Lake and the Vivar Channel, as well as in the wider territory around it. From 800 BC until the arrival of the Romans, Butrint was influenced by Greek culture, maintaining elements of a “polis” and inhabited by the Chaonian tribes. In 44 BC, Butrint became a Roman colony and expanded significantly, primarily to the south, where an aqueduct was built. By the 5th century AD, Butrint became an episcopal center, and large early Christian structures were erected. After a period of abandonment, Butrint was rebuilt under Byzantine control in the 9th century. In the 14th century, Butrint came under Angevin and later Venetian control. Several attacks from the Despots of Epirus and later from the Ottomans led to reinforcements in Butrint’s defenses. In the early 19th century, a new fortress was added to the defensive system of Butrint by Ali Pasha, an Ottoman Albanian ruler, until the final abandonment of the site.

The fortifications testify to the various phases of their construction, from the time of the Greek colony to the Middle Ages. The most interesting monument of Greek antiquity is the theater, which is relatively well-preserved. The largest ruin from the Paleo-Christian period is the baptistery, an ancient Roman monument adapted to the cultural needs of Christianity. Its floor features beautiful mosaic decorations. The Paleo-Christian basilica was rebuilt in the 9th century, and its ruins have been well-preserved, allowing for an analysis of its structure (three naves with a transept and an external polygonal apse).

The evolution of Butrint’s natural environment led to the abandonment of the city at the end of the Middle Ages, turning this archaeological site into a valuable resource for understanding ancient and medieval civilizations in the territory of modern Albania. The authenticity of Butrint’s UNESCO World Heritage site is linked to its excellent preservation in a location where human interaction with the environment can be observed in the surviving monuments, underwater archaeology, and surrounding landscape. The quality of restoration and conservation work carried out since 1924 has been high. Later interventions have been conducted in accordance with contemporary standards set out in the Venice Charter of 1964. The ancient city was declared a “World Heritage Site” by UNESCO in 1994.

What Butrint offers today is an impressive journey through the epochs of history.

Burimi: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/570/#:~:text=Inhabited%20since%20prehistoric%20times%2C%20Butrint,marshes%20formed%20in%20the%20area.