Saint Mary's Church, Benja

Saint Mary's Church in Benja, Përmet, is an important monument of cultural heritage in Albania, which has a long history and a special architecture. This monument is categorized as an architectural object, and was approved with number 68/7 on May 30, 1970.

The church began construction in 1789 and was fully completed in 1891, going through a long period of construction. However, in 1967, during the period of the dictatorship in Albania, the church was closed, but reopened in 1991 after the fall of the communist regime. The last restoration of the church took place in 2017, giving it a perfect appearance and preserving the historical and architectural values.

The nave of the church consists of four columns connected to each other by arches and a vault. The cylindrical dome of the church rises in the center and is composed of four narrow windows. The northern and southern sides of the nave are built of cylindrical naves running from east to west. The nave is lit by four large windows on the north and south sides.

The altar area is located in the front part of the nave and is separated from the latter through the iconostasis, an element carved in walnut wood. After the nave, comes the apse of the church, which has a semicircular shape.

The bell tower of the church is a special structure with two spaces covered with arches and columns in the middle, located on the front side of the entrance to the church. This monument not only has an important historical and cultural value, but also stands out for its unique architecture and interior decoration details.