Wonderguide by
Mirjona Hoxhalllari
Top 5 Durres attractions
A trip to the city wouldn't be complete without seeing the top 5 attractions in Durres. Visit now to enjoy these top things to do in Durres.
Aleksandër Moisiu’s House-Museum
I do not know if you have ever heard about AleksandërM oisiu’s House-Museum or Aleksander Moisiu. The House-Museum is a structure of beautiful architecture and ethnographic exhibits as well as childhood home of famed actor Aleksandër Moisiu. It is one of the must-see attractions in the historical center of Durrës. This museum is located near the Durres Amphitheater. The road leading to it is especially beautiful as it seems to lean on the old byzantine walls of the historic city and it has the structure of the typical Albanian house of the last century, which is distinctive in its harmonious design made of stone and wood. Aleksandër Moisiu was well-known for his artistic temperament and memorable performances in many of Europe’s important stages. The actor, born to an Italian mother and Albanian father, spent several of his childhood years in this home. Moisiu’s historical link to this house seems to give the museum an added value a is point of interest in the eyes of locals and visitors.
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Marcellus Forum
Was discovered by the excavations of the years 1987-1990. It is believed that it is the last forum of the V century AC and it has served as one until the VII century. Later it was transformed into a cemetery. The monument is located in the city center, and it has a round shape, in which a platform is located. It is built by marble stones and it is surrounded by a colonnade with a diameter of 40 m.
The Medieval Hammam
Medieval Hammam (Turkish bath) which is a public building with the typical architecture of the Turkish period. This hammam was built in the XVIII century at the southeast corner of the medieval town. In the center there was a spherical dome with a height of 5.8m, equipped with 12 small windows for ventilation. Its ambient was heated with steam through pottery pipes. The oven located in the back of the hammam was incredibly damaged but fortunately, it was reconstructed in 1980.
Venetian tower
The Venetian tower was built by emperor Anastas I, who was from Durres, in the XV century. It was reconstructed after the earthquake of 1274. The tower was built with blocks of stone and is called “rondele” because of its shape. The height of the walls is 10m and 16m. It has one floor, five windows for the artillery and a round hall for the cannons. The castle was protected by a system of towers located every 60m.
Amphitheater
The Amphitheater of Durres, the only amphitheater in Albania and second in the Balkans by size. Before we start, you should know that the term "Amphitheater" doesn't mean "old theatre" but "round theater" because, as you can see, it has a circular shape. It is not fully discovered but several teams of archeologists are working on it. Inside, you will get the same feeling as in Colosseum in Rome because of the same architectural style. It was built in the 2nd century A.D, and it was destroyed twice by earthquakes in the 6th and 10th centuries This amphitheater was built by the order of the emperor Trajan, the second of the Five Good Emperors. All these tunnels were constructed by the local masters. The openings that you see here were made by the damage of external factors as well as two strong earthquakes, one in the 6th century and one in the 10th century, but the original tunnels were fully covered.
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