House of Terror

The cornice that hangs over the House of Terror screams 'TERROR' in man-sized letters - a fitting sample of the sense of subtlety you'll find inside. Once the HQ of the communist political police, the House of Terror takes visitors on a journey through the many traumas of totalitarian rule: fascism, Soviet occupation, the gulag, and persecution of the peasantry and the churches. 'Museum' may be the wrong word: it's actually more a series of prop-filled displays than a genuine exhibition of artefacts. The House of Terror does elicit sympathy for the victims of totalitarianism. But perhaps the most stunning display of a regime's heartlessness and inefficiency is the line that you stand on to get in. The museum only opens its doors every 15 minutes, to let in a handful of visitors. The rest must wait in line outside. Don't say you weren't warned.