Great Basilica, Sarandë, Albania

The so-called Great Basilica was the principal church in late antique Butrint and sections of a 6th century mosaic floor are still preserved. The church was erected on the site of a cistern belonging to the Roman city’s aqueduct and is over 30m long. It followed the characteristic plan and architectural devices prevalent throughout Epirus, employing a central nave flanked by aisles that were screened from the nave by closed colonnades.

At the east end was a tripartite transept and a central pentagonal apse. Remains of the mosaic pavement include trailing ivy tendrils and scrolling guilloche that are also found in the Baptistery, indicating that these two religious monuments are broadly contemporary. The devices are characteristic of mosaicists working in Nikopolis in northwestern Greece. Some time later, most likely in the 13th century when Butrint began to boom once more, the Great Basilica was extensively rebuilt and effectively became Butrint’s cathedral.

References:

world-archaeology.com

User Reviews

Martin (10 months ago)
It's nice to look at this one. There is still a small fresco on the ground where you can look at how it looked before. Pretty coolio if you ask me. Nothing else to say about it actually. There is also some text which you can read to learn abojt the history of the basilica

c redeis (2 years ago)
Great basilica, would be nice to have a little bit more Informations

Ingrid (2 years ago)
Amazing don't miss it! We spend 2 hrs walking around the place & this was one of the best preserved. Don't miss the mosaic in the middle part in the corner!

Tony Heynen (2 years ago)
Well preserved part of the site

Brunilda Bardhi M.D “VenusDerm” Dermatology & Laser Clinic (2 years ago)
Julius Cesars designation of Butrint as a Roman colony in the 1-st century BC led to dramatic changes in the city’s infrastructure.

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