The Church of St. George is located in the southeastern sector of the Berat Castle, and represents one of the Christian cult objects with a complex construction and transformational history. Originally built in the 18th century, the church has undergone significant changes during the 20th century, partially losing its original architectural characteristics.
During the 1980s, the building was reconstructed and adapted for use as a government residence, which led to the demolition of the upper part of the church and the construction of a new structure in the traditional Berat style. However, the ground floor of the building still preserves the authentic 18th-century walls, built with alternating layers of brick and stone, a technique typical of southern Albanian construction craftsmanship.
A black and white photograph by the Italian agency LUCE, taken during the 1940s, provides important documentary value for its previous form, where the church is presented in the typology of a monastery complex, with stone walls, a western entrance and a rectangular plan. Another distinctive element was the colonnaded portico, which added harmony to the facade and served as a reception space and passage to the nave.
A distinctive architectural feature of the former church was the bell tower positioned on the western side of the building, with two spaces for placing bells, an element that indicates the care taken in balancing between liturgical functionality and the aesthetic dimension of the structure.
Today, although the Church of Saint George no longer preserves its full historical form, it remains a testament to the interplay between ancient religious heritage and modern-day interventions, reflecting the challenges of the survival of monuments during different political periods in Albania.
