TIRANA, June 22 /ATA/ After the restoration of the roof of St. Mary church on the island of Maligrad in Prespa, the work is ongoing for the preservation of its values.
The National Agency of Protected Areas, Korça’s Protected Areas Administration supported by the environmental protection organization “Transboundary Biosphere Prespa” in cooperation with Korça’s Regional Directorate of Cultural Heritage and European Heritage Volunteers are working to preserve this gem of Prespa.
This church is an important tourist attraction not only for Prespa’s National Park, but for the whole region and Albania.
The St. Mary Church is located on Lake Prespa on the island of Maligrad. The Church of St. Mary, which dates back to the 14th century is one of the most valuable monuments of cultural heritage.
The excavations on this island have found objects such as tiles, columns and capitals which, according to archaeologists, belong to a Paleo-Christian church thought to have been in the upper part of the lake.
Above this island lie the ruins of the summer villa of Tsar Simeon that dates back to the 11th century. The Church of St. Mary is an old foundation and has served as a spiritual center for Albanian leaders.
The inscriptions on this church belong to different periods of its history. An inscription on the south side, the earliest in this church belongs to 1345 and the first phase of its decoration with frescoes./k.s/sm/
