Voskopoje Travel Guide

 JLBG Says:  I do not usually report on VT about something I have not seen but there is no map of Moskopojë (or at least I did not found any) and this report might help other travellers not to miss Kisha e Profet iIias.Here is the transcript of the post standing on the main square of... 

 JLBG Says:  Kisha Shën Nikola, better known as Kisha Shën Kolli (Church of St. Nicholas) stands almost in the center of Voskopojë, connected to the main square by Rruga Shën Kolli (St Nicholas street). Same as Shën Marisë, the bell-tower is separated from the church itself and the... 

 JLBG Says:  On the wooden door, a post says : “Kisha e Shën Marisë Monument Kulture mbrohet nga shtet”, which means that it is a state protected cultural monument. I guess it is no more used as a church but has not been yet organized for visits. Too bad ! May be it is possible on... 

 JLBG Says:  Photo 1 : the church is small and is undergoing repairs. We could visit the inside and admire the numerous paintings but could not take any photography.Photo 2 is a close up on the side of the churchPhoto 3 shows a building standing in the inner yard, in front of the... 

 JLBG Says:  Kisha e Shën Athanasit stands not far from Kisha Shën Premtës, on another hill, on the other side of the gully.Photo 1 shows a general view of the hillPhoto 2 shows Kisha Shën Premtës standing above the city cemeteryPhotos 3 and 4 are close ups on the rear of Kisha Shën... 

 JLBG Says:  However, when I look at my photos of the chairs, I discovered that I had, by pure chance a few bits of the paintings. Here they are !Photo 1 shows a superbly painted man clad in an embroidered costume.Photo 2 shows a warrior with a long swordPhoto 3 shows two priestsPhoto 4... 

 JLBG Says:  Amazingly, Kisha Shën Nikola has three chairs, each of them delicatly carved and painted with gold and other colors. As soon as I had photographed the chairs, their arrived a pope that, as expected made signs meaning that photos were not allowed and he showed the wall with... 

 JLBG Says:  The church was open , there was nobody inside and no sign said that it was forbidden to photograph. However, I felt that if someone came in, I might be told not to photograph anymore. Thus, I hurried to take as many shots as possible, beginning with the iconostasis. 

 JLBG Says:  Many paintings in the gallery are heavily damaged but nevertheless most of them are still readable. Let us hope that in a near future, they will be restored in the same way than the paintings in Shën Athanasit.For those that are interested in these paintings, I have made... 

 JLBG Says:  photo 1 shows the inside of the gallery. Paintings can be seen on the left wall.Photo 2 shows the entrance into the churchPhoto 3 is an enlargement that shows the paintings on top pf the entrance, whith St Nicholas in the middle, better seen on photo 4.Photo 5 shows two... 

 JLBG Says:  In the yard, on the right, the vaulted gallery extends on the whole length of the churchPhoto 1 and 2 show the whole gallery with its seven pillarsPhoto 3 shows the gallery with the bell-tower in the background.Photos 4 and 5 show the nice arrangement of the bricks on top of... 

 JLBG Says:  While the walls are built with stones, the upper part of the apse is built using bricks in various shapes and colors.Photos 1 and 2 show the apsePhotos 3, 4 and 5 show details of the arrangement of the bricks. 

 JLBG Says:  As is said on the official signpost, the nartex is entirely ruined and there remains only its print on the western wall. The windows are set with a wire netting but the glass seems to be missing. Ltet us hope that in the near future it will be possible to restore this church... 

 JLBG Says:  Taverna Mishel is a few kilometers away from Voskopojë, on the way back to Korcë. The tables are scattered under small roofs in a green meadow. The place is quiet and pleasant, the owners very welcoming See next tip (not enough space for the photos) 

 JLBG Says:  This nice fountain flows on the side of the main square, on Rruga Shën Kolli (Saint Nicholas street). Voskopojë is wat ered by several streams and there is plenty of water. This is one reason why the city was able to grow in the XVIIIth.Rruga Shën Kolli leads to … Kisha Shën...