Basilica and Synagogue - Sarandë, Albania - Synagogues on Waymarking.com

This ruin complex is located in the center of Sarandë, just next to the municipal park and one block north of the sea shore. It is an area of about 40 to 60 meters with excavated fundaments and a contemporary hut in the center that protects the valuable mosaics. These are the remains of a religious building from the 4th century B.C. It was built as a three-aisled Christian basilica and converted into a synagogue after about a century. Again one century later, the building was destroyed by Slavic invadors. The information sign of the Albanian Ministery of Culture does does not have any details of the further history of the site, except that there was again a church there later.

The text of the sign in Albanian and English:

"BAZILIKA SINAGOGË E SARANDËS
Është ndërtim i shek. IV-V p. Kr.
Monumenti është një bazilikë paleokristiane, trenefëshe. Në fund të shek. V dhe në fillim të shek. Vl mendohet të jetë transformuar në një sinagogë. Ndër vlerat arkitektonike të objektit veçojmë mozaikun e pasur me simbole hebraike.
Krahas aktiviteteve fetare ka shërbyer si qendër sociale dhe shkollë për studime biblike. Dyshemetë janë të shtruara me mozaikë shumëngjyrësh e të zbukuruar me motive floreale e zoomorfe.
Prania e simbolit të shandanit me shtatë koka në mozaikun e dhomës Menorane, që ndodhet në perëndim të sinagogës, dëshmon për eksistencën e një komuniteti hebre në këtë periudhë në Onhezmus.
Ky kompleks bazilikal u shkatërrua nga dyndjet sllave në fund të shek. VI. Mbi rrënojat e këskid sinagoge më vonë u ngrit një kishë.

SARANDIS SINAGOGICAL BASILICA
It is a construction of the IV-V century B.C. p.
The monument is a early Christian basilica with three naves. It is thought to have been transformed in a synagogue at the end of the 5th centuryand at the beginning of the 6th century.
Besides religious activities, it has been usedas a social center and school for biblical studies. The floors are paved with a multicolor mosaic decorated with floral and zoomorphic motifs.
The symbol of the candle with 7 heads in the mosaic of the Menorane room, located west of the synagogue shows the existence of a Jewish community at this period.
This basilica complex was destroyed from Slavic invasions at the end of 6th century. Later, the ruins of the synagogue became a church."

Status: Ruin, not in use Denomination/Group: Other Address: Rruga Skënderbeu Sarandë, Vlore Albania Relevant Web Site: [Web Link]

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