The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is located in the center of the Berat Castle and represents one of the most important religious and artistic monuments of the city. Built in 1797, on the ruins of an earlier church, this cathedral has been the center of spiritual life for the Orthodox community of the castle for more than a century.
Its architectural structure includes a basilica-style nave, equipped with two domes, a narthex (courtyard) at the entrance and a hajat (portico) that partially surrounds it from the outside. The monumental inscription above the main entrance attests to the year of construction and constitutes authentic evidence of its construction history.
The interior of the cathedral is decorated with mural frescoes created by the Çetire atelier, one of the most renowned families of Albanian iconography, in 1860. Their artistic works follow the post-Byzantine iconographic tradition and present a multitude of sacred figures and biblical scenes with theological and aesthetic values.
The church's liturgical objects include a monumental carved wooden iconostasis, an elevated pulpit for church readings, and an episcopal throne, all crafted with rare craftsmanship that reflects Albanian ecclesiastical art of the 18th–19th centuries.
In 1986, the building was transformed into the National Iconographic Museum "Onufri", which bears the name of the great 16th-century master, Onufri, and preserves a rich collection of over 170 icons and liturgical objects, created by various authors, including Onufri's son, Nikolla, David Selenica, Kostandin Shpataraku, and members of the Çetiri family.
Today, the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary is not only an object of sacred cult in the religious history of Berat, but also a museum center of national importance, offering a rare cultural and artistic journey through Albanian post-Byzantine iconography and heritage.
