Butrint

Near Ksamil, next to the border with Greece, there is a small archaeological site called Butrint.

This place is on the UNESCO World Heritage List (from 1997 to 2005 it was also on the List of World Heritage in Danger).

In ancient times, there was a settlement here. Later, the town developed into an important religious center and port town. Its strategic importance led to many battles, during which the city was ravaged repeatedly.

Today we can find there the ruins of defensive walls, an ancient Greek theater, ruins of houses, a baptistry, ruins of Roman baths and a chapel. There are also the remains of a Venetian castle.

Fun fact: according to Virgil, Butrint was founded by the seer Helenus, a son of King Priam of Troy, and Aeneas visited the town after the fall of Troy. Since 2000 the ruins have been part of Butrint National Park.

The entire site is fenced and admission is ticketed.

At the entrance, we got a map of the area and leaflets in various languages (including Polish). At various points there were information boards describing each area.