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This Web site, dedicated to the ruins of Butrint in Albania, is currently under construction. Please bookmark this site and visit it again soon. |
Butrint and Threats to Its Survival
Linked to the Mediterranean Sea, Butrint was settled in a prime location for the establishment of a commercial center. The settlement quickly became an important stop along the merchant trade routes, and by the fourth century B.C. became one of the major maritime and commercial centers of the Ancient World. Throughout its history, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Venetians have inhabited this location. The present archeological site, therefore, contains structures and remnants that represent each period of the city's development. It was not until the beginning of the twentieth century that systematic excavations were carried out. Today, the rediscovered city of Butrint stands within Albania's cultural landscape as a unique treasure. The city is a microcosm of almost 3,000 years of Mediterranean history—its sixth century, B.C. fortification evokes the city's military power, and its third century, B.C. amphitheatre symbolizes the rich culture of the once thriving ancient city. Further, on the walls of the decaying temple dedicated to Asclepios, the Greek god of medicine, are the only examples of writing ever discovered in Butrint. As a result of continued political instability in this region and the threat of coastal development that would encroach on the unique ruins and artifacts of this ancient settlement, Butrint was included on the World Heritage List in 1992. |
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