Butrint

About

Occupied from 50,000 BC up to the 19th century, Butrint has been the site of a Greek colony, a Roman city and a bishopric. From 800 BC the site was a Greek “polis”, with a large theatre that still stands today. In 44 BC, the Romans expanded the settlement considerably and built an aqueduct across the Vivari Channel. By the 5th century AD, Christians gained control of the territory and added fortifications and structures of their own, such as a 6th-century basilica. The city was ultimately abandoned in the late Middle Ages after marshes formed in the area. Today, site is a collection of ruins representing the different periods in the city’s development, and a paradise for fans of ancient architecture.