[Sammy Jackson]

Hi everyone! im going to Europe soon and id like to hear some good sword related museums or shops that are a must see while im in Italy, Greece, Turkey, Czech, UK and France. and one been lately?

any recommendations will be fine. i wanna hear your feed back!

thanks

S

[Sam Barris]

If you're going to be in Athens, the Acropolis is a must see, as is the museum there. If you get down to Crete, Knossos is worth a visit. Island hopping in Greece is easy, in case you've always had a burning urge to see Delos or something. I was in the UK recently and saw Tintagel and Glastonbury (the bookends of Arthur's life), and can recommend both places. I've never been to the Tower of London, but I've heard good things about it.

[Leo Todeschini]

I would suggest the Wallace in London, small but brilliant, and often overlooked the Museum of London. The Tower of London although good has only a fraction of pieces shown in the Royal Armouries in Leeds and in you are heading up country another 200 miles or so will see you in Glasgow where the museum also has lots of good stuff.

Have a good trip

Tod

[Shayan G]

The Victoria and Albert museum has AMAZING Mughal and Persian weaponry, and usually some exhibits that are amazing even if they aren't weapon-focused.

Have a great trip!

If you can, hop over to Dublin too and see the National Museum of History/Archaeology there. Great town, great people, fun musuem!

[Patrick de Marchi]

Hello Sammy,

In Italy, I suggest you to visit the Doge palace which includes a section dedicated to swords and other weapons; lots of it...
If you decide to go to Switzerland - the place where I was born and raised - I cannot help but to invite you to visit the wonderful château de Chillon on the shore of Geneva's lake; a magnificent place, with a very nice collection of swiss polearms.

Have a wonderful trip!


Patrick

[Sean Flynt]

Museo Stibbert in Florence. An amazing collection with an emphasis on European arms and armour but also probably one of the best collections of Eastern ams and armour in the world. You can get up-close and personal with most of the displays. No glass or ropes around the armour, so you can see unique details of decoration and construction. Italy's answer to the Wallace, and with similar origins. No photography, and you'll be escorted by a gaurd, but no hordes of people, either. It's not easy to get to, but accessible by public bus. Some decent publications in the gift shop/café.

The Wallace Collection is essential--the best English a&a museum apart from the RA-Leeds. Tower of London doesn't come close, and at least some of its arms are misidentified. In my opinion, it's not worth the price of entrance to Tower complex if arms and armour are your main interest. Visit the large gift shop instead and get the books on Henry XVIII's armour. MOL is mostly excavated stuff, but essential for ancient arms (stone, bronze, iron, Roman, Saxon, Viking). Little from later periods.

[James Arlen Gillaspie]

If you are in Florence, don't forget the Bargello! It's a VERY important arms and armour collection.

[Ralph Rudolph]

Sammy,
you did not mention Austria in your list, but the Czech Republik. Maybe you pass through Austria on your way to Czech (if not flying). Then you should stop in GRAZ, the second largest town besides WIEN, Austria's capital.
In Graz you find the LANDESZEUGHAUS in the Museum Joanneum in the city centre, main street (Herrengasse).

It is worth the visit. It contains the weapons and metal armour for a local army from the wars of Austria against the Turks. Hundreds of wonderful armours, thousands of pole weapons, 10.000 of sabres, swords and pistols. They have 32.000 pieces
All original and not behind glas! You walk among the shelves with the weapons at your fingertips (although you are not allowed to take or touch them) - it's simply stunning. All is stored in the original building, four storeys of weapons on large wooden floors in a huge stone building. Such a weapon store was called "Zeughaus" at the time, and this one is still the original, complete with its content.

Here is the link (only in German), but at least the address is there. In the museum they speak English and you can also get an English guided tour.
http://www.museum-joanneum.steiermark.at/cms/...64/2995140

And some more pictures how it looks like::
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/1ffe4/5084d/4/
http://cleveland.about.com/od/artmuseumsandga...s-Graz.htm
http://www.civilization.ca/milhist/austria/aus02eng.html
http://www.cosmopolis.ch/cosmo51/landeszeughaus_graz.htm

Enjoy Europe!

Ralph

[Colin F.]

The Royal Armouries in Leeds has already been suggested but to further encourage you to go there I'd like to say that they have updated some of the displays and also put some interactive stuff in now as well.

Of course that is in addition to the interpretations etc that they usually have on. Just to let you know the museum itself is free entry, but the outdoor stuff (like the Elizabethan horse riding etc) costs a little more (I think £2 or so).

Plus if you are there on a Monday or a Thursday and are going to stay over night, you can always pop in to the armouries in the evening for the EHCG/KdF training.

If you need any more info you can PM me as I live close to the museum and know it almost like the back of my hand!

Colin

[Daniel Sullivan]

Sammy,

Highly agree with Ralph; the armory in Graz is not to be missed. Seeing this massive collection in a near original environment is difficult to describe, it has to be experienced.

Again if not flying, the arms and armor collection at the Hofburg in Vienna ranks pretty high. It is or was based on the armory of the Habsburg emperors. Adjacent are the Treauries, which contains many sacred and secular objects (the Crown Jewels, sword of St. Maurice, etc.) and the State Apartments. I have visited Europe many times and this and Graz are my favorites.

Also within walking distance is the Vienna Historical Museum with a smaller, but very interesting display of arms.

Hope you enjoy your trip! By the way if you need someone to carry your luggage, please contact me.........

Regards,
Dan






















and the

[Vincent Le Chevalier]

If you're going to France, the Musée de l'Armée in Paris is a great place to visit. Many swords and armour not just from Europe... And of nearly all periods from ancient to modern.

In fact you should watch this thread with plenty of pictures to get a better idea of what there is to see.

[Russ Thomas]

Hi,

If you are going to London, then of course The Tower of London ( if just to see the King Henry VIII 1540 harness !), it is surely one of the worlds most impressive armours! The Museum of London, The British Museum and naturally, the Wallace Collection. Not only does the Wallace Collection (just off Oxford Street, behind Selfridges), house the next finest collection to the Royal Armouries, but it is also free ! That in itself makes it unusual and worth visiting ! Nearby, in Thayer Street, is Blunderbuss Antiques. They have a fabulous array of weapons, militaria and memorabilia. They are well worth the visit. Also, nearby is Greys Antique market. In the basement you will find several arms dealers. Western, Eastern and far Eastern specialists can be found here. As a personal recommendation , I would suggest Armada Antiques.
If you want to see and buy earlier weapons and armour, then Peter Dale, Opera Arcade, off Piccadilly will certainly have items of interest to you.
Have fun in my home town !

Regards,

Russ

[Shahril Dzulkifli]

Sammy, if you visit Europe I suggest you visit the Military Museum located in Belgrade, Serbia. Medieval arms and armour are also displayed here besides from their modern-day counterparts.
Here is the museum's website (in Serbian) -
http://www.muzej.mod.gov.yu/index.htm

[Sammy Jackson]

Thanks for all the great advice, im truely more excited now. im bringing my Girlfriend with me, so hopefully i can convince her to see most of these amazing places.

cheers guys

Landon

[B. Fulton]

The Tower of London was interesting.

Leeds, while impressive, had incredibly bad lighting for photography.

The British Museum was interesting for the older (Roman, Saxon, etc) stuff. The Sutton Hoo stuff is all there.

Didn't make it to the Wallace collection.


The armory of the Palazzo Ducale (Doge's Palace) in Venice is worth seeing for later period stuff. If you contact me enough time in advance, I may be able to give you a semi-guided tour of Venice... i'm in the area.


Graz was WELL worth it. And...if you know the right people, you DO get to touch stuff. The Neuburg in Vienna was awesome if you're into tournament/jousting armor and full harnesses.

The Musee de l' Armee in Paris was HUGE. Everything from around the first Crusade or so, up till WW2 timeframe in one place. Expect to spend most of a day there. Remember to pay your respects to the Emperor while you are there.

The Musee Cluny in Paris is small, but has a lot of interesting stuff, both weaponry and everything else, some dating back to Roman times (it's over a Roman bath).

If you get a chance, go to Bayeux and see the Bayeux Tapestry. Doesn't take long but if you're into studying the middle ages..how can you NOT see it?