Jamahiriya Museum, also known as the Red Castle Museum or Assaraya Alhamara Museum is situated in the heart of Tripoli, with an entrance on Green Square (or Martyrs' Square, as it is now known). Jamahiriya Museum is one of Tripoli's most popular tourist attractions and a must-see for anyone visiting the city. As Libya's national museum, it brings tourists from around the world, keen to learn more about the history of the country.
History
The Red castle, Assaraya Alhambra Assaraya Alhamra means "The Red Castle" or "The Red Fort", since it was painted red after the Spanish invasions in 1510. The fortified castle was built to defend the capital city and it continued to be the center of Tripoli's power until the 20th century. Recent digging along an adjacent road revealed that the fort was built on top of an ancient Roman fortified camp, but some sources state that the actual building was established by the Phoenicians, who later abandoned the city after they settled in nearby Carthage. In 1919, the Italians converted a section of the castle that was originally used as an ammunition storehouse into Libya's first museum, to house some of the countless archaeological artifacts, scattered across Libya's vast landscape. The museum as with the following wings: Prehistory, Ancient Libyan, Berber Tribes (Berber Garamantes, Berber Tuareg, etc.), Libyan-Punic-Greco-Roman-Byzantine Traditions, Natural History.;
Discover Libya's past here
Tripoli Jamahiriya Museum houses a wide range of exhibits including pre-historic artefacts, displays relating to ancient Libyan tribes and natural history exhibits. It also features a wing dedicated to Libya's fight for independence, called "The People's Era" exhibit. Although the museum is not very big, it is widely renown for to its unique collection of original items spanning from the stone age and the prehistoric civilizations of the great Sahara, to the medieval periods and present times. Don't miss out the incredible stone mausoleum from Ghirza, a Berber farming community from the Roman era. The Phoenician and Roman galleries are probably the most remarkable ones. Most of the materials exhibited come from Oea, Sabratha, and Leptis Magna. Embellished under Septimius Severus, Leptis Magna was one of the most beautiful cities of the Roman Empire, with its imposing public monuments, harbor, market-place, storehouses, shops and residential districts. Spend an afternoon exploring this small but fascinating museum and take a stroll around Green Square. The museum, in Tripoli city center, is within easy reach of many other Tripoli attractions.
