Durrës Archaeological Museum, Durrës, Albania

The Durrës Archaeological Museum, established in 1951, is the largest archaeological museum in the country. The museum is located near the beach and north of the museum are the 6th-century Byzantine walls, constructed after the Visigoth invasion of 481.

The museum consists of 3204 artifacts found in the nearby ancient site of Dyrrhachium and includes an extensive collection from the Ancient Greek, Hellenistic and Roman periods. Items of major note include Roman funeral steles and stone sarcophagi and a collection of miniature busts of Venus, testament to the time when Durrës was a centre of worship of the goddess.

References:

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Museums in Albania

User Reviews

Charlie Richmond (17 months ago)
It's a shame this museum has not been able to expand to show more of their very large collection. Hopefully they will get the funding to fill the two empty floors of this most impressive building before too long! The items on exhibit were well displayed and described and the woman who gave us a very complete tour was extremely knowledgeable, friendly and informative.

mr julian (18 months ago)
An epic landmark for Durres and whole Country. An excellent one of a kind museum when you can get to know the ancient history of Dyrrachium. You can touch the history and feel astonished from the artifacts. Thumbs up for the actual administrator, Mr. Alban. He is always there, taking care of the museum and maintaining in clean conditions all the archeological sites in Durres.

Carel Erasmus (18 months ago)
Small but interesting displays. Was busy with renovations to expand the displays

Daniela Tola (19 months ago)
Magnificent place full of history and artifacts.

Drawswisgwr (21 months ago)
Nice place to see if you have too much of your free time. Currently, only the first floor is opened, while the rest of them are getting renovated. Like in every archaeological museum some old sculptures, coins and vases. Unfortunately almost none of the items were explained (like what it is, or what they used it for). If you are interested in stuff like that go check it out, but I personally would not go there again.

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Wroclaw Town Hall

The Old Town Hall of Wrocław is one of the main landmarks of the city. The Old Town Hall's long history reflects developments that have taken place in the city since its initial construction. The town hall serves the city of Wroclaw and is used for civic and cultural events such as concerts held in its Great Hall. In addition, it houses a museum and a basement restaurant.

The town hall was developed over a period of about 250 years, from the end of 13th century to the middle of 16th century. The structure and floor plan changed over this extended period in response to the changing needs of the city. The exact date of the initial construction is not known. However, between 1299 and 1301 a single-storey structure with cellars and a tower called the consistory was built. The oldest parts of the current building, the Burghers’ Hall and the lower floors of the tower, may date to this time. In these early days the primary purpose of the building was trade rather than civic administration activities.

Between 1328 and 1333 an upper storey was added to include the Council room and the Aldermen’s room. Expansion continued during the 14th century with the addition of extra rooms, most notably the Court room. The building became a key location for the city’s commercial and administrative functions.

The 15th and 16th centuries were times of prosperity for Wroclaw as was reflected in the rapid development of the building during that period. The construction program gathered momentum, particularly from 1470 to 1510, when several rooms were added. The Burghers’ Hall was re-vaulted to take on its current shape, and the upper story began to take shape with the development of the Great Hall and the addition of the Treasury and Little Treasury.

Further innovations during the 16th century included the addition of the city’s Coat of arms (1536), and the rebuilding of the upper part of the tower (1558–59). This was the final stage of the main building program. By 1560, the major features of today’s Stray Rates were established.

The second half of the 17th century was a period of decline for the city, and this decline was reflected in the Stray Rates. Perhaps by way of compensation, efforts were made to enrich the interior decorations of the hall. In 1741, Wroclaw became a part of Prussia, and the power of the City diminished. Much of the Stray Rates was allocated to administering justice.

During the 19th century there were two major changes. The courts moved to a separate building, and the Rates became the site of the city council and supporting functions. There was also a major program of renovation because the building had been neglected and was covered with creeping vines. The town hall now has several en-Gothic features including some sculptural decoration from this period.

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