St. Mary's Church, Cave church in Tuminec, Albania
St. Mary's Church is a cave church near Tuminec that combines natural rock formations with built structures to create a place of worship. The main chamber extends deep into Mount Morava's stone face, forming a sanctuary carved partly by hand and partly by nature.
Construction began in 1369 when the Muzaka family controlled the region under Berat's authority. Artists added the religious paintings in the late 14th century to complete the sacred decoration of the sanctuary.
The wall paintings inside show Orthodox religious scenes from the 14th century, reflecting the faith and artistic traditions of worshippers from that era. These images still guide visitors through the spiritual purpose of this sacred space today.
The church remains an active place of worship where services are held regularly inside the cave structure. The natural stone chamber maintains a steady temperature year-round, making it comfortable to visit in any season.
A carved cross without internal support remains surprisingly stable within the stone, showing skilled craftsmanship from centuries past. The sanctuary also features two separate entrance gates, which is an uncommon arrangement for a cave church of this type.
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