Archaeological & Religious Sites Gjirokaster

The Church of Saint Mary in Vllaho-Goranxi

Saint Mary church is located in the village, near Plateau of Melan. It is a small 17th century domed basilica, mainly famous for its paintings by Onouphrios Cypriot, painted in 1622. Recent restoration works (2000-2002) brought to light older ruins that may belong to an earlier church, near the northern wall. On its exterior walls and in the interior, a large number of reused architectural elements that add more beauty and make the church very intriguing can be seen. Most of these elements belong to an Early Christian church (5th-6th centuries). It is unclear if these elements were found onsite by the builders of the church or brought in from another location, possibly from nearby Melan.