Overview:

Saint Mary Church is a Serbian Orthodox church located in Delvinë Municipality, Albania. It is the seat of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Delvinë-Korcë-Gjirokastër. The church was built in 1913. It features a unique combination of Baroque and Byzantine architecture. The exterior of the church is adorned with murals and icons from the Serbian medieval period. Inside the church, there is a large fresco of Christ Pantocrator located above the main altar. It is one of the most beautiful monuments in Albania
Prominent Features:

, Saint Mary Church is a prominent church located in the city of Delvinë. It is a Roman Catholic church and was built in 1373 by disciples of St Francis. The church is built in a Romanesque style and includes a bell tower, an ossuary, and an open-air nave. The exterior is decorated with the marble reliefs of Saints George and Nicholas. Inside are a number of frescoes, including one of St. Mary surrounded by the Twelve Apostles. The church has been restored several times throughout its history, most notably in the 1900s when a new roof was added. It is considered one of the most significant cultural and religious sites in Albania and is visited by thousands of pilgrims each year. You can learn history, culture, and heritage through these magnificent monuments in Albania.

History:

Saint Mary Church, also known as the Church of the Mother of God, is located in the town of Delvinë, in the southern part of Albania. It is one of the oldest churches in the region, having been built in the 9th century, shortly after the country was converted to Christianity by the Byzantine Empire. It was originally part of a Benedictine monastery, founded by the archbishop of Durres. In the early 14th century, the church became part of the Orthodox Church, taking on the Byzantine architectural style. The church was later destroyed by the Ottoman Turks in the 16th century, but was rebuilt in the 17th century in a simplified version of its original form. During this period, the church was used mainly for religious activities in the local area. In the 19th century the church underwent a major restoration under the reign of King Zogu I. This project included the reconstruction of the main altar and windows, as well as the addition of frescoes. The church was also renovated in 1951, and is now a protected national monument listed on the Tentative List of Albania for potential nomination as a World Heritage Site. The church is a 3-aisled structure and uses a cross-in-square plan. Its walls are made of stone and it has one semi-circular apse and a dome over the central nave. The interior of the church is filled with painted frescoes from the 19th century, depicting episodes from the lives of Jesus and Mary and symbols of some Orthodox saints. Today, Saint Mary Church is an active place of worship and one of the main attractions in the Delvinë region. It is visited by tourists throughout the year, as well as by Orthodox Christians from Albania and other countries in the world. The church remains an important site of pilgrimage, and is known for its beauty and historical significance. It continues to serve as an important symbol of the power of faith, and a reminder of Albania's long religious history. Sources: -UNESCO World Heritage Centre. (n.d.). Tentative List of Albania. Retrieved from https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/6244/ -Petrikeci, V. (2007). Delvinë: History and Monuments. Delvina, Albania: Delvina Municipality. -Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sports. (n.d.). Saint Mary Church (Church of the Mother of God). Retrieved from http://www.mct.gov.al/an/objektet-kulturore/501-bazilika-e-shna-mbremjes-kisha-e-bar-nazaretit Visit one of the famous monuments of Albania with your friends and family.

Interesting facts:

1. The Saint Mary Church is located in the city of Delvinë in Albania and was built in the 11th Century in the traditional Byzantine style. 2. The church is part of a wider complex of Byzantine monuments, including the Byzantine Monastery of Saint John, the Church of the Theotokos, and the Church of Saint Mary. 3. It is believed that the St Mary Church was intended to replace a number of smaller medieval churches that had previously stood in the area. 4. Despite numerous modifications over its history, the church retains its original architectural structure and frescoes in a good state of preservation thanks to careful restoration efforts in the twentieth century. 5. The frescoes inside the church, which were created in the 13th century and depict scenes from the Bible, are thought to be some of the oldest in Albania. 6. Saint Mary Church is part of a larger World Heritage Site called the Historic Centre of the City of Berat. 7. The site, which covers an area of almost 9 acres, is listed on the prestigious UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. One of the historical monuments of Albania, it tells the story of a bygone era