TIRANA, April 28 – The Great Basilica of Butrint is one of the most significant and most visited monuments within Butrint National Park. It was built in the late 5th century AD on the remains of a Roman bath complex.

Its location reflects the layered historical development of Butrint. The site was not rebuilt by erasing earlier structures, but by reusing and transforming them. A Roman public space was converted into a Christian centre, marking a shift in both function and meaning.

Inside the basilica, the architectural layout also reflected the social order of the time. The most important area was the bema, located near the apse, where the altar stood. Beyond it lay the nave, reserved for the congregation. Even within a place of worship, social hierarchy remained visible through spatial organisation.

What survives today is not only the structure of a church, but also a material record of a society where religion, political authority and social order were expressed through architecture.

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