Butrint National Park reported that the initiative will uncover stratigraphic data to date the wall and clarify the city’s fortification schemes. Ultimately, this research will reveal how Butrint’s urban landscape evolved during its final millennium of active life, between the 5th and 15th centuries AD.

Dr. Nevila Molla, the project’s lead architect, stated that the excavation aims to map Butrint’s macro-topography, connecting the upper and lower city areas.

Current fieldwork focuses on a fortification tower within the Acropolis. Here, excavations have uncovered archaeological layers spanning from Late Antiquity to the Late Middle Ages.

“These new excavations provide our first stratigraphic data on the construction and use of these walls,” Molla explained. “They offer a clearer picture of the city’s development across multiple historical eras.”

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A total of 257,134 visitors were recorded from January through September, excluding free entries for official delegations and ICOMOS representatives. Foreign visitors accounted for the largest share, at 181,251, while 25,404 were Albanian visitors.

Online ticket sales reached 50,479. Individual visitors accounted for 136,799 entries, followed by groups with 86,231 and children aged up to 12 with 15,350.

Children under 12 enter free, while visitors aged 12-18, pensioners and people with disabilities are eligible for a 50% discount.

A total of 2,811 people also benefited from free admission on the last Sunday of each month during the January-September period.

Ticket revenue exceeded 212 million leks. The park said all ticket income is reinvested in its maintenance, conservation and integrated management.

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Prime Minister Edi Rama on Saturday shared images of the ongoing works, highlighting efforts to preserve and pass on this important historical heritage to future generations.

As part of a partnership with Ancient Rome Live, the Butrint Management Foundation has launched the first phase of a project aimed at conserving and protecting the Roman Forum.

The initiative seeks to ensure the long-term preservation of the Forum’s archaeological remains. Works completed so far include the construction of safety infrastructure and restoration interventions on the Venetian Tower.

Located near the southern town of Sarandë, Butrint National Park encompasses the ancient city of Butrint, one of Albania’s most important archaeological sites. The site was designated a Cultural Monument in 1948 and was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1992 in recognition of its outstanding cultural and natural value.

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Gonxhja said the work was being carried out in several areas in cooperation with the Butrint Management Foundation.

“Every day, work is under way in Butrint to preserve its heritage, improve the visitor experience and involve the local community in the life of the park,” Gonxhja said.

Current interventions include the conservation of the Roman Forum ruins, the installation of new safety infrastructure and repairs to the Venetian Tower. Other works aim to improve visitor safety and access throughout the park.

The “Butrint for All” project is also being implemented to improve access for people with mobility difficulties and make visits more inclusive.

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This growth was driven by an integrated program of investments and upgrades at Butrint National Park. These efforts focused on improving infrastructure, advancing technical projects, and strengthening cultural heritage preservation.

During the meeting of the Butrint Management Board, chaired by Minister Gonxhja, it was highlighted that the new management model—based on cooperation between the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Sports, the Butrint Management Foundation and the Albanian-American Development Foundation (AADF)—has prioritized the visitor experience, safety, and accessibility. The interventions and investments have also aimed to create better conditions for the sustainable development of the surrounding community and to strengthen cultural and historical tourism.

Preservation, promotion, and sustainable development form the core of a new management model designed for one of Albania’s most vital global cultural assets.

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Prime Minister Edi Rama noted that this adds a valuable new chapter to our history and cultural heritage.

“Wonderful news! The return of the Dea of Butrint to her homeland is a monumental milestone, profoundly enriching our history and cultural heritage,” Rama stated.

The return of the Dea enriches the historical narrative of Butrint and offers visitors the opportunity to see up close a significant testament to history, art and shared European heritage.

This year alone, Butrint has welcomed over 200,000 visitors, continuing to strengthen its position as one of Albania’s premier cultural tourism destinations.

The Dea of Butrint (also called the Goddess of Butrint) is a famous 4th-century BCE marble sculpture head discovered in the ancient city of Butrint, Albania.

Italian archaeologist Luigi Maria Ugolini found the head in 1928 during excavations at the Butrint archaeological site.

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The scheme is designed to support individuals, local businesses and non-profit organisations with ideas, initiatives or projects focused on economic, cultural, social and tourism development in the Butrint area and surrounding communities.

Applications will remain open until October 15, 2026, with selected beneficiaries eligible for grants of up to 20,000 dollars.

The programme covers the villages of Vrinë, Shëndëlli, Xarrë, Çiflik and Mursi, as well as other rural areas bordering Butrint National Park that have been identified as priority areas for economic, social and tourism development under the Integrated Management Plan.

The initiative aims to place local communities at the centre of future development of Butrint archaeological park, recognising residents, artisans, farmers, tour guides, tourism operators, businesses and local organisations as key partners in preserving the area’s cultural and natural values while building a more sustainable local economy.

Through the grants, organisers aim to support the creation of new products, services and tourism experiences, improve existing activities and generate new opportunities for communities in the region.

AADF, in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, established the Butrint Management Foundation as the implementing body for an integrated management model that seeks to combine the preservation of cultural and natural heritage with sustainable local development.

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Its setting reflects how Butrint evolved over time – not by erasing earlier layers, but by building over them. A former Roman public space was recast as a Christian centre, reshaping both the function and meaning of the site.

Within the basilica, the architecture mirrored the social hierarchy of the period. The most significant area was the bema, near the apse, where the altar stood. Beyond it extended the nave, where worshippers gathered. Even in a sacred space, the social divisions of the time remained evident.

What survives today is more than the outline of a church; it is the imprint of a society in which faith, authority and social order were expressed through a single architectural form.

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Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports Blendi Gonxhja stated today that a comprehensive investment strategy is transforming Butrint, bolstering infrastructure, driving technical advancements and ensuring long-term heritage preservation.

Gonxhja said that driven by a partnership between the Ministry and the Butrint Management Foundation (supported by AADF), this initiative elevates the visitor experience and enhances security, ensuring the sustainable future of Butrint as a premier cultural asset.

According to Gonxhja, key design elements include fire hydrants, electrical distribution and lighting systems.

Minister Gonxhja said that the project involves conserving the Roman Forum ruins, performing routine maintenance on Butrint National Park monuments and designing a new interpretive plan for the Acropolis’s Venetian Castle.

Also, Gonxhja said that the project will upgrade visitor infrastructure and services, including replacing interpretative, directional, and restrictive signage; rehabilitating parking, ticketing, and toilet facilities and implementing universal accessibility enhancements. /e.i/j.p/p.s./

This means more revenues, which reached 84% more than in 2024. During 2025, the park was visited by 295,152 people.

Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sports said that the number of visitors to Butrint National Park has been increasing. “This fact confirms the rare cultural and natural values ​​that this UNESCO World Heritage Site carries,” wrote the ministry.

Butrint National Park is one of the most important of our country’s cultural, archaeological, environmental and tourist heritage. The park extends over an area of ​​8,622.2 hectares and is located 25 km away from the city of Saranda.

The extraordinary diversity of natural habitats and their combination with rare archaeological, historical and cultural sites, creates a unique magical landscape in the Mediterranean. Inside the park, one can see the main Archaeological Center of Butrint, while around it there are other monuments that testify to a civilization over 3000 years old. Also inside and near it, there are several natural monuments with scientific, didactic and touristic values. /r.e/a.f/p.s./