[2][3] The amphitheatre is included on the tentative list of Albanian UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The amphitheatre was covered over in the 16th century, after the Ottoman occupation, when a wall was built nearby.

After excavation the amphitheater slowly deteriorated, as no conservation efforts were undertaken prior to the 2000s, and construction continued to take place around the site.

It is built on a sloping hillside, and inside the amphitheatre there are staircases and galleries at different levels.

The amphitheatre is surrounded on all sides by the city of Durrës, and a section of the arena itself has been built upon with modern housing.