Emily Glass, University of Bristol

The communist period of Albania is typified by the production of concrete defences across the entire country. Numerous bunkers and tunnels were located along mountainous and coastal border regions as well as within towns and cities, for both military and civilian purposes. At the time, propaganda led people to believe that invasion was a real threat. However, this never occurred and many of the structures were abandoned, then eventually closed off. The town of Gjirokastra is located in southern Albania and was the birthplace of the communist dictator, Enver Hoxha. The town is steeped in history and in 1961 was declared a ‘Museum Town’ by the regime to preserve aspects of its cultural heritage. More recently, in 2001, the Gjirokastra Conservation and Development Organisation (GCDO) was founded and has worked to promote both the town and wider region as a tourist destination. In 2005 the GCDO successfully lobbied for the town to be made a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The town contains a number of existing museums and visitor attractions that deal with the Medieval and Ottoman features within the town. In addition, a National Museum of Armaments covers the period from 1912 to the end of World War II. It is now planned that by the end of 2008 an underground complex of tunnels, comprising some 50 rooms, will be turned into the newest tourist attraction in the ‘Museum Town’ and will be the first of its kind to address the recent communist history of the country. This paper will explore how a 21st Century museum can blend a Communist heritage to pre-existing historical layers; and how the material representation of the Albanian Cold War era will be experienced in a community not yet at peace with Communism.