Archaeological Sites & Ruins

This collection features the UNESCO World Heritage site of Butrint, an ancient city reflecting layers of Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Venetian civilizations. Key structures include a 3rd-century BC theatre, a Roman forum, and massive Hellenistic walls. Beyond the main archaeological park, the list highlights the Venetian Triangular Fortress guarding the Vivari Channel and the hilltop St. George’s Monastery, providing a comprehensive view of the region's strategic and religious history from antiquity through the Middle Ages.

Buthrotum

Butrint was an ancient Greek polis and later Roman city and the seat of an early Christian bishopric in Epirus.

Ali Pasha Castle

Ali Pasha Castle is a castle in Albania. It is named after Ali Pasha of Tepelenë who resided there until 1820.

Theatre

Built in the 3rd century BC and later expanded by the Romans, this well-preserved structure once seated 2,500 people and served as a venue for both performances and religious ceremonies.

Forum

The civic heart of Roman Buthrotum, this paved square was surrounded by public buildings and shrines, serving as the city's primary administrative and commercial hub.

Great Basilica

A 6th-century Christian monument featuring a three-aisled nave and a large apse. It remains one of the most significant early Byzantine structures in the region.

Lion Gate

Named for the 4th-century BC stone relief depicting a lion devouring a bull, this narrow entrance was part of the city's defensive fortifications.

Nymphaeum

A Roman-era public fountain house that once supplied fresh water to the city, characterized by its decorative niches and architectural integration with the surrounding forum.

Hellenistic walls

Massive 4th-century BC fortifications constructed from large polygonal stone blocks without mortar, showcasing the advanced military engineering of the ancient Greek period.

St George's Monastery

A fortified Orthodox complex situated on a hill overlooking the Ionian Sea, featuring a reconstructed 14th-century church and remnants of monastic living quarters.

Triangular Fortress

Constructed by the Venetians in the 15th century to protect the Vivari Channel fisheries, this defensive stronghold features thick walls and corner towers typical of late medieval military architecture.