Located on a steep hill, the Illyrian castle of Byllis once guarded the entrance to the Vjosa River valley. Today, all that’s left of the old castle not far from Fier are the ruins, yet they’re still sufficiently intact to illustrate the past greatness of this extraordinary place. Welcome to Albania’s Machu Picchu.
Byllis is not as frequently visited as the nearby archaeological site of Apollonia. But it should deserve more attention, given its historical value and magnificent views. In good weather, you can see as far as the Adriatic Sea.
The name Byllis is derived from the Illyrian tribe of Bylliones. According to legend, the city was founded by the Greek mythical nation of Myrmidons, whose members were returning from the Trojan War. A more likely version is that Byllis was founded in the 4th century BC by the Epirus king Pyrrhos. This is proven by the oldest archaeological excavations here, which date back to this time. Later, the Romans and Byzantines left traces in the castle as well. Since Byllis was sacked by the Slavs in 586 AD, the site has remained abandoned.
The outer walls, still visible today, framed the triangle-shaped plateau at the top of the hill over 500 metres high and measured over two kilometres. There were six gateways altogether, leading to nearby Apollonia to the west, Epirus to the south and Macedonia to the east. Later, an inner wall was added to separate the residential quarter and make the eastern end the stronghold of the castle.
Here you will see the remains of a magnificent colonnade with columns (stoa), a half-roofed water cistern and the adjacent bath building and stadium with a running track. The adjoining semicircular theatre from the 3rd century BC could hold up to 7,500 spectators, more than the population of the town itself.
The foundations of basilicas, of which five have been uncovered so far, date from the Byzantine period. Their floors were covered with beautiful mosaics, which are now covered to protect them from the elements. The most interesting Byzantine building is the three-nave cathedral, dating from the 4th century AD, and adjacent baptistery and a bishop’s palace. Several decorated columns have been re-erected.
In the 30-hectare complex, you can spend hours back and forth between the different sites. The information tables are written also in English.
The castle is open from 8:00 to 18:00 (March-October) and 8:00 to 16:00 (November-February), with an entrance fee of 400 leks. It can be reached by asphalt road from the town of Ballsh, about five kilometres away. Buses run every two hours between Fier and Ballsh. If you don’t travel by car, take a taxi in Ballsh or a minibus to the village of Hekal, which is about a kilometre from the entrance. There is also a new road to get to Byllis from the Levan-Tepelena highway.
TIP: If you want to stay overnight in the area, there is a luxury campsite with bungalows just below the castle: Agroturizëm Byllis. Excellent food and an outdoor pool with great views.