Saint Mary church in Peshkëpi village, Upper Dropull, one of the gems of our cultural heritage, has been revived thanks to a masterful restoration that has highlighted the rare values of the Byzantine architecture hidden in plain sight under the deteriorating ruins.

Prime Minister Edi Rama stopped over to visit the recently recovered church, all the more reason to visit this scenic area in Gjirokaster.

 “It is one of the oldest churches in the region, if not the oldest one, and it was almost totally ruined. It was mainly used as a shelter for various people, who used to illegally cross the border during the transition period and the area was completely abandoned. This road didn’t exist and it has been built only recently and the area was isolated and often difficult to get to. The church preserves the early traces of its construction in eleventh century. The old stone altar has been preserved. We delivered the project in great detail with a great contribution by Professor Aleksander Meksi and Pirro Thomo, who have left their mark on this restoration. All murals have been restored. The church’s outdoor area has been also rehabilitated,” said former Culture Minister and lawmaker Mirela Kumbaro, underlining that the site is one of the most important churches for Dropull and whole area.