The Church of St. Mary of Vlaherna, dating back to the 13th – 14th centuries, is among the earliest and best-preserved churches in the city of Berat, representative of the late Byzantine period. It is located in the eastern part of the Castle and was built according to the architectural technique known as “klausonazh” – a harmonious combination of red bricks and stones, which creates a special aesthetic effect on the facade.
The church structure includes a domed nave, a spacious narthex, and an eastern apse, while the surroundings also include functional elements of the time, such as a water cistern located under the narthex, which testifies to its practical and protective role in the past.
The church underwent significant reconstructions in the second half of the 16th century, while maintaining its previous shape and dimensions. The interior frescoes, painted in 1578 by Nikola, son of the famous iconographer Onufri, remain one of the highest artistic values of the monument. This date is documented in a historical inscription preserved above the gate connecting the narthex with the nave.
The walls of the nave are decorated with three rows of frescoes, representing sacred scenes and figures of Christian saints, executed in deep colors and refined iconographic elaboration. Also, the floor mosaic, composed of stone elements placed in a geometric manner, adds another artistic and historical dimension to the environment.
Despite the restoration interventions it has experienced over the centuries, the Church of Saint Mary of Vlaherna has essentially preserved its constructional and iconographic authenticity, and is today considered a cultural monument of special national importance.
