St. Mary's Church, Maligrad

The St. Mary's Church[1] or Virgin Mary's Church[2] (Albanian: Shpella e Maligradit) is an Eastern Orthodox cave church on the island of Maligrad, in the Albanian part of Lake Prespa. It is a Cultural Monument of Albania.[3] The church is dedicated to Saint Mary and was built by Serbian nobleman Kesar Novak (alb. Qesar Novaku[1]), in the year 1369.[2][4]

St. Mary’s Cave Church
Albanian: Shpella e Maligradit
Religion
AffiliationEastern Orthodox Christianity
Location
LocationMaligrad, lake Prespa
CountryAlbania
Geographic coordinates40.7920°N 20.9317°E
Architecture
Style Serbian Orthodox Art
FounderKesar Novak
Completed1369

The church has frescoes and Greek inscriptions dated to 1369. Frescoes exist of the family of Kesar Novak, with his Greek wife Kalia.[2][5]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b Anamali, Skënder (2002). Historia e popullit shqiptar në katër vëllime (in Albanian). Vol. I. Botimet Toena. pp. 294–295. OCLC 52411919.
  2. ^ a b c "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-10-06. Retrieved 2014-05-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ "Religious buildings with the "Culture Monument" status". Republic of Albania National Committee for Cult. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved October 28, 2010.
  4. ^ Dr Vlad. R. Petković, Stari srpski spomenici u Južnoj Srbiji: "Na PRESPI kesar Novak podiže 1369. god. crkvu Bogorodici (na ostrvu Mali Grad)."
  5. ^ Ivan M. Đorđević, Zidno slikarstvo srpske vlastele u doba Nemanjica. OCLC 34957313, sl. 84 i 85