Berat Becomes A World Heritage Site

TIRANA, July 9 – Berat, a historic town in central Albania, was entered onto the list of UNESCO world heritage sites Tuesday when approved by the United Nations’ heritage committee, three years after the town of Gjirokastra was added to the list.
Butrint in southernmost Saranda district and the isopoliphony are the two other Albanian presences in that site.
Berat was added as “a rare example of a well-preserved Ottoman town,” UNESCO said.
“Berat bears witness to the coexistence of various religious and cultural communities down the centuries.”
Berat, with 64,000 inhabitants, hosts a castle, most of which was built in the 13th century, although its origins date back some 2,400 years.
The area includes many Byzantine churches, mainly from the 13th century, several of which contain valuable wall paintings and icons.
The town also has several mosques, built during Turkish occupation, which began in 1417, and several houses for religious communities, notably some used by Sufi brotherhoods in the 18th century.
Emin Riza, an expert preparing the file introduced to the UN, said the designation was a confirmation of the universal values of Berat and Gjirokastra.
Eleven other places from Saudi Arabia, Germany, China, San Marino and other countries were added to the heritage site, which now counts 851 locations worldwide.