The Vivari Channel (
Albanian: Kanali i Butrintit, also known as Butrinto River) links
Lake Butrint in the extreme south of
Albania
Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...
with the
Straits of Corfu, and forms a border of the peninsula of
Butrint.
The natural channel flows in both directions every six hours, from the lake to the sea and vice versa during the rising tide facilitating the access of saline waters into Lake Butrint.
A
pontoon is situated near the gate of the
Butrint National Park. Two small forts, the
Ali Pasha Castle and the
Venetian Triangular Castle, are located near the mouth of the channel; both were built during the rule of
Ali Pasha of Ioannina.
According to international organizations, the channel serves as the demarcation line where the
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Se ...
ends and the
Ionian Sea
The Ionian Sea (, ; or , ; , ) is an elongated bay of the Mediterranean Sea. It is connected to the Adriatic Sea to the north, and is bounded by Southern Italy, including Basilicata, Calabria, Sicily, and the Salento peninsula to the west, ...
begins.
The channel creates a unique situation in Lake Butrint, which is partly fed with fresh water and partly with salt water, thereby creating ideal conditions for
mollusks farming. During the communist regime, many students used to volunteer in the summer time to search for ancient ruins in the Butrint National Park.
Butrint national park Nature and Archaeology
Retrieved 8 May 2024.
See also
* Butrinti
* Butrint National Park
* Venetian Acropolis Castle
* Venetian Triangular Castle
* Lake Butrint
* Lakes of Albania & Lagoons of Albania
References
{{reflist
Bodies of water of Albania
Geography of Vlorë County
Landforms of the Ionian Islands (region)
Channels of Europe
Butrint National Park