We left North Macedonia feeling quite pleased with ourselves, and headed to Korce, our next town for a couple of day. We decided to visit a very small church just outside the city, before lunch, and drove up a narrow, steep road through a village to arrive at the church where two other cars had stopped. The church itself was extremely old:
It was also very locked!
I noticed other people taking photos through that little letterbox-type opening on the left-hand side, so when they eventually gave up and left, I tried with my phone to see what I could get. And to my astonishment, this appeared:
An old man appeared who signalled that he would go and get someone with the key – so we waited awhile, until he came running back, a bit out of breath, and indicated that the key was coming. Then an extremely old man with a beautiful stick limped up, opened up the church and left us to look around – so here’s another astonishing video (we think these are the finest frescoes we’ve seen in Albania so far):
And some details to enjoy:
How lucky you’ve been. The border hopping is eye/opening. The frescos very fine indeed.
Ah ha! So now we know – “late Paleologon” style. Thanks much for all the visual and textual detail. Fascinating.
You’ll be an expert soon of the late and early styles I hope
Yes, slightly odd to walk across a border and back, with the border guards carefully checking our passports even though they’d just seen us. The frescos were really fine
I LOVE those animals. Did I spot an octopus?
You did! I asked M particularly to capture the image – oddly endearing
We’ll if that doesn’t put the fear of god into you then nothing will!
Oh yes! I love Last Judgement images – I particularly relish the king being pushed down into the hell monster’s mouth
Fantastic frescoes. I think there’s an octopus too but I’m much more worried about the donkey which seems to be substituting for the grapefruit in that sixties staple, the cheese and pineapple hedgehog.
Yes, don’t hold out much hope for the donkey. Symbolism a tad tricky
Extraordinary frescoes. So different. Just by the way have you come across any synagogues? Just asking….
Gorgeous wildflowers, dragonflies, and frescos. How wonderful the very old man opened the church. You surprise with the exquisit out of the way discoveries.
No sign of the Jews though they were here – definitely no synagogues so far
It was a very special day!
Astonishing!!
The images in this church were really vivid – not as static as some of the other walls of saints
What fantastic frescoes and it appears done over a longish period given the variation in style – or perhaps just different artists! The photo Miriam took through the letterbox is fantastic because of the sense of glimpsing a hidden treasure.
The picture through the door was extraordinary – the slot created for this very purpose I think because if you peered through the slot you somehow couldn’t see anything. So very glad we got inside.
The frescoes are wonderful, less formal and less predictable than most. What a lovely holiday you are sharing with us.
So happy you loved them – we have been astonished at Albania, and its delightful and charming people as well as its long (and often troubled) history and cultures. Thanks for your comment. XX