The Architecture of Butrint
The Baptistery
The Baptistery is a relatively large (14,5 m in diameter) circular structure, with multiple adjacent buildings. The building featured an elaborate mosaic floor which was almost perfectly preserved.
The building was constructed at the site of a Roman bathhouse at around the sixth century AD. Interestingly, the hydraulic system that was already in place was used by the subsequent Baptistery.
The construction of the building is special in a few ways. First of all, the double concentric rings of eight columns each means that significant effort must have been spent to properly construct the roof. Secondly, the almost perfectly preserved mosaic floor is one of the largest mosaic pavements from Late Antique baptisteries to survive. It features themes like water, salvation and earthly Paradise.
Around the seventh to ninth centuries no evidence remains for any activity at the Baptistery. Between the late ninth and twelfth century, only occasional activity in the area is attested. From that time onward, the area was mainly used as a cemetery.
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The sixth century AD mosaic of the Baptistery. Also note the double ring of columns. At discovery most columns had collapsed, but could be partly refitted (Photo: Albinfo - Wikimedia Commons)
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Plan show the full extent of the baptistery (Figure: Hodges et al. 2004)
The baptistery seen from outside. Note the height to which the walls were preserved (Photo: Roquai - Wikimedia Commons).
