Park of Apollonia, the ancient city on the Adriatic Sea!
Apollo represents one of the treasures of civilization and ancient culture founded in our country. This city, founded around the years 558 BC by colonels coming from Corcyra and Corinth on the lands of the Illyrian Taulnates, is just 12 kilometers far from Fier city.
Location
Park of Apollonia is located on the top of a hill which is surrounded by the plain of “Myzeqe”, right where this beautiful city lies. This city, founded in the 6th century BC in about 1000 years, offers traces of Illyrian, Hellenic and Roman culture under its ruins of the Roman civilization where it reached its peak of development.
Archaeological sites
There are numerous archaeological sites such as the amphitheater, the acropolis, the agora, the city wall, the Paleochristian church, and the school where emperor
Augustus was educated.
All these catch the eye of the visitors to come and explore the Archaeological Park of Apollonia, where along with its cultural heritage, offers fascinating panoramas such as that of the blue Adriatic Sea.
Ancient chronicles testify that among the 30 cities of the ancient world that were named after God Apollo, the largest and most important was the Illyrian Apollo, which once housed around 60,000 inhabitants.
A full visit to the city of Apollo would take at least half a day to see all of its archaeological monuments; thus, 1000 years of life and history. The city retains nowadays its quadratic and radial reach.
Why should you visit the Park of Apollonia?
Of great interest for the visitors of Apollo are the monuments of the Agonotes, the Odeon, the Library, the wall, the porch, the Imposing villa, the Roman mosaic villa, the archaeological museum, and the Church of St. Mary. The Archaeological Museum marks a golden period for the city’s history. Through the exposed artifacts, visitors will learn that the ancient Apollo created by the Greek colonists around 620 BC was built on the roots of a much earlier civilization.
At least 800 different objects, showing the pace of epochal development in Apollo, have been exhibited at the archaeological museum of the ancient city.
The objects and paraphernalia exhibited in the museum booth date back to a much farther period, about 1200 years BC. In the endless gallery of objects found, already on display at the Apollo Archaeological Museum we can find various sculptures such as aristocrat portraits, gladiators, girl portraits, carved tombstones, work tools, animal figures, knights, warriors, natural landscapes, etc.
