Kruja - Skanderbeg Museum

In the early Middle Ages, Kruja developed from a medium-sized castle settlement into an urban centre, which had a bishopric in the 9th century. In 1190, Kruja became the capital of the first Albanian state in the Middle Ages, the Principality of Arbër.

Later it was the capital of the Kingdom of Albania. Kruja was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in the early 15th century, but then reconquered by Skanderbeg in 1443, who defended it against three Ottoman sieges until his death in 1468. It finally fell after a fourth siege in 1478, 10 years after Skanderbeg's death.

The castle, originally built in the 5th or 6th century, is perched above the city. It is ruined but the Skanderberg Museum was built in the old castle area.
The building is a new construction modelled on a historic castle. The architects included Pranvera Hoxha, the daughter of Enver Hoxha. The building was opened in 1982.

The museum honours the Albanian national hero Georg Kastrioti Skanderbeg and documents his military struggle against the Ottomans.