely a must visit place in Tirana. You can spend from 1 to 2h there.

Definitely my preferred museum in Tirana on communist history. Well laid out and emotive museum with good English translations. Really brought home the horror of what the regime did to people and the brutality. The sheer pervasiveness of the state surveillance was shocking. Very much recommended, and I'd recommend picking this museum over the other one in the bunker.

An absolute must in Tirana. Thrilling and terrifying story of an oppression system in Albania during communism. One of the greatest museums I have ever visited. Just remember to have local currency to pay for tickets.

OMG! This is a must do, wow, blew me away. What a past this amazing country has. Shocking yet riveting, and this museum lays it out in a very concise and informative way.

This is one of the two important large museums located in the center of Tirana and telling the history of Albania; House of Leaves & BunkArt 2. Interestingly, this is the less popular one. However, this one is much more rich than the other museum in terms of content, information and actual historical items on display. If you have limited time or money during your trip, I recommend you visit this place (House of Leaves Museum) first.

A museum telling the story of the communist information service (Sigurimi), how they operated, their tools, the effect on the Albanian population. It's not very big, it has 29 rooms, it took me 1 hour and 30 minutes to see it all and I've been thoroug. Has a couple of rooms with videos, it's well organized and well structured.

We really appreciated this museum. It seems wrong to say that we enjoyed it, given the bleak subject matter it presents. We came away a little wiser about this period of Albania's history, a little more thoughtful. The exhibits are presented clearly and well and there's enough information to tell you the story without overwhelming you. Credit to the curators. This place is definitely worth a visit.

A must visit for anyone who finds communism, mass surveillance, repressive regimes, spy craft etc. interesting. There were even many displays with old propaganda movies of Communist Albania played on a loop. Amazing footage of how people were spied on etc. My only reason for giving it a 4 is simple, museums like Bunkart 1 and 2, as well as the National History Museum costs 400 leks to get in (first two too if you get the combo ticket) but can give you at least 2 hours of joy each whereas this museum, though us a bit better organized, can at most last for an hour unless you are going for a very detailed study of all objects on display. With a cost of 700 lek, I think it is a bit pricy.

House of Leaves is definitely worth a visit when in Tirana. There was lots of English translation and interaction throughout the museum.

This is the best place to learn something about the brutal regime of Enver Hoxha. Whenever in Tirana, make sure to visit this museum.

Fantastic museum, showcasing this dark part of Albanian history. You will love this if you are interested in learning more about totalitarian regimes (and more specifically mass surveillance/spy agencies) All of the information is available in English

This museum is incredible. The items on display are fascinating and the whole narrative of the place is pretty much sober, extremely critical of the regime of terror. That's a five stars museum.

Museum which covers dark period of Albanian history- communist regime and widespread persecution of the population. You should visit it in Tirana. Building is quite authentic. You can also see the setting of Albanian home in communist time.

Very interesting and informative museum, has a lot of rooms to explore as well as a small bunker underground only thing I’d recommend is they make it a little more engaging than walking around and reading and watching archive footage, also note entrance is cash only in LEK EUR not accepted

Interesting exhibition of history, I wasn't aware of the scale of the surveillance operation taking place at the time.

This is the house where the secret police under the old communist state kept all their files . It has very very long lists of people who 'disappeared', and of those were executed. Chilling place. How to rule through fear.

(Translated by Google) Very very interesting! (Original) Molto molto interessante!

Interesting displays charting Albania's history from ancient to modern times. Not expensive so worth a browse. Some beautiful Greek busts. English translations for most sections although unfortunately not for all the more modern bits.

Interesting only for those who are doing research on that perid of history when the country was under communist rule. It shows the equipment, letters and devices used for espionage with lists of names of those involved. Quite gloomy and nothing much to see. Ticket costs 700 like and it has to be in cash. The exterior of the building is beautiful. Photo shooting is not allowed inside the museum.

Cash for tickets is a must, top attraction in Tirana. Go here first to understand the Albanian culture/ ethos.

A very interesting museum, not quite as challenging as the 2 Bunkart museums. The museum shows how the security service kept an eye on the population during communism. This was partially achieved by showing us the technology they used, and partially through personal stories. It was very authentic and real, but perhaps not as challenging as I expected. The exhibition mainly stayed factual and didn't say a lot about personal stories (there were lots of written reports, eg of trials of accused enemies, but they were all in Albanian and weren't translated in any detail). There was a very interesting statistic from a recent academic study which showed that only a third of the population thought that the security scrutiny under communism had been too much - perhaps an indicator that those of us from outside are too quick to focus on the negative elements of the regime. Most of the exhibits do have English explanations and were well explained. My Albanian friend particularly liked the living room setup that showed a typical Albanian home - everyone had the same TV, fridge, sofa, dresser. Very authentic - seal of approval!

This is a really cool museum. You can learn a lot about the Albanian secret service from years ago. A lot of things are translated in English,so you'll be able to understand what is going on. There are some videos playing, a lot of old equipment. It would have been nice if the place was a bit more interactive. I wanted to touch things and act like a spy on my pics. Don't forget to go into the bunker that is in front of the building!

(Translated by Google) Spy Art Museum (Original) Muzeu i Artit Spiunazh

One of a series of public buildings in Tirana that will attract your attention by its monumental fascist/communist architecture that is typical of the period when Albania was isolated from the rest of the world. The columns may have been heavily influenced by Italian pre-WWII architecture, but the theme of the mural has more to do with communist era art.

Beautiful place. Amazing view. It has also a restaurant and coffee so u can have there a nice time with friends.

Great exhibition with precise text and well done presentations. It gives tou a clear idea of the secret service occupation and the atmosphere of that time.

House of leaves - We were really looking forward for this museum and it was great experience to learn about all different methods of secret agency in the pass. If you are in Tirana - highly recommend.

Museum was really interesting with super cool rooms and pieces of the exhibit. The museum attendant made sure that we had seen all of the rooms in the house and was very thoughtful in showing us the lab we had missed (which turned out to be my favorite part of the museum) and giving us suggestions to avoid the heat outside. Great visit, unfortunately no photos are allowed inside.

Very interesting museum if you want to learn more about spionage. The entrance fee is 700 LEK for adults. All the information in the museum is quite modern and well thought of. Definitely something to learn for each and everyone

Powerful history museum with lots of surveillance equipment and archival documents on display. I wish there had been some more personal documents, and information about the legacy of the communist surveillance state in contemporary Albanian society.

Nice museum, smaller than I expected. English translation was available which is great!

(Translated by Google) Together with Bunkart 1 and 2, this is one of the places not to be missed if you visit Tirana. Indispensable to understand the climate of terror in which the Albanian people lived for too many years. To see absolutely! (Original) Insieme con Bunkart 1 e 2, questo è uno dei posti da non mancare se si visita Tirana. Indispensabile per capire il clima di terrore in cui ha vissuto il popolo albanese per troppi anni. Da vedere assolutamente!

A memorial museum on the secret police in Albania during communism. The museum was brought up with the help of the Stasi Museum (Germany) staff...

(Translated by Google) a really beautiful history museum (Original) gerçekten çok güzel bir tarih müzesi

Wonderful view, nice traditional menu.

House of Leaves is the newest museum to open in Albania, and probably the most intriguing. It is considered to be the equivalent of the Stasi headquarters of the former East Germany. The leaves have a double meaning: things hidden in woods, but also the leave of books and files, on people. Those curious to see what was hidden in the HQ of the notorious National Intelligence Service, also known as the House of Spies, will leave speechless. The original house was built in 1931 with the primary function of a medical clinic. During World War II, under German occupation, it was used by the Gestapo. Immediately after the end of the war it was regained by the Albanian government and utilised as a security office for investigations. In January 2015, the idea to transform the house into a museum was introduced to the public. It is situated right in the heart of the city, in front of Tirana’s Orthodox Cathedral and close to the National Bank of Albania. The museum was open for the public on 23 May 2017.

The House of Leaves Museum won the 2020 European Museum of the Year Award, and deservedly so. I’ve been to many (many) museums in my life and I was blown away by how insightful, educational and entertaining this was. I won’t post pictures that will spoil it - some of the rooms literally took my breath away. The ending was very poignant and has made perhaps the biggest lasting impression on me. On entrance payment: take Lek notes! They don’t accept euros or card.

Glad I visited this small museum in the centre of the city. I stayed a little over an hour on a Wednesday afternoon, and it was enough. I thoroughly recommend it if you're interested in learning a little bit about Albania's communist past. For the truly eager and espionage fans, couple this with the Bunkart 2, a mere 10 min away, which is what I did. Don't miss the final photowall and bunker on your way out. The staff were great, too.

Visited on the 11/12/19. The museum was closed at the moment due to the earthquake. The ladies at the reception didn't know when they museum will reopen again since they're waiting for an answer for the responsible authorities to determine if it can be opened again. Anyways, I think that this kind of information should be posted somewhere online just to avoid unnecessary trips.

Good overview of how the secret police worked during the communist era. It is said to be a good complement to what you see in BunkArt, another museum in the city. I did not have time to go to the latter, but still appreciated the resources and facts presented here.

(Translated by Google) Beautiful, well-kept museum with lots of information panels in English. A must for those who love history (Original) Museo bellissimo, curato e con tantissimi pannelli informativi in inglese. Imperdibile per chi ama la storia

(Translated by Google) House of leaves.007 Albanian guarded hotels frequented by foreign embassies for up to the communist government ministers. Therefore Albania was the most watched country in the world (Original) Casa delle foglie.007 albanesi sorvegliavano alberghi frequentati da stranieri ambasciate per sino i ministri del governo comunista.Quindi Albania era il paese più sorvegliato al mondo

(Translated by Google) Admission over 3 times more expensive than anything else in the country (700 ALL). Milestones of foreign tourists in the capital. No possibility to pay by card. At the same time, there are no candidates willing to enter. (Original) Wstęp ponad 3 razy droższy, niż na cokolwiek innego w kraju (700 ALL). Dojenie turystów zagranicznych w stolicy. Brak możliwości zapłaty kartą. Przy tym chętnych do wejścia brak.

(Translated by Google) Visit the Museum of "Sicurimi" for free. In the center of Tirana, right in front of the magnificent Orthodox church. There are not many things to see inside, but it is perfectly recreated the atmosphere of pure terror that had created the dictator, who maintained control over his detractors even through this sort of secret service. The instruments of control are truly anachronistic and even ridiculous, except that many people have suffered the physical and psychological violence of the dictatorship. Definitely worth the visit. (Original) Museo del "Sicurimi", si visita gratuitamente. Nel centro di Tirana, proprio di fronte alla magnifica chiesa ortodossa. Non ci sono tantissime cose da vedere all'interno, ma è ricreata con perfezione l'atmosfera di terrore puro che aveva creato il dittatore, che manteneva il controllo sui suoi detrattori anche tramite questa sorta di servizio segreto. Gli strumenti di controllo sono veramente anacronistici e persino ridicoli, se non fosse che molte persone hanno subíto la violenza fisica e psicologica della dittatura. Vale senz'altro la visita.

One of the best museums we've been to (and we've been to hundreds). Well presented and translated to English. Worth a visit for sure.

The things there helped me to see the history of my country. So much too see there and you should definitly visit that place if you are a history person.

(Translated by Google) The museum is designed for citizens of modern "democratic" countries who believe that the traitors, wiretapping and special services were only a long time ago and only among the Communists. The exposure is weak, information content too. (Original) Музей рассчитан на граждан современных "демократических" стран которые считают что предатели, прослушка и спец.службы были только давным-давно и только у коммунистов. Экспозиция слабая, информативность тоже.

History presented in such a different and impressive way.

(Translated by Google) A cold and disturbing museum like the spies of the time. It is a laudable thing that we remember the terror of that time, but if they had told more about the stories of the people who endured torture, being followed and scored by the system and the reasons why this was done would have been more human and I would have given 5 stars. However I recommend a visit to everyone (Original) Un museo freddo e inquietante come le spie del tempo. È una cosa lodevole che si faccia memoria del terrore di quel tempo, ma se avessero raccontato di più le storie delle persone che hanno sopportato le torture, l'essere seguiti e messi a segno dal sistema e le ragioni perché questo veniva fatto sarebbe stato più umano e avrei dato 5 stelle. Comunque consiglio una visita a tutti

(Translated by Google) It's really very interesting, with objects from the communist period and all the explanations are both in Albanian and in English. The ticket is not expensive (700 lek per person which would be more or less € 5.60) outside the museum there is an underground anti-aircraft bunker that can be visited (all included in the ticket) (Original) È davvero molto interessante , con oggetti del periodo comunista e tutte le spiegazioni sono sia in albanese che in inglese. Il biglietto non è caro(700 lek a persona che sarebbero più o meno 5,60€) fuori dal museo c'è un bunker sotterraneo anti aereo che si può visitare (tutto compreso nel biglietto)

(Translated by Google) Very interesting to visit if you like history and want to know more about the functioning of the Sigurimi (State Security) in the times of communism. Guide is free and I personally recommend it. They are very professional and can explain everything in detail. (Original) Heel interessant om te bezoeken als je van geschiedenis houdt en meer wil weten over het functioneren van de Sigurimi (Staatsveiligheid) in de tijden van communisme. Gids is gratis en persoonlijk raad ik het aan. Ze zijn heel professioneel en kunnen alles tot in details uitleggen.

Very interesting place

Fairly mediocre museum. Be aware that not everything is explained in English. The building doesn’t have air conditioning so when I was there (in the summer) the temperature of some of the rooms was quite hot. If you need to kill some time it’s worth a try - the entrance ticket is 200LEK so....

The National History Museum is one of the best cultural asset in Albania.

(Translated by Google) There remains an unforgettable part (Original) Ka ngelur një pjesë e pa Harruar

WE GOT KICKED OUT! We took shelter from the heat and bought a bottle of water from the vending machine in the lobby before the entrance. The lady in shift said we cannot wait in the lobby unless we buy a ticket even though it was outside the museum entrance. Albanians are very nice, but that lady probably had a bad day. We forgive her..

(Translated by Google) The largest Albanian museum houses many of the country's archaeological treasures and a replica of the huge Skanderbeg sword. The collection of Greek and Roman statues, mosaics and columns inside is breathtaking. A disturbing and very important gallery dedicated to those who suffered persecution under the communist regime is the most recent addition to the collection. Another highlight is a magnificent exhibition of icons by Onufri, a renowned Albanian master of the 16th century color. The modernist mosaic that adorns the facade of the museum is titled "Albania" and shows the victorious and proud Albanians from the Illyrian era until the Second World War, with some surprisingly communist shades. (Original) Il più grande museo albanese custodisce molti dei tesori archeologici del paese e una replica dell'enorme spada di Skanderbeg. La collezione di statue, mosaici e colonne di epoca greca e romana al suo interno è mozzafiato. Una galleria inquietante e molto importante dedicata a coloro che hanno subito la persecuzione sotto il regime comunista è l'aggiunta più recente alla raccolta. Un altro punto forte è una magnifica mostra di icone di Onufri, un rinomato maestro albanese del colore del XVI secolo. Il mosaico modernista che adorna la facciata del museo è intitolato "Albania" e mostra gli albanesi vittoriosi e orgogliosi dall'epoca illirica fino alla seconda guerra mondiale, con alcune sfumature sorprendentemente comuniste.

(Translated by Google) It's really special as a museum (Original) Eshte vertet vecant si muze

Great, fairly accessible landmark with a friendly and not too expensive bar/cafe with the best view in the area. It's bit of climb to get there but well worth it but for those not able to hike up steep grades for 20 minutes or so, caution is advised.

(Translated by Google) Mid-September view from the village of Petrele (Original) Pamje midis shtatori nga fshati Petrele

(Translated by Google) To be seen (Original) Da vedere

Excellent museum detailing the surveillance tactics of Communist Albania, housed in a former medical clinic that became the headquarters of the secret police. Plenty of English translations. 700 lek admission.

Learn about the surveillance methods, torture and executions common under Albania's communist regime. Feel what it was like to live under the watchful eye of the State. Be sure to explore the bunker in the yard.

They didn't allowed us to take any pictures inside the museum, they said it was forbidden. However, since we arrived as a large group of people from WB region they asked if they could take random pictures of us while we take a tour around museum, I found that requires extremely hippocratic. Later when we looked up the museum on social media we found out that there were many people who took many pictures in the museum, some of them were even posing in some rooms. Funny enough while we were there this one really nervous guy was "monitoring" us in order to prevent us from taking any pictures but at the same time we saw many different individual visitors who were taking pictures.

Museum of Secret Surveillance! Its small and you go through it fast! Due the level of entrance fee (700 lek) more was expected! It was more the feeling of being in a house that strange things took place not so long ago, more than the exhibition it self! If you are interested and have the time and dont mind the fee , go there!

Waste of money and time. I really was hoping that it would be an interesting experience. Bit no. Quite a dull place. Thank god it was only 700 leks This place may be good for Albanian people. Great lesson of history of their country. But for tourists it is not. Way too many text, little exhibits

Definitely worth the visit. You will learn about the dark time era of Albania. Small from outside, big from inside - spent well over 2 hours here. English description present. Ask for WiFi password to use Google lens, you will be able to discover much more (read documents as well)! The entrance fee was 700,- per person, we arrived around 9:30 and there was no queue. However later it got filled mostly by school trips. Taking a guide will enhance the experience.

really well organised museum, with an interesting layout and great attention to design. only problem is that a lot of the content of the rooms is made up of framed lengthy letters and communiques with no translations, just some very brief context. still worth a visit, the house is beautiful in its own way, and very eerie.

This is a great museum... A little pricy I think, but very very interesting. Lots of great information and exhibits. Couple of good videos... No gift shop or anything like that (which is refreshing). You do get the sense that you are being watched all the time though after a while... Spooky! Well worth the visit though.

Interesting and impressive museum. All the information is available in English and staff seem friendly. An in-depth look will take just over an hour or so.

Beautiful building, central location. The museum really gives you a good impression of the communist past of Albania. Well organised. A lot of documents are in Albanian only, but nevertheless the museum teaches you a lot, all video's have subtitles.

Learn about some of the history of Albania by seeing artifacts, reading documents and watching videos from

Interesting but a lot of reading and not interactive

A must visit, take your time and read carefully, shows the extremes socialism will go to, to remain in power

Bit of a disappointing museum after all we had heard. It's interesting to hear about the secret police and see examples of their methods etc. but the museum doesn't really have a clear flow/story to lead you through, more just standalone rooms of facts. It's 700LEK to get in which for me is overpriced for what you get.

Very important and interesting place

Fascinating museum of documents and surveillance techniques and equipment.

Interesting information and lots of surveillance objects to look at, decent amount is translated in English but not everything. Good snapshot into the surveillance techniques used by the communist regime and also acknowledges the victims. Can be a bit of a downer but that’s to be expected.

Excellent Metaphor in The Times of Social Media. Big brother shows you the old and outdated method of getting all your data at House of Leaves. If your cerebrum still boasts sufficient lubrication, you will take this as a hint of what's in store for you today, just a tad more sophisticated, naturally. It's free, sign up now!

☀️💫🍇

(Translated by Google) Was closed. All he had in front was a paper with a number. We called it and we were told it was closed due to the damage caused by the earthquake. Not only did he not have any workshop to do the work, but he also had no means. We came from Greece to see two museums, and both were closed with the same excuse. All other government buildings are open ... (Original) Ήταν κλειστό. Το μόνο που είχε μπροστά ήταν ένα χαρτί με ένα νούμερο. Το καλέσαμε και μας είπαν ότι είναι κλειστό λόγω ζημιών που προκλήθηκαν από τον σεισμό. Όχι μόνο δεν είχε μέσα κανένα συνεργείο να κάνει εργασίες, αλλά δεν είχε και κανέναν μέσα. Ήρθαμε από την Ελλάδα να δούμε δύο μουσεία, και τα δύο ηταν κλειστά με την ίδια δικαιολογία. Όλα τα άλλα κτίρια της κυβέρνησης είναι ανοιχτά...

Damaged after earthquake so it is close for nowadays 😞

Very interesting and important museum for every visitor of Tirana. The enternce fee is 700 LEK, which is not cheap , but its worth visiting in order to feel the atmosphere. I arrived at 16:00 and didn't have enough time to see everything, as it closes at 17:00. So please pay attention to this.

(Translated by Google) Curious (Original) Curioso

(Translated by Google) very pleasant surprise. very interesting museum (Original) piacevolissima sorpresa. museo molto interessante

(Translated by Google) Orthodox Church. Pogdorica Cathedral. Beautiful and wonderfully ornate inside. Unmovable (Original) Iglesia ortodoxa. Catedral de Pogdorica. Bella y maravillosamente ornamentado por dentro. Imoerdible

(Translated by Google) In this museum you can see how its own population was spied in the period after the Second World War and the 1990s. The house was originally a hospital (you), there is also something to be found about the founder. But impressive to see on what scale spying happened and what resources were used then. Every large international hotel was spied as standard. Tip: you can also find a shelter in the front garden. It is a bit hidden, but if you look closely you will see it. (Original) In dit museum kun je zien hoe de eigen bevolking is bespioneerd in periode na de tweede Wereldoorlog en de jaren negentig. Het huis was oorspronkelijk een ziekenhuis(je), over de oprichter is ook nog iets te vinden. Maar indrukwekkend om te zien op welke schaal het spioneren toen gebeurde en welke middelen er toen gebruikt werden. Ieder groot internationaal hotel werd standaard bespied. Tip: in de voortuin is ook nog een schuilbunker te vinden, daar kun je ook in. Hij ligt een beetje verscholen maar als je goed kijkt zie je hem wel.

Cool museum with reasonable English signs

(Translated by Google) An exceptional place to understand Albanian history under communist dictatorship. (Original) Lieu d'exception pour comprendre l'histoire albanaise sous la dictature communiste.

Definitely one of the important places to visit in Tirana

(Translated by Google) Exciting exhibition, however, built a bit bewildering, very exciting text but not much exhibited (Original) Spannende Ausstellung jedoch ein bisschen verwirend aufgebaut, sehr spannende text aber nicht viel ausgestellt

Absolutely must go museum in tirana. Very friendly stuff.

(Translated by Google) Good idea but less successful museum (Original) God ide men mindre vellykket museum

Most of items are documents, pictures, some physical articles. Not many visitors, but it is OK to visit at least once.

Very nice experience learned a lot about spying in times of communism. Good organization and very educated people in the building. Wouldnt go back:)

It is really worth to go. Well prepared with fully English translation. Minimum 1 hour is needed.

Great traditoonal food.

A very well curated and interesting museum. Plenty of information that is put into context of Albania's history (vs. Bunk'Art which I found to be a bit of an information dump). A bit more expensive that others (LEK 700), but definitely worth the price. My main criticism is that they could have had more explanation around the paper documents displayed: lots pieces all in Albanian, but no translation.

As a Hungarian, I can relate to this museum. I am afraid, if someone is less aware of the history of ex-communist countries, the exhibition is not giving a throughout exploration of the absurdity of the system.

Very interesting look at communism and the secret service during that time, lots of reading

(Translated by Google) Regardless of the theory, it is not an awesome place. Some things of communism that we have disappeared, because at that time we were not ourselves, we were not a nation, but a small isolated state. Albanians are an elite nation (Original) Pavarësisht hisyorisë,nuk është ndonjë vënd mbresëlënës. Disa gjëra të komunizmit më mirë që i kemi zhdukur,sepse në atë kohë në nuk kemi qenë vetvetja,nuk kemi qenë një komb,por një shtet i vogël i izoluar.Shqiptarët janë komb elitar

Best place to find out about communism in Albania.

700 leke for foreigners vs. 200 for locals 😡 and after you enter, they tell you "No pictures." Can't say I really enjoyed it. There's no guide. The materials aren't translated in any great detail and consisted of pages & pages of typewritten instructions/documentation which were meaningless to foreigners. The victims/collaborators are presented as raw data (the numbers were indeed staggering), but without much of a narrative. Worst of all, I felt like I was under surveillance and the whole environment was uncomfortable. Maybe they did it on purpose to make the experience feel "real?" I don't know, but the Stasi Museum in Berlin was much better.

Very interesting museum about a difficult time in Albanian history. Good English explanations on the information boards. My favorite museum of the ones I visited in Tirana!

A memorial museum. Brand new, unique, very attractive for the history and the facts that offers you. It is very interesting to know how it was like living in a special conditions. A ciceron is there for you to explain in detail what you are interested for.

Really special museum showcasing the articles dedicated to the spies during the communist period. On the outside, there is also a tunnel that you can go through. Pretty wet and muddy inside, do be warned.

Amazing. Well designed. Go there.

Worth to visit. Our guide fioralba was amazing. We have enjoed the visit.

It is considered the same as the STASIT headquarters in East Germany. The leaves mean the hidden things that the public did not know about that regime. The Leaf House was built in 1931 from Dr. Jani Basho and the building first was used as a maternity hospital. After World War II when communist came in power in Albania it was used by State Security for investigations "Sigurimi". Is worth visiting.

(Translated by Google) Interesting place. Not so much staff. (Original) Vend interesant. Stafi jo dhe aq shume.

Visited 13/1/2020, temporarily closed. Would loved to have visited.

5 🌟

(Translated by Google) Original building, many original documents, interesting subjects but little legible staging, deserve more information, explanations, staging, not enough visual, not enough fun (Original) Bâtiment d’origine, nombreux documents originels, sujets intéressants mais mise en scène peu lisible, mériterait plus de renseignements, d’explications, de mise en scène, pas assez visuel, pas assez ludique

(Translated by Google) A big page in Albanian history (Original) Une grande page de l histoire albanaise

(Translated by Google) The visit is interesting, but there is especially a lot of text to read .... (Original) La visite est intéressante, mais il y a surtout beaucoup de texte à lire....

(Translated by Google) Take the time to read the descriptions, watch the videos, stop in the rooms and you will find yourself immersed in another era. The museum was built in the old headquarters of the "Sigurimi", the notorious secret service of Communist Albania. It is not big, but it takes time to visit properly. Unfortunately, we initially underestimated it and we couldn't stop for long. Outside the villa it is also possible to visit the bunker. My compliments to the curators for doing a great job. (Original) Prendetevi il tempo di leggere le descrizioni, di vedere i video, fermatevi nelle stanze e vi troverete immersi in un'altra epoca. Il museo è stato realizzato nella vecchia sede del "Sigurimi", famigerato servizio segreto dell'Albania comunista. Non è grande, ma richiede tempo per poterlo visitare adeguatamente. Purtroppo noi l'abbiamo sottovalutato inizialmente e non abbiamo potuto fermarci a lungo. Fuori dalla villa è possibile visitare anche il bunker. I miei complimenti ai curatori perché hanno fatto un ottimo lavoro.

(Translated by Google) Little better. The idea is good. But not enough open to foreigners. Many documents in Albanian. Not interactive (Original) Peu mieux faire. L'idée est bonne. Mais pas suffisamment ouvert aux étrangers. Beaucoup de documents en albanais. Pas interactif

We liked it very much. Very informative, its about a sad part of the history of communism in Albania (and in every other communist country)

Interesing place. Everyone who is interested on how the Communist Regime worked should visit The House of Leaves!

(Translated by Google) Okay, it's very similar to Bunk'art 2. The explanations are in Albanian and English. (Original) Está bien, es muy parecido al Bunk'art 2 . Las explicaciones están en Albanés e Inglés.

(Translated by Google) Impressive to see, nice collection and explanation available in English (Original) Indrukwekkend om te zien, mooie collectie en uitleg in het Engels aanwezig

(Translated by Google) Worth a ride. I didn't see anything extra (Original) Dolaşmaya değer. Ekstra bir şey göremedim

(Translated by Google) Nice but I really did not understand anything 😅 (Original) لطيف لكني حقا لم أفهم شيئا 😅

Definitely worth a visit. Pretty much everything has english descriptions.

Incredibly interesting museum about a terrible time in Albania's past. Excellent information in English.

(Translated by Google) Interestingly, but does not justify the prize. (Original) Interesant, por nuk e justifikon çmimim.

(Translated by Google) It is one of the places of Tieana that must definitely visit. It is a small museum that wants to remember the times of the dictator Enver Hoxha and the control and espionage that the Regime put in place on everyone. When visiting, one must always keep in mind that all this is history only a few years ago. (Original) È uno dei luoghi di Tieana che occorre senz'altro visitare. Si tratta di un piccolo museo che vuole ricordare i tempi del dittatore Enver Hoxha ed il controllo e spionaggio che il Regime metteva in atto su tutti. Visitando bisogna tener sempre bene a mente che tutto questo è storia soltanto di pochi anni fa.

Interesting museum, but a little bit expensive fot Albania, and almost no people/guide that day to answer to our questions. The lady at ticket point, was not very smiling.

propaganda after propaganda after propaganda after propaganda

Education museum

(Translated by Google) Ticket 700 leks per person. For an hour. A good exposure, tells the history of the country. (Original) Билет 700 Леков за человека. На час. Неплохая экспозиция, рассказывает об истории страны.

A must see museum to see how life was under communism

(Translated by Google) A special experience. (Original) Nje pervoje e veçante.

(Translated by Google) Museum about the eavesdropping practices at the time of communism. (Original) Museum over de afluisterpraktijken ten tijde van het communisme.

(Translated by Google) Good (Original) Buono

Given the reviews, I was expecting something pretty good, but a lot of the rooms were full of (untranslated) documents relevant to the time, with just a paragraph or two of introduction in English, so... the impact was kind of lost. On the Google listing it also says good for kids. I have the kind of five-year-old kid that can take two hours of art but let me assure you, it's not good for kids. Overall, a bit disappointing.

Enjoyed my visit here. It's a great place to supplement what you learn at Bunk'art 2. If you go here first, or even on it's own, it may be less enjoyable. Very clean facilities.

Albanian youth and people in general must learn about the communist crimes and evil.

Strong focus on ancient Albania, with galleries devoted to prehistoric, Greek and Roman times with some nice mosaics and statues on the ground floor, with English translations. The higher you go (it has 3 levels) the more the quality drops as does the translations. Minimal information on the communist regime, or of Hoxha. Also poor air conditioning means the higher you get the more uncomfortable it becomes, not encouraging you to linger.

This is a realy nice museum next to my hotel, I realy liked it.

A really nice museum which celebrates various periods of Albania's history. Very much worth visiting!

Due to communist lots of things destroyed. But can find some things from history.

It's worth a visit; just could do with a little bit more info in English to help the tourist understand Albania's history.

The best museum in Albania

(Translated by Google) A must for those interested in the history of the country. Museography deserves modernization (Original) Incontournable pour ceux qui s'intéressent à l'histoire du pays. La muséographie mérite une modernisation

It is important to have a visit of this museum to have a better understanding of Albania history and culture. Starting from its communist external architecture to all the artcrafts showed in the wild collections offered by the museum.

(Translated by Google) Albanian History Museum. It's a pity that the inside is photo NG, but I learned a lot. (Original) アルバニアの歴史博物館。 内部は写真NGなのが残念ですが、とても勉強になりました。

Enormous collection and array of exhibitions. Many signs were also in English. Affordable admission (250 LEK). Wish there had been more interpretive materials.

(Translated by Google) The square and the museum are worth seeing! :) (Original) Plac jak i muzeum warty zobaczenia ! :)

(Translated by Google) There are many interesting exhibits, you can relax in armchairs and drink coffee. English speaking staff. A must-see place !! (Original) Много интересных экспонатов, можно отдохнуть в креслах и выпить кофе. Англоговорящий персонал. Место обязательно к посещению!!

Super

Would be nice if there were more explanations in English.

(Translated by Google) Nice piece of history that has been preserved on the facade. The building itself contains many objects from different eras. We were very sorry that you cannot get to the last room, where a beautiful mosaic can be seen. Unfortunately you can only see it through the glass. (Original) Mooi stukje geschiedenis dat bewaard is gebleven op de gevel. Het gebouw zelf bevat veel voorwerpen die uit verschillende tijdsperken komen. Wij vonden het erg jammer dat je niet bij de laatste ruimte kunt komen, waar een schitterend mozaïek te zien is. Je kunt het helaas alleen door het glas heen bekijken.

Great museum. Please spend a couple of hours and get a local guide or a guide from the museum for a much more comprehendible Albanian history

(Translated by Google) No shooting inside the building. You can understand the history of Albania! (Original) 館内撮影禁止。 アルバニアの歴史がわかるようになれるのじゃ！

(Translated by Google) To visit for those who wish to know the whole history of this country. (Original) A visiter pour celles et ceux qui souhaitent connaître toute l'histoire de ce pays.

(Translated by Google) Great museum (Original) Grandioso museo

(Translated by Google) The National Historical Museum is a beautiful historic building and one of the most beautiful museums I have ever seen. The staff is very polite. A museum not to be missed. (Original) Muzeu Historik Kombetar eshte nje ndertese e bukur historike dhe nje nder muzeumet me te bukura qe kam pare ndonjehere. Stafi eshte shume i sjellshem. Nje muze qe nuk duhet humbur.

(Translated by Google) He's living spirit is priceless (Original) O ruhu yaşamak paha biçilmez

Weak

(Translated by Google) It is a beautiful museum, but in many explanations there is no explanation in English or any other world language, only Albanian, in the description of most works. (Original) Güzel bir müze ama birçok açıklamada ne ingilizce ne de başka bir dünya dilinde açıklama yok, sadece arnavutça var çoğu eserin açıklamasında.

(Translated by Google) There is everything from ancient history before Christ and after and so far today. (Original) C’è di tutto della Storia antica avanti Cristo e dopo e finora Oggi .

(Translated by Google) Excellent (Original) Excelente

You can get information about history of Albania in this Museum.

(Translated by Google) Stately and tidy church (Original) 莊嚴整潔教堂

Worth visiting....

(Translated by Google) A place where you can go to love (Original) Severek gidikebilecek bir yer

Nice

Very attractive place to visit

cool

Albanian history

Great museum everyone visiting Tirana should visit this museum aswell.

(Translated by Google) Exceptional square .... (Original) Piazza eccezionale....

Vvery interesting and well made. BUT: PLEASE translate at least some of the important documents in english!! They show a lot of documents but without a translation... Tje only thing you get in english are the general descriptions of the toom you're currently in (see foto).

(Translated by Google) The place has many vestiges of the old secret police and how they spied on the town as a whole. The downside is that a single photograph cannot be recorded or taken. A shame especially for the price one pays: 600 leks per person. (Original) El lugar tiene muchos vestigios de la antigua policía secreta y de cómo espiaban al pueblo en su totalidad. Lo malo es que no puede grabarse ni tomar una sola fotografía. Una pena especialmente por el precio que uno paga: 600 leks por persona.

Amazing view, wonderful nature!

Good one

It is very nice place. 14 km from Tirana. Capital of Albania

Nice view from here.

Beautiful view at Tirana and that's all. I do not recommend the restaurant. We did order a kebab and get local mix of meat instead with hairs inside.

Great place with great views.

Nice place to visit if you have a car to get here. The views are great and there is a place to get coffee. The castle is not very big and there is not too much to see.

Very beautiful castle with a panoramic view. Restaurant is good with traditional food.

(Translated by Google) Very suggestive place with a view of the countryside, when you reach the castle a surprise awaits! I expected to be able to visit it and instead it has a quaint little restaurant with an amazing view! Not to be missed, a small visit to the hecatombs that are located just before the parking lot located at the foot of the path that leads to the castle (5 'on foot to get to the hecatombs and 10'-15' to reach the castle). In the parking area there is a bar with tables both outdoors and indoors where you can take a break and on the road that leads to Petrelë various restaurants. (Original) Luogo molto suggestivo con vista sulle campagne, giunti al castello attende una sorpresa! Mi aspettavo di poterlo visitare ed invece accoglie un caratteristico ristorantino con una vista strepitosa! Da non perdere, una piccola visita alle ecatombe che si trovano poco prima del parcheggio situato ai piedi del sentiero che porta al castello (5' a piedi per arrivare alle ecatombe e 10'-15' per raggiungere il castello). Nella zona del parcheggio c'è un bar con tavolini sia all'aperto che al chiuso dove poter fare un break e sulla strada che porta a Petrelë vari ristoranti.

Beautiful views and look lovely architecture

Lovely, wonderful place to visit

(Translated by Google) Landscape that surrounds you is gorgeous (Original) Paesaggio che ti circonda è stupendo

(Translated by Google) Not much to see there actually. (Original) W zasadzie niewiele tam do zwiedzania.

(Translated by Google) Beautiful panoramic place. (Original) Красивое панорамное место.

Nice view

(Translated by Google) It's a short visit, but it's okay (Original) Es una visita corta,pero esta bien

Nice place

(Translated by Google) Very pleased. (Original) Shume i kenaqur.

(Translated by Google) You can eat with a beautiful landscape almost like eating on the void (Original) Si può mangiare con un panorama bellissimo quasi come mangiare sul vuoto

(Translated by Google) Very very nice (Original) Sehr sehr schön

The hike was a little scary since there are no handicapped rails. We are 72 and it was worth the effort. Beautiful castle. Great service. Amazing traditional Albanian food. Wonderful views.

Great food

wonderful ❤

(Translated by Google) A nice place is worth a visit dates back to the year five hundred AD (Original) مكان جميل يستحق الزيارة يعود تاريخه الى عام خمسة مئة ميلادي

(Translated by Google) Magnificent (Original) Madheshtore

Beautiful view!

Not much of public space, the best of it owned by a restaurant ... reminded me of Lekursi Castle...

This place has amazing views and it’s at a great location. The service is very slow and waiters are very rude and need to understand that we pay for what they ask but they don’t provide the service you pay, the castle maintenance is nonexistent, and safety is a concern.

Great Place 👍🏻👍🏻

Great food, great view

(Translated by Google) Wonderful place worth visiting (Original) مكان رائع يستحق الزيارة

(Translated by Google) A beautiful castle perched on top of the hill with a fantastic view of the surroundings (Original) Un bel castello arroccato in cima alla collina con una vista fantastica sui dintorni

(Translated by Google) A very charming place, it takes little effort to walk from the parking lot along a stone path to the old stronghold, which is now a restaurant. You do not need to order anything to enjoy the beauty of the landscape around Tirana, as well as the city seen from afar. (Original) Bardzo urokliwe miejsce, niewiele wysiłku potrzeba aby z parkingu podejść kamienną ścieżką do starej warowni, która obecnie jest restauracją. Nie trzeba niczego zamawiać, aby cieszyć oczy pięknem krajobrazu okolic Tirany , a także widzianego z daleka samego miasta.

(Translated by Google) This very small castle is occupied by the owners of the café and has no free historical place. (Original) Kjo Kala teper teper e vogel eshte e ozurpuar nga pronarët e kafeve dhe ska aspak vend te lire historik.

I wish it was reserved as a museum not a resturant

(Translated by Google) Nice to share the visual field with the eagles (Original) Bello condividere il campo visivo con le aquile

Great museum, absolutely necessary, but more unexpectedly it is very beautifully and cleverly presented. It is sometimes so sad that it can makes you quite tearful. To top it all, the people from the museum are friendly and helpful.

Smallish museum, but jam-packed with interesting exhibits detailing the secret police used to oppress enemies of the state, both internal and external, during the 1945-1990 socialist period. Definitely recommend checking this place out!

Very interesting museum, also pretty well organised. Good English translations, although some were missing (especially documents translations).

A very good museum. Worth visiting

Best place ,enjoy it 😊

Well organized museum with elaborate English annotations. The workers there speak English very well and are very friendly. They guide you through all these room that explore the communist history of Albania. The museum can be a bit disturbing if you visit alone, there are a lot of triggering documentations, so be careful

Very interesting, a good insight of how the Albanian secret service operated in the hoxha times. Also friendly guides who explained a lot around the house. They show where they used to hide the bugs in jackets and other objects. It wasn't too big but you get a good idea of the things that went around the place. If you are into history, it's a nice place to spend an hour or two.

Very good museum, a little bit not worth its price - 700 lek is too much for that. Take your time to walk around, 1-2 hours would be enough

It's a jewel of Orthodox Creed art. Just wanted to remarks that when we visit a sacred place for someone's the approaching must be respectful. For certain we like to take pictures, dressed our way, be noise. But please be respectful!

A good museum with an interesting insight into how the communist regime conducted mass surveillance. Harrowing to read about how the regime operated and to think that this ended only 33 years ago. Many descriptions in English however lots of documents on display (a few too many for us - felt a bit repetitive after a few rooms) but these are all in Albanian and only a few have an English description of the contents. The museum could benefit from a stronger introduction to the regime before jumping into the surveillance details to give some context to the information. On the whole we learned a lot though and thought it was worth the visit. Also remember to bring cash for the ticket (700 ALL a person)

Very much worth it! Incredible museum, helpful information in every room and interactive enough to keep it interesting. Only small tip: maybe translate one or few of the many documents present in the museum since we felt we sometimes missed part of the story there. However, a must visit when in Tirana and wanting to learn more about the history.

Interesting and impressive museum that eludes this oppressive and cruel time of albanian history.

A must see & learn This beautiful country has endured so much. Extensive explanation available Learning about their history & the long journey to were they are now. A must see & read

Very interesting place. There are English descriptions however most of the documents on display are not translated. Still worth a visit to learn about the secret services, hear the stories from those that were imprisoned and their families. I found seeing the tools and bugs they used very interesting. Allow 2 hours of you want to really take it all in, watch and read.

An amazing place. I learned so much. But what's most affecting is the history and energy of this place, which seems to have been absorbed and stored in every brick of the building. Not always comfortable...but profound. Beautifully curated ( perhaps the best of any museum I've ever been to?- and I've been to a lot). And well, well worth the visit. Albania is a fascinating and beautiful country. Go! xx

Being from an ex Soviet Union country I found this museum a bit boring. We didn’t learn anything new or extraordinary; more describing what secret service means. If you don’t know much about it before, I think it can be interesting but otherwise I would skip. Only cash accepted. Ticket 700 lek.

A museum that claims to be about espionage, but mainly based on the human organization of the army and radio stations