The weather in Tirana has been quite mild this winter. It has not been as cold or wet as last year; instead we must fight our way through the streets of Tirana as the project in Skenderbeg Square continues.
We are escaping the big city today to explore a 4th Century BCE fortified Illyrian city called Byllis which is located east of Fier and Ballsh; and then on a passable dirt road past Hekal; continuing past a large cemetery; and at the end of the road, an ancient mountaintop fortress that overlooks the Vjosa River valley.
The road we follow out of Fier will take us through the oil country of Albania. There are many derricks in the fields and as we follow the dirt road to Hekal we pass the remnants of the earlier oil exploration in Albania. Some parts of this large field are being "pumped" using contemporary industry methods by international companies. If we were to stay on this two-lane highway we would eventually arrive in Gjirokaster. However, from Byllis we can look towards the Vjosa River and see the new four lane Gjirokaster-Fier highway; it is obvious by the scar it has cut across the valley below.
The road to Hekal and Byllis is under major re-construction; with new retaining walls and widening of the roadbed. The drive up is challenging as it is important to avoid large eight-wheeled trucks loaded with rock and rather large shovels with buckets as big as our rental car! Distractions aside, the view is great as we wind around the mountainside to Byllis. On top of the view, I did not get lost once today!
Entering Byllis we discover we have the ancient city to ourselves. It is overcast, cool and a bit windy today. We need to tie a little anchor on our dog's collar to keep her in "Kansas". The grounds are a bit overgrown, with sheep inside the park, although solid fencing around the more "fragile" buildings is evident. There is a very nice restaurant just outside the old city near the Sixth Gate.It is not open for full service today, however, it is very clean (read restroom too) and modern.
When you stand in the area of Fifth Gate of Byllis you are perched high above the Vjosa River valley; I wonder if Caesar or part of his army in 49-48 BCE sailed up the Vjosa when the Romans captured Byllis during Rome's war with Macedonia. Although the Byllis would be inhabited for an additional six hundred years, it would be sacked several times and know many rulers.
There is much to see in Byllis, many "hidden" treasures within the walls and pillars and even some of the chairs in the amphitheater. What I mean is, if you look closely as you gaze at Byllis you will see carved figures in the walls, on pillars and on the backs of some of the amphitheater seats. From deep in the walls of the armory I discovered a tile with three carved items; a pot,a flower and a spiral. On the back of a chair, a wreath and writings on the pillars.
A thought about the amphitheater; the Illyrians, Greeks and Romans were all great engineers using the topography of the land to their advantage. Byllis was home to a 7,500 seat theater that utilized the shape of the land in its' design; this engineering concept is seen in the amphitheaters in Durres and Butrint too.
Additionally a water collection system that deposited all recovered rainfall in a massive cistern that served the whole city. I noticed several run off collectors that emptied into deep holes in the ground that fed the collected water through troughs and pipes into the cistern and bathhouse.
There are several outlines of Byzantine churches and buildings and an area dubbed the "cathedral" in Byllis.We are unable to see any of the mosaics as they are covered for protection. This is a recurring theme in Albania; lack of financial support to protect and preserve such national treasures and to safely display for the tourist who will come. I am hopeful before leaving Albania I will be able to view the mosaics in Byllis and Butrint.
Byllis does not receive a lot of attention and it really should. The location is spectacular in the dominating position it occupies overlooking the Vjosa River; and the grounds of the city, although in need of archealogical attention, are easy to walk and to get a good sense of how the city was originally plotted.I would suggest better explanations displayed at each sight to aid in learning about Byllis and enhancing the experience of visiting Byllis.
Byllis is an easy day trip from Tirana, with the highway heading south to Fier getting better each day. I plan on a return trip when the opportunity affords itself with better weather; Byllis has more to offer under a sunny sky.
