TIRANA, July 25/ATA/-The first phase of reconstruction of St Thanas Church in Dhërmi, in southern Albania, is completed. The reconstruction works began in April of the current year.
The decision to reconstruct the church followed a constant request of the local community for restoration of the church in the way it used to be before it was demolished in 1969 by the communist regime.
Albanian Development Fund in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and the Orthodox Autocephalous Church as well as by support of the local community got committed to reconstruction of the outer structure of the church, the wall, the roof and parts of the bell-tower.
The church dates back to 1671.
In 1963, the church was declared a monument of culture by decision of Tirana University presidency and backed by a decision of the Ministry of Education and Culture in 1967.
But, a year later the church was removed from the list of monuments of culture and in 1969 it was demolished.
The reconstruction of the church is realized thanks to intervention of the Albanian Development Fund undertaken during the current year in the context of requalification of the villages of Vuno and Dhërmi at the account of the government of Albania and the Council of Europe Development Bank.
These interventions aim to transform Southern Albania into a tourist destination not only for the sea, but even for its historical and cultural heritage./j.p/p.s./
