MONASTERY OF MESOPOTAM

Founded in the ^11th century, the Orthodox monastery of St. Nicholas of Mesopotam (Manastiri i Shën Kollit ne Mesopotam, Ιερά Μονή Αγίου Νικολάου Μεσοπόταμου/Iera Moni Agiou Nikolaou Mesopotamou) mainly preserves a superb Byzantine church. Built in 1225, it has survived many earthquakes and looting. Its architecture is quite astonishing. With its 10 m high walls, topped by four domes (originally seven), this is one of the largest Byzantine churches in Albania. It was built on the site of an ancient Greek temple using materials from the city of Phœnicè. The exterior walls feature stone blocks carved in half-round relief, depicting eagles, dragons and lions. Another unique feature is the two identical naves adjoining each other. Some researchers have suggested that this double nave may have been designed to house two distinct places of worship, one Orthodox, the other Catholic. This symbol of the union of the two "currents" of Christianity in the same space could be the origin of the name of the village of Mesopotam/Mesopotamos, itself situated between two arms of the Bistrica. Since 2015, the interior has been undergoing restoration with the help of Unesco. Most of the ^13th-century frescoes have disappeared, but the south wall is adorned with a portrait of Emperor Constantine IX Monomachus (^11th century) praying before an icon of Christ. The apse retains a colorful Orante.