The Cultural Heritage Of Albania

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Consequently, in 1991 at the World Heritage Committee’s Fifteenth Session, they ruled on the Durrës Amphitheatre and stated, “While recognizing the importance of this property as part of the cultural heritage of Albania...it did not meet the criteria for inscription on the World Heritage List as defined for the purposes of the application of the Convention” (Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage Fifteenth Session, 1991:30). As of 1996, the amphitheater was placed “under consideration” by UNESCO. Currently Albania has four sites nominated for consideration, according to UNESCO (2012), which includes the Durrës amphitheater (11/10/1996), Les tombes de la Basse Selca (11/10/1996), Natural and…show more content…
The need for restoration and rehabilitation of the amphitheater are the consequence of having been lost for over 500 years. Chaotic urban planning took place as the modern city of Durrës grew; unfortunately, most of its development took place right on top of the arena. Ultimately, the city’s organization has affected the structural integrity and deterioration of the auditorium, since excavation (Figure 5; Molla, 2014:32). Further damage has taken place due to looting, which has added to the wear and tear to the building’s overall integrity (Karaiskaj, 2004:13). The amphitheater, along with the Byzantine mosaics and frescos are in dwindling condition (Jacques, 1995:154). Part of the poor form of the arena, can be traced to an ongoing presence of water. Even though at one point, there was a bilge water pump installed from 2005-2008, it seems to have not been used during this period. Many of the frescos and mosaics in the Byzantine chapel also have been badly damaged from these conditions. Rainwater seeps through both the polycarbonate covers and a ventilation chamber, causing more moisture to encounter the artwork, instead of protecting them (Ponce de Leon, 2013:9).
Figure 5. Modern Durrës around the amphitheater
Part of the amphitheater’s cultural importance comes from Durrës historic past, and its association with the Roman and Byzantium Empires (Ponce de Leon, 2013:3). Currently there is an agreement between the
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