ButhrotumFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaButhrotum

Bo(Greek)Butrint(Albanian)

Remains of the theatre

Shown within Albania

LocationKsamil,Vlor County,Albania

RegionChaonia

Coordinates394446N200113ECoordinates:394446N200113E

TypeSettlement

Site notes

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Official nameButrint

TypeCultural

Criteriaiii

Designated1992 (16thsession)

Referenceno.570

RegionEurope and North America

Extensions1999

Endangered19972005

Buthrotum(Albanian:Butrint;Latin:Buthrtum; fromAncientGreek:,Bouthrtn) was anancient Greekand laterRomancity inEpirus.[1][2][3]In modern times it is anarcheologicalsite inSarand District,Albania, some 14kilometres south ofSarandand close to theGreekborder. It was known in antiquity as (Bouthrton) or ()Bouthrtios[4]in Ancient Greek andButhrotumin Latin. It is located on a hill overlooking theVivari Channeland part of theButrint National Park. Inhabited since prehistoric times, Buthrotum was a city of theGreektribe of theChaonians, later a Roman colony and abishopric. It entered into decline inLate Antiquity, before being abandoned during the Middle Ages after a major earthquake flooded most of the city.Contents[hide] 1History 1.1Ancient 1.2Medieval and Venetian Period 1.3Modern 2Archaeological excavations 3Butrint National Park 4Directions 5Notable people 6See also 7References 8Further reading 9External links 9.1General information 9.2History articlesHistory[edit]Ancient[edit]

Remains of the 6th-century baptisteryBouthrotonwas originally a town within the region of Epirus. It was one of the major centres of the Greek tribe of theChaonians,[5]with close contacts to theCorinthiancolony ofCorcyra(modernCorfu). According to the Roman writerVirgilits legendary founder was the seerHelenus, a son of theking Priamof Troy, who had moved West after the fall of Troy withNeoptolemusand his concubineAndromache. The Greek historianDionysius of Halicarnassus, as does the Latin poet Virgil, wrote thatAeneasvisitedBouthrotonafter his own escape from the destruction of Troy.The earliest archaeological evidence of settled occupation dates to between 10th and 8th centuries BC, although some claim that there is earlier evidence of habitation in the 12th century BC.[6]Excavation at Bouthroton has yieldedProto-Corinthianpottery of the 7th century and thenCorinthianandAtticpottery of the 6th century, however there are no indications of a prehistoric settlement.[7]The original settlement probably sold food to Corfu and had a fort and sanctuary.Bouthrotonwas in a strategically important position due its access to the Straits of Corfu. By the 4th century BC it had grown in importance and included a theatre, a sanctuary toAsclepiusand anagora. Around 380BC, the settlement was fortified with a new 870metres long wall, with five gates, enclosing an area of fourhectares.[8]In 228BCButhrotumbecame a Romanprotectoratealongside Corfu andRomansincreasingly dominatedButhrotumafter 167BC. In the next century, it became a part of a province ofMacedonia. In 44BC,CaesardesignatedButhrotumas acolonyto reward soldiers that had fought on his side againstPompey. The local landholderTitus Pomponius Atticusobjected to his correspondentCicerowho lobbied against the plan in the Senate. As a result,Buthrotumreceived only small numbers of colonists.In 31BC, EmperorAugustusfresh from his victory over Mark Antony and Cleopatra at thebattle of Actiumrenewed the plan to makeButhrotuma veterans' colony. New residents expanded the city and the construction included anaqueduct, aRoman bath, houses, a forum complex, and anymphaeum. During that era the size of the town was doubled.[9]

Map of ancient ButhrotumIn the 3rd century AD, anearthquakedestroyed a large part of the town, levelling buildings in the suburbs on the Vrina Plain and in the forum of the city centre. Excavations have revealed that city had already been in decline. However, the settlement survived into the late antique era, becoming a major port in the province of Old Epirus. The town of late antiquity included the grandTriconch Palace, the house of a major local notable that was built around 425.In the early 6th century, Buthrotum became the seat of a bishop and new construction included a largebaptistry, one of the largest such Paleochristian buildings of its type, and abasilica. The walls of the city were extensively rebuilt, most probably at the end of the 5th century, perhaps by EmperorAnastasius. TheOstrogothsunderIndulfraided the Ionian coast in 550 and may have attacked Buthrotum. Evidence from the excavations shows that importation of commodities, wine and oil from the Eastern Mediterranean continued into the early years of the 7th century when the early Byzantine Empirelost these provinces. In this, it follows the historical pattern seen in other Balkan cities, with the 6th to 7th century being a watershed for the transformation of the Roman world into the Early Middle Ages.The diocese of Buthrotum was initially asuffraganofNicopolis, but in the 9th and 10th centuries it is listed with the suffragans ofNaupactus.[10]Two of its bishops are mentioned in extant documents: Stephanus signed the joint letter of the bishops ofEpirus Vetusto EmperorLeo I the Thracianin the aftermath of the killing ofProterius of Alexandriain 458; and Matthaeus signed the synodal letter of the bishops of the province toPope Hormisdasin 516 concerning the ordination of Metropolitan John of Nicopolis.[11][12][13]It became aLatin Churchsee under Angevin and Venetian rule. No longer a residential bishopric, Buthrotum is today listed by theCatholic Churchas atitular see.[14]By the 7th century, following the model of classical cities throughout the Mediterranean, Buthrotum had shrunk to a much smaller fortified post and with the collapse of Roman power was briefly controlled byFirst Bulgarian Empirebefore being regained by theByzantine Empirein the 9th century.Medieval and Venetian Period[edit]It remained an outpost of the empire fending off assaults from theNormansuntil 1204 when following theFourth Crusade, theByzantine Empirefragmented, Butrint falling to the breakawayDespotate of Epirus. In the following centuries, the area was a site of conflict between the Byzantines, theAngevinsof southern Italy, and theVenetians, and the city changed hands many times. In 1267,Charles of Anjoutook control of both Buthrotum and Corfu leading to further restorations of the walls and the Great Basilica.

Butrint AlbaniaThe Republic of Venice purchased the area including Corfu from the Angevins in 1386; however, the Venetian merchants were principally interested in Corfu and Buthrotum once again declined. By 1572 the wars between Venice and the Ottoman Empire had left Buthrotum ruinous and at the order of Domenico Foscarini, the Venetian commander of Corfu, the administration of Buthrotum and its environs was shifted to a small triangular fortress associated with the extensive fish weirs. The area was lightly settled afterwards, occasionally being seized by the Ottoman Turks, in 1655 and 1718, before being recaptured by the Venetians. Its fisheries were a vital contributor to the supply of Corfu, and olive growing together with cattle and timber were the principal economic activities.[15]

Butrinto, a Venetian enclave on the Ottoman mainlandModern[edit]In 1797, Butrint came under French control when Venice ceded it toNapoleonas a part of theTreaty of Campo Formio. In 1799, the localOttomangovernorAli Pasha Tepelenaconquered it, and it became a part of the empire untilAlbanianindependencein 1912. By that time, the site of the original city had been unoccupied for centuries and was surrounded by malarial marshes.Archaeological excavations[edit]The first modern archaeological excavations began in 1928 when theFascistgovernment ofBenito Mussolini'sItalysent an expedition to Buthrotum. The aim was geopolitical rather than scientific, aiming to extend Italian hegemony in the area. The leader was an Italian archaeologist,Luigi Maria Ugoliniwho despite the political aims of his mission was a good archaeologist. Ugolini died in 1936, but the excavations continued until 1943 and theSecond World War. They uncovered theHellenisticandRomanpart of the city including the "Lion Gate" and the "Scaean Gate" (named by Ugolini for the famous gate atTroymentioned in theHomericIliad).After thecommunistgovernment ofEnver Hoxhatook Albania over in 1944, foreign archaeological missions were banned. Albanian archaeologists includingHasan Cekacontinued the work.Nikita Khrushchevvisited the ruins in 1959 and suggested that Hoxha should turn the area into a submarine base. The Albanian Institute of Archaeology began larger scale excavations in the 1970s. Since 1993 further major excavations have taken place led by theButrint Foundationin collaboration with the Albanian Institute of Archaeology. Recent excavations in the western defences of the city have revealed evidence of the continued use of the walls, implying the continuation of life in the town. The walls themselves certainly seem to have burnt down in the 9th century, but were subsequently repaired.After the collapse of the communist regime in 1992, the new democratic government planned various major developments at the site. The same year remains of Butrint were included in theUNESCOlist ofWorld Heritage Sites. A major political and economic crisis in 1997 and lobbying stopped the airport plan and UNESCO placed it on theList of World Heritage in Dangerbecause oflooting, lack of protection, management and conservation. Archaeological missions during 19949 uncovered furtherRoman villasand an early Christian church.[9]Butrint National Park[edit]Butrint National Park

IUCNcategory II (national park)

Roman Theater in Butrint

LocationVlor County,Albania

NearestcitySaranda

Area9,424 hectares (23,290 acres)

Established2005

Ramsar Wetland

Designated28 March 2003

Butrint National Park(Albanian:Parku Kombtar i Butrintit) is anational parkcreated in November 2000 and located in southernAlbania.[16]It protects 94.24 square kilometres of historic landscape,archaeologyandenvironment. The park's boundary includes the seaside municipality ofKsamil.[17]The park, a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site, is one of the most important archaeological sites in the country containing different artifacts and structures which date from the Bronze Age up until the 19th century. A number of major monuments are still extant including the city walls, late-antique baptistery, great basilica, theatre and Venetian castles. In addition to archaeological remains the site is robed by naturalwoodlandwith a complex ecosystem which depends on the nearby freshwaterLake ButrintandVivari Channelwhich drain the lake into theIonian Sea. It is this combination of historic monuments and natural environment that makesButrintsuch a unique place, a 'landscape with monuments' as beloved of the Grand Tourists of the 18th and 19th centuries.

Butrint Museum inside the Venetian TowerThe Albanian Government established theButrint National Parkin 2000. The founding director was Auron Tare, followed by Raimond Kola. Butrint became an important center of cultural management and a great example how to manage this Heritage. With the support of Albanian institutions, The Butrint Foundation, The World Bank and UNESCO the situation was improved to the point that UNESCO removed the site from the danger list by 2005. The National Park was also made a UNESCO World Heritage Site during these years as well as a Ramsar Site. The Park was created by the Albanian Ministry of Culture in partnership with UNESCO, ICCROM and ICOMOS. The underlying intention was to create a sustainable cultural heritage resource involving local communities and national institutions to serve as a model for other parks around Albania. The park is now a major center for archaeology and conservation training schools organised by the Butrint Foundation in partnership with the Albanian Institutes of Archaeology and Monuments, foreign universities and international specialists and consultants. There is an active program of events in the theatre, concerts and performances, and outreach programmes for local schools and colleges. Some 38,225 foreign tourists visited the archaeological site in 2005. By 2008, this figure had risen to 58,547 (source: Butrint National Park published figures).The site is part of theList of Ramsar wetlands of international importance.[18]In 2010, national authorities demolished over 200 illegal structures inKsamilthat violated the town's master plan and the integrity of Butrint National Park. On the other side, locals pretend that a selective campaign was conducted instead. The remainings of the demolished buildings have yet to be removed by authorities.Directions[edit]

Butrint Cable FerryButrint is accessible fromSaranda, along a road first built in 1959 for a visit by theSovietleaderNikita Khrushchev. This road is being upgraded during summer 2010. The construction project is something of an environmental catastrophe and may yet threaten Butrint's World Heritage Site status. The ancient city is increasingly becoming a popular tourist destination, attracting day-trippers from the nearby Greek holiday island of Corfu. Hydrofoils (30minutes) and ferries (90minutes) run daily between the New Port inCorfu (city)and Saranda. Many visitors from Corfu use chartered coach services to visit Butrint from Saranda, which are often included in tickets to Albania from Corfu, and additionally, a regular public bus service runs between Saranda port and Butrint. Others arrive from Qafe Bote border crossing with Greece near Konispol, and cross the Vivari Channel through a cable ferry.