Quicknation    Albania Butrint

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Butrint , is a city and an archeological site in Albania, close to the Greek border.

Originally an Illyrian town within the ancient region of Epirus, it was taken by the Romans in 167 BC. It later passed to the Byzantine Empire and the Republic of Venice, before it was abandoned in the Late Middle Ages.

The ruins, excavated after World War II, include an amphitheatre, a Roman bath, a chapel from the 5th century, a basilica from the 6th century, a town gate (called the "Lion Gate"), and a medieval Venetian castle from the 14th century, which is used as a museum today.

The remains of Butrint are included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. In 1997 it was added to the list of World Heritage Sites in danger by UNESCO because of looting, lack of protection, management and conservation. By 2005, conditions had improved and Butrint was removed from the list of endangered sites.

Butrint is accessible from Saranda, along a road built in 1959 for a visit by the Soviet leader Nikita Krushchev. It is increasingly becoming a popular tourist attracting for day-trippers from the nearby Greek holiday island of Corfu.