Durres - Culture

Today Durres is one of the biggest towns and ports in Albania with the second-largest concentration of industry. It has a population of 82,000 inhabitants. Durres has a chemical enterprise, agricultural machinery works, cigarette factory, radio and television works. The city was colonised by the Greeks in 627BC and was named Epidamnos, which later became Dyrrachium under the Romans. From the Venetian Tower at the harbour, the medieval Town Wall leads to the amphitheatre dating back to the 2nd century BC and containing an early Christian crypt with a rare wall mosaic. There is also an excellent Archaeological Museum. Between the 1st and 3rd centuries Durres was an important port and trading centre on the Via Egnatia trading route between Rome and Byzantium (Istanbul). Following a number of earthquakes, much of ancient Durres sank into the sea or collapsed and was subsequently built over. Today the city is best known for the nearby beach resort of Durres Plazh.

From the records of the amphitheatre must have been very big, with a capacity of 15,000 spectators. Its diameter must have been more than 120 metres. The amphitheatre was unearthed by chance in 1966, by a citizen digging in his garden. Because of the constant earthquakes that shook the city, only a third of ancient Dyrrachium has been excavated.

The Belle of Durres is the most polychromatic mosaic found in the country. The mosaic was discovered beneath a dwelling, in a residential quarter of the town. It is elliptical in shape and measures 17 x 10 feet. The mosaic shows a woman's head surrounded by flowers.

The Roman Thermal Baths were discovered on 1962, during the construction of the Palace of Culture. The baths have a hypocaust or heating system and a pool, 23 feet long by 17 feet wide. The Archaeological Museum situated near the sea, is rich in objects excavated in Durres. It gives a view on the ancient Dyrrachium. There are many objects excavated in Durres and this museum being small can not reveal all of them. There are urrently plans to construct and extension to the existing museum. On the west side of the town, on top of a hill, rises a magnificent villa. It used to be the villa of King Zog. Today it is used to receive foreign delegations. The villa, with its striking pink paintwork, overlooks the port of Durres.

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