3092 ALBANIA (Vlorë) - Butrint (UNESCO WHS)

3092 Butrint - Remains of the baptistery

Located in south Albania, in Epirus, close to the Greek border, Butrint constitutes a very rare combination of archaeology and nature, being a microcosm of Mediterranean history, with occupation dating from 50 000 BC, at its earliest evidence, up to the 19th century AD. Prehistoric sites have been identified within the nucleus of Butrint, the small hill surrounded by the waters of Lake Butrint and Vivari Channel, as well as in its wider territory.

From 800 BC until the arrival of the Romans, Butrint was influenced by Greek culture, bearing elements of a polis and being settled by Chaonian tribes. In 44 BC it became a Roman colony and expanded considerably on reclaimed marshland, primarily to the south across the Vivari Channel, where an aqueduct was built. In the 5th century AD Butrint became an Episcopal centre; it was fortified and substantial early Christian structures were built.

After a period of abandonment, Butrint was reconstructed under Byzantine control in the 9th century, reaching under Angevins and then Venetian control in the 14th century. Several attacks by despots of Epirus and then later by Ottomans led to the strengthening and extension of the defensive works of Butrint. After a major earthquake flooded most of the city, it was again largely abandoned. By the early 19th century it was merely a small fishing village set around a Venetian fortress.

After it fell under Ottoman Rule, a new fortress was added to the defensive system of Butrint at the mouth of the Vivari Channel. It was built by Ali Pasha, an Albanian Ottoman ruler who controlled Butrint and the area until its final abandonment. The fortifications bear testimony to the different stages of their construction from the time of the Greek colony until the Middle Ages. The most interesting ancient Greek monument is the theatre which is fairly well preserved.

About the stamps

The stamps are part of the large series Paintings - The 50th Anniversary of National Gallery, issued on November 20, 2004, and consisting of 25 stamps.

References
Butrint - UNESCO official website
Buthrotum - Wikipedia
Butrint National Park - Extension of Potentiality of Adriatic UNESCO Sites

Sender: Indrit Muha (direct swap)
Sent from Butrint (Vlorë / Albania), on 05.06.2017