The triangular tower of Dyrrachium: A “hushed” place

600 meters south of the stadium, in the ruins of an abandoned apartment in Hysen Myshketa street, there is an unknown place that composes an important part of the early Medieval history of Durres. Nowadays, it has not been giventhoughtful attention from the experts in Archeology and History, or sometimes, it has given attention.

It is believed that except for the walls of Anastasius I, the city had a third siege of the walls. One of these towers that composed the third siege had a triangular form. It is believed that it was constructed in the Vth century, on the northern border of Dyrrachium.

According to the French historian, Leon Heuzey and the French architect, H. Daumet, they think that Dyrrachium could have had northern fortifications, known in the French as “troisieme encient” (“third wall”) or “enceinte Byzantine” (“Byzantine wall”).

Furthermore, they suppose a traditional argument that the northern siege walls were constructed on the ruins of the Roman walls.

The ruins of the tower were discovered in 2002. The excavation proceeded in two phases, one in 2007, and one in 2012. According to Brikena Shkodra, a well known archeologist, she says that the construction of the triangular tower had two phases of construction, one in Roman period and the second in the Byzantine period.

The wall is 0.42 meters thick and its width is 2 meters. The tower was constructed with joint work on the surface of the bricks.

Furthermore, during the last excavations (year 2012), they discovered a few archeological objects. Apart from the limited number of pottery found, archeologists have identified Christian symbols.

The Christian cross was used as an element auxiliary in approximate chronological determination of this part of the fortification system.

10 years since the last archeological expedition to this site, now parts of its walls are damaged by vegetation, moisture and rubbish.

Now situated down the ruins of an abandoned apartment and without any tourist indications, the ruins are being endangered by collapse.

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Photo on the head: The ruins of riangular tower of Dyrrachium. Photo by Amfora Media.