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The Church of “Saint Mary” in Elbasan that served as an educational center for the Albanian language
2025-02-21 08:37:41 / JETË
The Church of Saint Mary in the Elbasan Castle has been a First Category Cultural Monument since 1963.
Built around 1830 by the Christian community, on the foundations of an older church dating back to the 17th century, St. Mary's Church replaced the Romanesque-style cathedral, which is thought to have existed earlier.
This cult object of the central hall type, covered with a dome over a drum, is notable for its ethnocultural and architectural values, rare in the region.
Historical sources prove that in the years 1656-1661, the church of Saint Mary functioned regularly with endowments and income.
The church codex contains data on citizens' gifts, records of accounts, income, expenses, and real estate.
The iconostasis, built entirely of bush wood, was skillfully crafted by 40 craftsmen from Dibra over the course of a decade. It reflects elements of the Christian faith, such as the grape vine, animals, birds, and flowers.
Today, only two original icons are preserved, while the iconostasis remains a rare testament to the art of woodcarving.
The Church of Saint Mary is ranked alongside other Orthodox churches in the Elbasan region that are cultural monuments such as the church of Ameli, that of Saint Kolli in Shelcan, that of Saint Kolli in Valesh, the church of Saint Cosmas and Damian in Sterstan, that of Saint Michael in Shales, the church of Saint Mary in Dragat, that of Saint Thanas in Elbasan, etc.
St. Mary of the "Castle" of Elbasan is a profound testimony to the presence of Orthodox culture in this area and has served as an educational center, contributing to the development of the Albanian language and its culture.
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