The National Institute of Cultural Heritage (IKTK) has launched conservation works on one of Albania’s key Byzantine art masterpieces.

The Department of Artworks, in cooperation with the Archaeological Park of Apollonia, is currently restoring the mural painting in the refectory of the Monastery of St. Mary. This mural dates back to the second half of the 13th century. It stands as one of the most significant examples of Byzantine wall painting in Albania.

IKTK confirmed that conservators are now stabilizing the preparatory layers of the painting along the southern and northern walls.

The mural is part of a larger ensemble. Nearby are the monastery’s mosaics, the church’s portico with its elegant row of eight columns, icons, and additional frescoes. Together, these elements form a highly evocative complex.

Set atop a hill overlooking the ruins of ancient Apollonia, the Myzeqe plain, and the Adriatic Sea, the Monastery and Church of St. Mary offer one of the most impressive religious sites in the country.

This site combines classical antiquity with Byzantine architecture. The presence of the Archaeological Museum within the monastery further enhances the site’s historical, architectural, cultural, and spiritual value.

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