462:
188:
383:
470:
180:
54:
282:
326:
477:
The monastery site is normally closed with fencing and locked gates, but the Papas of the modern
Orthodox church in Mespotam has the keys and visits can be arranged if planned and coordinated in advance. In May each year the community of Mesopotam village hold an "open day" and "festival" to
513:
The Holy
Monastery of Saint Nicholas rises majestically on a pine-clad hill next to the river Voustrisa, near ancient Phoenike. The monastery was once enclosed by a tall, stout defence wall, only part of which is still preserved. The fortification must have been essential in its day, for the
222:
The
Orthodox monastery was built on the walls of a much older temple. An Albanian Heritage Foundation team, directed by architect Reshat Gega, conducted research on the monastery, performing excavations and restoration over a period of 20 years. Evidence the team found included
265:
The original openings in the temple walls have been used as either alcoves or windows by the builders of the monastery. An accompanying photograph shows such an alcove with an icon of the Saint
Nicholas, the patron saint of the monastery.
215:. As stauropegion it was also free of the jurisdiction of the local bishopric. During the early 14th century the bishop of nearby Chimara (modern Himara) tried to impose his authority but this resulted to his expulsion from the see. When
850:
843:
730:
699:
1060:
836:
1164:
390:
The temple walls contain several legendary icons including a lion, a serpent dragon with a knot in its tail, and a serpent dragon with its tail coiled around its neck and back.
943:
859:
692:
231:(modern Finik) located 3 km from the monastery. One of the decorative stones bears the inscription "Menelau", presumed to be a reference to the Spartan King
1169:
273:
and is a protected heritage site, although the church and temple building is in need of restoration, held against collapse with wooden props and scaffolding.
1027:
1007:
79:
289:
As is immediately evident to speakers of Greek "Agios
Nikolaos", Serbian "Sveti Nikola", and the Albanian "Shën Kollit" are the same saint, anglicised to
1159:
685:
1106:
1032:
200:
The monastery is thought to have been built in 1224 or 1225. It was once enclosed by a circular wall which is today only partly preserved. Its double
1101:
1154:
781:
212:
204:
makes it unique in its genre, and it is thought of as this was due to the monastery being used by two religious rites (Catholic and
Orthodox).
750:
555:
1116:
1174:
592:
905:
802:
760:
528:
1121:
817:
725:
910:
506:
369:
933:
297:, the patron saint of the island of Corfu, that lies 20 km west of Mesopotam. Bishops Nicholas and Spyridon both attended the
461:
1022:
928:
1046:
1073:
938:
336:
308:
The
Corfiots successfully petitioned for the body of Saint Spyridon to be relocated to the capital of Corfu. The remains of
1002:
997:
981:
745:
976:
765:
755:
740:
431:(c) In 297 BC, the occupants of Butrint and the builders of the temple walls forming Mesopotam Monastery were neighbors.
270:
116:
216:
900:
971:
187:
1068:
351:
219:
has been elected
Patriarch he issued a decree confirming the privileged status of the Mesopotamon monastery.
1111:
1040:
347:
298:
882:
382:
302:
227:
stones from the 3rd-4th centuries BC, confirming the connection with the capital of the
Epirote League at
720:
1016:
571:
1129:
525:
545:
948:
797:
735:
526:
Manastiri i
Mesopotamit, Një rast unikal në arkitekturën bizantine botërore Reshat Gega 6/12/2010
1086:
660:
301:
in the year 325. The bodies of both saints were "rescued" and sent by ship to Italy during the
828:
596:
469:
812:
551:
502:
421:
179:
145:
33:
639:
547:
The Despotate of Epiros 1267-1479: A Contribution to the History of Greece in the Middle Ages
618:
420:) has a great gate, referred to as the Lion Gate, whose headstone depicts a bull, possibly
312:
are revered at Bari's great Basilica di San Nicola Italy, in Venice and at Myra in Turkey.
1092:
966:
169:
877:
309:
294:
290:
224:
153:
41:
1148:
532:
677:
53:
434:(d) According to the Roman writer Virgil, Butrint's legendary founder was the seer
281:
208:
409:, the priest of Troy and his two sons were strangled by a pair of serpent dragons.
496:
447:
406:
259:
240:
161:
94:
81:
425:
417:
402:
247:
236:
165:
67:
920:
892:
869:
232:
228:
478:
celebrate Saint Nicholas's "saint's day" at the site of the monastery.
435:
413:
173:
251:
354:. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed.
495:
Giakoumēs, Geōrgios K.; Vlassas, Grēgorēs; Hardy, David A. (1996).
468:
460:
439:
398:
381:
280:
255:
186:
178:
595:. Republic of Albania National Committee for Cult. Archived from
958:
514:
surrounding plain was completely vulnerable to plundering raids.
443:
201:
832:
681:
640:"Manuel Cohen Photography, text description of The Lions Gate"
405:
as "the Lion" and numerous Roman and Greek authors write that
319:
386:
The church is held together with wooden props and scaffolding
191:
Community celebration at Mesopotam Monastery on 20 May 2018.
593:"Religious buildings with the "Culture Monument" status"
473:
The carving of a serpent dragon with a knot in its tail.
465:
Saint Nicholas the patron saint of Mesopotam monastery.
343:
285:
The original temple walls probably date to circa 297 BC
164:
of the abandoned Orthodox monastery of Saint George in
1061:
St. Athanasius' Monastery Church, Leshnicë e Poshtme
424:, being wrestled to the ground by a lion - possibly
990:
957:
919:
891:
868:
790:
774:
713:
123:
114:
73:
63:
23:
394:The following information may be co-incidental.
1165:13th-century Eastern Orthodox church buildings
844:
693:
246:The nearby area includes the ancient site of
8:
861:Religious Cultural Monuments in Vlorë County
731:Dormition of the Theotokos (Labovë e Kryqit)
851:
837:
829:
700:
686:
678:
550:. Cambridge University Press. p. 76.
442:of Troy, who moved West after the fall of
254:says was founded by Trojan descendants of
52:
20:
1008:St. John the Theologian's Monastery Tower
370:Learn how and when to remove this message
1079:St. Nicholas Monastery Church, Mesopotam
1054:Holy Trinity Monastery Church, Kardhikaq
661:"Virgil, The Aeneid, stanzas 290 to 398"
293:. Saint Nicholas was contemporary with
1107:St. Demetrius' Monastery Church, Qeparo
1065:St. George's Church, Leshnicë e Sipërme
487:
1028:St. Nicholas' Monastery Church, Dhivër
213:Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople
211:and as such directly dependent to the
1170:Byzantine church buildings in Albania
122:
113:
7:
1102:St. Mary's Monastery Church, Piqeras
944:St. Sergius' and St. Bacchus' Church
258:, who settled in the area after the
1051:St. Mary's Monastery Church, Kameno
1033:St. Mary's Monastery Church, Dhivër
813:St. Quiricus and Julietta (Dhuvjan)
572:"Pasurohet historiku i Mesopotamit"
446:with Neoptolemus and his concubine
158:Καθολικό Ιεράς Μονής Αγίου Νικολάου
46:Καθολικό Ιεράς Μονής Αγίου Νικολάου
14:
1160:Buildings and structures in Finiq
708:Byzantine architecture in Albania
498:Monuments of Orthodoxy in Albania
150:Kisha e Manastirit të Shën Kollit
38:Kisha e Manastirit të Shën Kollit
324:
1122:Forty Saints Monastery, Sarandë
1117:St. George's Monastery, Sarandë
1037:St. Nicholas' Church, Dhrovjan
751:St. Mary of Blachernae (Berat)
24:St. Nicholas' Monastery Church
1:
1155:Cultural Monuments of Albania
1135:St. Mary's Monastery, Zvërnec
1126:St. Athanasius' Church, Sopik
782:Dormition of St. Mary (Berat)
142:St. Nicholas Monastery Church
1098:St. Athanasius' Church, Pecë
1057:St. Mary's Monastery, Krorëz
1047:St. Mary's Monastery, Kakome
271:Cultural Monument of Albania
117:Cultural Monument of Albania
1003:St. George's Church, Brataj
998:St. Nicholas' Church, Armen
350:the claims made and adding
239:led the assault during the
1191:
1023:St. John's Church, Delvinë
18:Historic site in Mesopotam
1074:St. Mary's Church, Melçan
544:Nicol, Donald M. (1984).
157:
135:
131:
110:
51:
45:
28:
1175:Churches in Vlorë County
1069:Ancient temple, Livadhja
906:Panagia Monastery Church
808:St. Nicholas (Mesopotam)
58:Church of Saint Nichοlas
619:"Who is Saint Nicholas"
299:First Council of Nicaea
250:which the Roman writer
818:Forty Saints (Saranda)
761:St. Paraskevi (Përmet)
474:
466:
387:
303:Fall of Constantinople
286:
269:It is designated as a
192:
184:
183:The carving of a Lion.
149:
37:
1083:Ancient temple, Metoq
982:St. Spyridon's Church
472:
464:
385:
284:
190:
182:
1112:Gjin Aleksi's Mosque
1041:Dervish Ali's Towers
1013:Church ruins, Çiflik
977:St. Saviour's Church
972:St. Michael's Church
911:St. Stephen's Church
883:Neshat Pashaj Mosque
726:Holy Trinity (Berat)
934:St. Andrew's Church
766:St. Spyridon (Vuno)
756:St. Michael (Berat)
746:St. Mary (Maligrad)
95:39.9058°N 20.1006°E
91: /
1017:Xhemahallë complex
949:Hajji Bendo Mosque
929:All Saints' Church
803:St. Mary (Zvërnec)
741:St. Mary (Elbasan)
475:
467:
388:
335:possibly contains
287:
207:The monastery was
193:
185:
1142:
1141:
1130:St. Marina's Cave
939:St. Mary's Church
826:
825:
736:Marmiroi (Orikum)
557:978-0-521-26190-6
501:. Doukas School.
380:
379:
372:
337:original research
139:
138:
1182:
901:Hypapante Church
862:
853:
846:
839:
830:
702:
695:
688:
679:
672:
671:
669:
667:
657:
651:
650:
648:
646:
636:
630:
629:
627:
625:
615:
609:
608:
606:
604:
589:
583:
582:
580:
578:
568:
562:
561:
541:
535:
523:
517:
516:
492:
438:, a son of king
412:(b) The site of
375:
368:
364:
361:
355:
352:inline citations
328:
327:
320:
316:The Dragon Icons
159:
106:
105:
103:
102:
101:
100:39.9058; 20.1006
96:
92:
89:
88:
87:
84:
56:
47:
21:
1190:
1189:
1185:
1184:
1183:
1181:
1180:
1179:
1145:
1144:
1143:
1138:
1093:Marmiroi church
1087:Kamenicë Church
986:
967:Mesodhia Church
953:
915:
887:
864:
860:
857:
827:
822:
798:Ardenica (Fier)
786:
770:
721:Byzantine (Lin)
709:
706:
676:
675:
665:
663:
659:
658:
654:
644:
642:
638:
637:
633:
623:
621:
617:
616:
612:
602:
600:
591:
590:
586:
576:
574:
570:
569:
565:
558:
543:
542:
538:
524:
520:
509:
494:
493:
489:
484:
459:
376:
365:
359:
356:
341:
329:
325:
318:
279:
198:
119:
99:
97:
93:
90:
85:
82:
80:
78:
77:
59:
40:
32:
19:
12:
11:
5:
1188:
1186:
1178:
1177:
1172:
1167:
1162:
1157:
1147:
1146:
1140:
1139:
1137:
1136:
1133:
1127:
1124:
1119:
1114:
1109:
1104:
1099:
1096:
1090:
1084:
1081:
1076:
1071:
1066:
1063:
1058:
1055:
1052:
1049:
1044:
1038:
1035:
1030:
1025:
1020:
1014:
1011:
1005:
1000:
994:
992:
988:
987:
985:
984:
979:
974:
969:
963:
961:
955:
954:
952:
951:
946:
941:
936:
931:
925:
923:
917:
916:
914:
913:
908:
903:
897:
895:
889:
888:
886:
885:
880:
878:Muradie Mosque
874:
872:
866:
865:
858:
856:
855:
848:
841:
833:
824:
823:
821:
820:
815:
810:
805:
800:
794:
792:
788:
787:
785:
784:
778:
776:
772:
771:
769:
768:
763:
758:
753:
748:
743:
738:
733:
728:
723:
717:
715:
711:
710:
707:
705:
704:
697:
690:
682:
674:
673:
652:
631:
610:
599:on 6 July 2011
584:
563:
556:
536:
531:2014-04-16 at
518:
507:
486:
485:
483:
480:
458:
455:
454:
453:
452:
451:
432:
429:
410:
378:
377:
332:
330:
323:
317:
314:
310:Saint Nicholas
295:Saint Spyridon
291:Saint Nicholas
278:
275:
235:whose brother
197:
194:
137:
136:
133:
132:
129:
128:
125:
121:
120:
115:
112:
111:
108:
107:
75:
71:
70:
65:
61:
60:
57:
49:
48:
26:
25:
17:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1187:
1176:
1173:
1171:
1168:
1166:
1163:
1161:
1158:
1156:
1153:
1152:
1150:
1134:
1131:
1128:
1125:
1123:
1120:
1118:
1115:
1113:
1110:
1108:
1105:
1103:
1100:
1097:
1094:
1091:
1088:
1085:
1082:
1080:
1077:
1075:
1072:
1070:
1067:
1064:
1062:
1059:
1056:
1053:
1050:
1048:
1045:
1042:
1039:
1036:
1034:
1031:
1029:
1026:
1024:
1021:
1018:
1015:
1012:
1009:
1006:
1004:
1001:
999:
996:
995:
993:
989:
983:
980:
978:
975:
973:
970:
968:
965:
964:
962:
960:
956:
950:
947:
945:
942:
940:
937:
935:
932:
930:
927:
926:
924:
922:
918:
912:
909:
907:
904:
902:
899:
898:
896:
894:
890:
884:
881:
879:
876:
875:
873:
871:
867:
863:
854:
849:
847:
842:
840:
835:
834:
831:
819:
816:
814:
811:
809:
806:
804:
801:
799:
796:
795:
793:
789:
783:
780:
779:
777:
773:
767:
764:
762:
759:
757:
754:
752:
749:
747:
744:
742:
739:
737:
734:
732:
729:
727:
724:
722:
719:
718:
716:
712:
703:
698:
696:
691:
689:
684:
683:
680:
662:
656:
653:
641:
635:
632:
620:
614:
611:
598:
594:
588:
585:
573:
567:
564:
559:
553:
549:
548:
540:
537:
534:
533:archive.today
530:
527:
522:
519:
515:
510:
508:9789607203090
504:
500:
499:
491:
488:
481:
479:
471:
463:
456:
449:
445:
441:
437:
433:
430:
427:
423:
419:
415:
411:
408:
404:
400:
396:
395:
393:
392:
391:
384:
374:
371:
363:
353:
349:
345:
339:
338:
333:This section
331:
322:
321:
315:
313:
311:
306:
304:
300:
296:
292:
283:
276:
274:
272:
267:
263:
261:
257:
253:
249:
244:
242:
238:
234:
230:
226:
220:
218:
214:
210:
205:
203:
195:
189:
181:
177:
175:
171:
167:
163:
155:
151:
147:
143:
134:
130:
126:
118:
109:
104:
76:
72:
69:
66:
62:
55:
50:
43:
39:
35:
31:
27:
22:
16:
1095:, Pashaliman
1078:
807:
664:. Retrieved
655:
643:. Retrieved
634:
622:. Retrieved
613:
601:. Retrieved
597:the original
587:
575:. Retrieved
566:
546:
539:
521:
512:
497:
490:
476:
389:
366:
357:
334:
307:
288:
268:
264:
245:
221:
209:stauropegion
206:
199:
170:Vlorë County
141:
140:
30:Native names
29:
15:
1010:, Cerkovicë
991:Other towns
791:Monasteries
217:John Glykys
98: /
74:Coordinates
1149:Categories
775:Cathedrals
603:28 October
482:References
448:Andromache
401:refers to
344:improve it
260:Trojan War
241:Trojan War
162:katholikon
124:Designated
86:20°06′02″E
83:39°54′21″N
1132:, Vagalat
1089:, Palavli
1019:, Delvinë
426:Agamemnon
418:Buthrotum
403:Agamemnon
348:verifying
305:in 1453.
248:Buthrotum
237:Agamemnon
166:Mesopotam
160:) is the
68:Mesopotam
714:Churches
577:2 August
529:Archived
397:(a) the
360:May 2018
233:Menelaus
229:Phoenice
225:Hellenic
146:Albanian
64:Location
34:Albanian
1043:, Dukat
436:Helenus
416:(Roman
414:Butrint
407:Laocoön
342:Please
196:History
174:Albania
921:Himarë
893:Dhërmi
666:28 May
645:28 May
624:23 May
554:
505:
457:Access
252:Virgil
870:Vlorë
440:Priam
422:Paris
399:Iliad
256:Priam
154:Greek
42:Greek
959:Vuno
668:2018
647:2018
626:2018
605:2010
579:2015
552:ISBN
503:ISBN
444:Troy
277:Name
202:apse
127:1224
346:by
1151::
511:.
262:.
243:.
176:.
172:,
168:,
156::
152:;
148::
44::
36::
852:e
845:t
838:v
701:e
694:t
687:v
670:.
649:.
628:.
607:.
581:.
560:.
450:.
428:.
373:)
367:(
362:)
358:(
340:.
144:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
