First discovered in the 1980s and then excavated and restored in the early 2000s, the 5th-century synagogue in the center of Sarandë belonged to a prosperous Jewish community in what was then called Oncheasmos. The ruins that visitors can see today consist of two mosaic floors, one depicting a menorah, the other a ram’s-horn shofar and animals. By the 6th century, the synagogue was converted into a basilica, though it was later destroyed—most likely either by an earthquake or invading Slavs. Who knows what further planned excavations will bring to light?
