Bunk’Art 2 in Albania’s capital Tirana is one of the most unique yet disturbing museums I’ve ever visited. It serves as a sombre introduction to the darkly brutal horrors of the communist regime that ruled this nation till the early 1990s. Bunk’Art 2 was originally built as an underground bunker designed to protect against nuclear and chemical weapons attacks, after Albanian communist dictator Enver Hoxha’ s directive to build such bunkers throughout the country in preparation for the Cold War. Hoxha paranoidly believed that Albania was under the threat of imminent foreign attack, and the remnants of his misplaced illusions can be found in over 175,000 such bunkers that are now dotted across the Albanian cities and countryside.

Enver Hoxha took over the helms of power after Albania was liberated from the Germans in 1944, and he would go on to rule with an iron fist for the next 40 years till his death in 1985. Hoxha was a staunch communist who first aligned with then split from the similarly communist regimes of Tito’s Yugoslavia, Stalin’s Soviet Union, and subsequently Mao’s China over the next few decades. He eventually claimed that Albania was the only true Stalinist Communist nation left, and decided to go solo by barricading his country and its population away from the rest of the world. Enver Hoxha’s former residence now sits within a trendy neighborhood in Tirana surrounded by hip bars and cafes. In fact just opposite the house is a KFC – the former communist leader must be turning in his grave at the capitalistic affront!

Bunk’Art 2 is within walking distance of the main Skanderbeg square in Tirana. It was originally code named “Objekti Shtylla” and was meant for the Ministry of Internal Affairs. It was constructed between 1981-86 and was one of the largest tunnel bunkers – with over 2 dozen rooms, sleeping quarters, and a dedicated telecommunications chamber. After the communist regime fell in 1991, the bunker was converted to the Bunk’Art 2 museum. Today the museum aims to tell the story of how the Ministry of Internal Affairs through its “Sigurimi” political police systematically oppressed Albanians thought incessant surveillance, suppression and retribution. It is believed that from 1944-91 over 6,000 Albanians were executed as a result of the communist persecution. Bunk’Art 2 is meant to be a poignant dedication to all those victims and their families, and a powerful indictment of the communist terror tactics of Enver Hoxha’s regime . Walking through the rooms of the bunker, witnessing the disturbing exhibits, and reliving the audio stories of the victims and survivors was a truly moving and sobering reminder of Albania painful and tragic past.