Shirgj Monastery, Benedictine monastery ruins in Shirq, Albania
Shirgj Monastery is a ruined religious structure standing near the Buna River, with its southern wall remaining as the main visible feature. The surviving stonework displays Gothic and Romanesque architectural details from medieval construction.
The monastery was founded in the late 13th century and dedicated to two saints, though an older religious building occupied the site before this construction. The structure became a burial ground for members of a powerful medieval dynasty.
The monastery's name comes from Saint Sergius, whose cult travelled from Resafa in Syria to Shkodër, which medieval sources also call Rosaf; the old fortress there is still Rozafa. The Chronicle of the Priest of Duklja names it as the burial church of Vojislavljević rulers Mihailo, Bodin, Vladimir and Gradinja. A black granite pillar from Syria, reused in the building, points to an older basilica on the site.
The ruins can be reached via main roads in Shkodër County and are located close to the Buna River. The site consists of partial remains, so visitors should be prepared for uneven terrain and limited structures.
A black granite pillar at the site comes from Syria, a material common in 6th-century basilicas in Albania, which hints at an older building beneath the 1290 church. In 1684 Pjetër Bogdani reported that the church's bell had been put underground.
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