[Greek Culture Ministry via InTime News]
The first phase of the restoration of the Byzantine Church of Saint Nicholas in Mesopotam (or Mesopotamos in Greek), a predominantly ethnic Greek town in southern Albania, has been announced, the Greek Ministry of Culture has announced .
The project is part of a collaboration agreement signed in September 2021 between the European Center for Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Monuments based in Thessaloniki and the Albanian Ministry of Culture for the restoration of the church’s frescoes, marble elements and floor.
The first phase involved surveying all surfaces of the church up to a height of 8 metres, followed by the removal of plaster and lime coverings later. A special discovery during the process was a large part of the previously hidden fresco decoration.
Believed to have been built in 1224 or 1225, the church is part of a now abandoned monastery and is considered one of the finest examples of its type.
