The St. Michael's Church ( sq, Kisha e Shën Mëhillit) is a medieval Byzantine church outside the Kalaja district on a

hill A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. It often has a distinct summit. Terminology The distinction between a hill and a mountain is unclear and largely subjective, but a hill is universally considered to be not a ...

top of the city of

Berat Berat (; sq-definite, Berati) is the ninth most populous city of Albania and the seat of Berat County and Berat Municipality. By air, it is north of Gjirokastër, west of Korçë, south of Tirana, and east of Fier. Berat is located in ...

of Southern

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...

. As part of the Historic Centres of Berat and Gjirokastër

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

, the church was possibly constructed in the fourteenth century and is dedicated to the Christian

archangel Archangels () are the second lowest rank of angel in the hierarchy of angels. The word ''archangel'' itself is usually associated with the Abrahamic religions, but beings that are very similar to archangels are found in a number of other relig ...

of Michael. The church is relative small in size and was constructed on the south of the Kalaja district on a steep rock. It is a

cruciform Cruciform is a term for physical manifestations resembling a common cross or Christian cross. The label can be extended to architectural shapes, biology, art, and design. Cruciform architectural plan Christian churches are commonly describe ...

chapel A chapel is a Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. Firstly, smaller spaces inside a church that have their own altar are often called chapels; the Lady chapel is a common ty ...

instilled without any internal support, with a dome on drum and

narthex The narthex is an architectural element typical of early Christian and Byzantine basilicas and churches consisting of the entrance or lobby area, located at the west end of the nave, opposite the church's main altar. Traditionally the narthex ...

on the west section. It was built on a

plan with a dome on the top. The walls are characterized by combination of rows of red brick with stone. Inside the temple, the remains of painting walls retains only few trace. A collection of frescoes and

icon An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The most ...

s have been preserved nowadays. File:Berat_-_St._Michael_-_Kirche.jpg, File:St_Michael_Church_Berat_Albania_-_2016-07_01.jpg, File:2011_Berat,_Kościół_św._Michała.JPG,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Michael's Church, Berat 14th-century churches Cultural Monuments of Albania Churches in Berat Tourist attractions in Berat Byzantine church buildings in Albania Eastern Orthodox church buildings in Albania Medieval churches in Albania

See also

References