Shkodër Cathedral, Cathedral in Shkodër, Albania
Shkodër Cathedral, known locally as Kisha e Madhe (Grand Church), is a Romanesque Revival cathedral dedicated to Saint Stephen. It measures 74 meters long, 50 meters wide and 23.5 meters tall, with a dome rebuilt in 1897 after the original wooden one nearly collapsed. Inside, the vault coffered by Kolë Idromeno in 1909 shows the Lady of Shkodër with two angels in folk costume, the city and Rozafa Castle behind.
Work on the building started in 1858, after Ottoman authorities gave permission for a large Catholic church in the region, and was completed in 1867. After decades of communist rule, the church was restored and returned to its religious use in the early 1990s.
The cathedral sits at the heart of Catholic life in Shkodër, a city where Muslims and Christians have long lived side by side. During major religious feasts, the nave fills with worshippers from across the region, making it one of the most attended gathering points in the city.
The church is easy to find since the brick tower is visible from many parts of the city center. Visiting outside of service times gives you the chance to walk through the interior without crowds.
Between 1967 and 1990, under communist rule, the building was turned into a sports hall, and all religious activity inside was banned. The brick structure survived that period without major damage, which visitors can appreciate when walking through the restored nave today.
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