This was an optional excursion but all four of us decided to take it. Berat is a UNESCO World Heritage site 43 miles south of Tirana. Various groups have lived there together more or less peacefully for centuries; we visited a mosque as well as the Church of the Dormition at the top of the mountain. The icons in the church were beautiful but unfortunately, photography wasn't permitted.
The Codex Beratinus Purpuerius (the last word referring to the fact that it was written on purple vellum) was found in the Church of the Dormition. This was a manuscript of the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, with some exclusions, dating back to the 6th century. Hitler tried to capture it during World War 2 and monks and priests risked their lived to keep it hidden. It is now in the Albanian National Archives.
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| Details from inside mosque |
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| Church of the Dormition |
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| View from the top of the mountain |
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