Castle of Malathre , Konispol

The castle of Malathre is located on a hill at the foot of the mountain of Miles, between the ancient city of Butrint and the fortification of Čuka e Ajto. The ancient castle of Malathre for its architecture and planimetric form is a special monument, unique in the territory of Kaonia and beyond.

The Italian mission located in Butrint in the years 1928-1930 with archaeologists such as Marconi and Ugolini carried out the identification of the monument as well as its excavations. While in the 1970s by the Albanian archaeologist Dh. Budina and beyond, excavations followed in the early 1980s by archaeologist Dh. Chondi. Excavations showed that its initial construction dates back to the second half of the III century BC and there was another phase of reuse in the Roman period. The building has a quadrangular shape, measuring 15x15 m and fortified with four towers in its corners.

Its excavator Dh. Çondi has put forward the hypothesis that: the castle can be identified with Amaltheus, the villa of Pompon Atticus, Cicero's friend. This hypothesis is based on a linguistic argument (Malathre as a metathesis of the name Amalte), however there is no epigraphic evidence that could support this thesis.

This castle remains to be visited as a destination between natural beauties and history in the place called Malathre.