TIRANA, June 13 – A medieval monastery in the Apollonia archeological park in southwestern Albania, and its landscaping are being rehabilitated under a Euro 700,000 EU-funded project that will boost tourism in the country’s second largest cultural heritage destination aspiring to gain UNESCO World Heritage inscription.
Speaking during a visit to the ancient Apollonia park, EU Ambassador to Albania Romana Vlahutin described the site as one of the sources of European culture.
“In this particular site it is not only about the Albanian culture, but about one of the sources of the European culture, so we are doing it for Albania, but we are doing it for Europe as well,” said Vlahutin.
“The European Union investment in this restoration project of cultural heritage will not bring only more visitors to discover the beauties of Apollonia, but also create opportunities for the local communities to benefit from this heritage,” she added.
Albanian Culture Minister Mirela Kumbaro said “the restoration does not only involve the facade but goes into detail and that the restorers are some of the best field experts.”
Michela Matuella, the head of the Albania Unit at the European Commission directorate for enlargement, described Apollonia as a symbol of Albania’s cultural richness.
“We are here to support Albania in many different ways and not only in the ones that are more visible at the moment,” she said.
The one-year rehabilitation project scheduled to conclude by next January includes works on the conservation, restoration and rehabilitation of the 14th century St. Mary Monastery to encourage cultural tourism.
The intervention will cover the monuments within the monastery space, including the statuary portico, the refectory building, the church, the archaeological repository, the museum, and the landscaping of the park area.
Established in the 7th century B.C., by Greek settlers, the ancient city of Apollonia is located 11 km to the west of the modern city of Fier.
Among the most interesting monuments worth visiting are the Bouleterion (city council), the library, the triumphal arch, the temple of Artemis, the Odeon built in the 2nd century B.C., the two-storey 77 m long Stoa, a theater with a capacity 10,000 spectators, and the Nymphaeum, a monumental water fountain covering an area of 2000m2.
The Apollonia park also features a museum with some of the most important artifacts discovered in the park.
Closed down on safety grounds in the early 1990s, the archaeological museum of Apollonia, reopened its doors in December 2011 after 20 years. Restored under UN assistance, the reopened museum in the south-western district of Fier, features 750 archaeological items and ancient coin treasuries, displayed in a 1,000 m2 area, previously stored in the Archaeology Institute of Tirana.
With a capacity of 10,000 to 12,000 seats, the Apollonia Theatre was one of the biggest of its kind in the Mediterranean and is the biggest ancient construction in Albania along with the Durres amphitheatre.
Established as a local assembly and theatrical site, the theatre turned into an arena for gladiator and animal fights. The theatre’s activity stopped in the 4th century AD after its collapse.
A German-Albanian archeological mission have been conducting excavations in Apollonia for more than a decade. Excavations in the Apollonia park began during World War I by Austrian archaeologists. The process continues as it is believed that most of the city is still deep below Apollonia’s hills.
