TIRANA, Nov 11 /ATA/ - Albanian and international experts convened at the St. Nicholas Monastery in Mesopotam in the country’s south to discuss efforts to preserve the historic site, the National Institute of Cultural Heritage (IKTK) said on Tuesday.

The meeting brought together representatives from the Regional Directorate of Monuments in Vlorë, the European Center for Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Studies in Thessaloniki, the Greek Ministry of Culture, and cultural heritage specialists.

It is part of a collaborative project between Albania’s Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Sports and the European Center, aimed at conserving and restoring murals and decorative elements in the Byzantine-era church.

Discussions focused on addressing challenges encountered during the project and outlining next steps to safeguard the site, IKTK said.

The St. Nicholas Monastery, located east of Finiq, is a notable example of Byzantine architecture in Albania.

The church was built on the ruins of an ancient pagan temple, believed to date to the reign of Byzantine Emperor Constantine IX Monomachos.

It sits on a hill between the Bistrica and Kalasa rivers, near the remains of the ancient city of Finiq.

The monastery’s surrounding walls, covering about 100 meters and reinforced by seven rectangular towers, predate the existing church, highlighting the site’s long and layered history.

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