Apollonia, Bibracte parks renew cooperation

TIRANA, April 25 – Albania’s archeological park of Apollonia has renewed its cooperation with France’s Bibracte park for another five years. The deal was signed last week as part of French-Albanian meeting on archeology in the Apollonia park extending current cooperation until 2017.
French and Albanian archeologists discussed issues related to coordination of scientific work and the presence of tourists, the display of items in open-air premises. Vincent Guichard, the director of the Bibracte archeological park also shared his experience in the meeting which also attended by French Ambassador to Tirana Christine Moro.
Albanian and French archeologists have been cooperating since 1925, carrying out joint excavation works and research.
Closed down on safety grounds in the early 90s, the museum of Apollonia, the second biggest archeological park in Albania after Butrint, reopened its doors last December after 20 years. Restored under UN and UNESCO assistance, the reopened museum in the southwestern district of Fier, features 750 archeological items and ancient coin treasuries, displayed in a 1,000 m2 area, previously stored in the Archeology Institute of Tirana.
Last year, some important ancient discoveries were made in Apollonia, where Albanian and French archeologists discovered two busts and a giant promenade.
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.
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 10000 spectators, and the Nymphaeum, a monumental water fountain covering an area of 2000m2.