Visit Berat

Berat is one of Albania's oldest towns, first emerging as a fortress-settlement built around the main Castle in the 4th century BC and has been continually inhabited ever since. However, traces of a human settlement dating 4,000 years ago have been found in the vicinity of today's inhabited area. The town was first settled by the Illyrian Desaretes tribe, who were the first to build fortifications in the city - the basements of the Castle. Known as Antipatrea, it was captured by Romans in the 2nd century BC. Titus Livy, a famous Roman historian described it as a strong big town, settled in a narrow rocky strip of land. He noted the cruelty of the Roman legions who "killed all people over sixteen years of age, destroying the outer walls and setting the town ablaze". The Romans called the city Albanorum Oppidum (Albanian Fortress).
During the Byzantine period in the 5th century A.D., the city was known as Pulcheriopolis (from Pulheria) after the name of the sister of the Byzantine Emperor Theodosius who took the town. The name Pulheria, meaning "beautiful, wealthy, and strong" was a reflection of the city's importance.

This project is supported by:
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC
through:
Risi Albania - Partner for Growth

Managed by:
BID Berat - Zona per Zhvillimin e Biznesit
and Municipality of Berat



All contents, images, logos, audios included on this application are copyrighted.