New road makes access to Butrint easier

TIRANA, August 1 – Access to the Butrint park, a UNESCO World Heritage site in southernmost Albania, has been made easier after a new 14-km road linking the town of Saranda to the archeological park has been fully reconstructed and opened to traffic. The new Kanali i Cukes-Butrint segment is 1.1 billion lek investment by the Albanian government. The former narrow road to the National Park of Butrint, which attracts thousands of foreign tourists annually, now has two lanes.
The importance of Butrint to the nation’s cultural heritage was first recognized in 1948 when it became a site of historical importance. In 1992, Butrint was designated as a World Heritage Site, a status that identifies cultural and natural sites of outstanding universal value. However, it wasn’t until 2000 that the archeological site of Butrint became a National Park of 26 sq km.
The national park of Butrint, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1992 situated in southernmost Albanian district of Albania, has become the first important cultural heritage site with an electronic ticketing system whose income will be managed by park authorities themselves.
Excavations carried out by Albanian and foreign expeditions continue shedding light on the ancient settlement.