Butrint is one of Albania's strongest examples of layered history: archaeology, monuments, wetlands and Mediterranean landscape in one place.
Historical use
UNESCO describes Butrint as a cultural landscape with occupation from prehistoric times through Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman periods. Its ruins show changing relationships between people, water, marshland and settlement.
Cultural importance
Butrint is not only an archaeological site. It is a symbol of Albania's deep Mediterranean history and a place where nature and monuments must be managed together.
Environmental importance
The wider Butrint landscape includes wetlands, lake systems and natural settings that give context to the ancient city and its later abandonment.
Protected status timeline
Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. Butrint wetlands were recognized by Ramsar in 2002, and Butrint National Park was declared in 2005 according to UNESCO documentation.
What still needs verification
Local planning documents, tourism pressure studies and recent management-plan progress should be tracked continuously.