The church dates mainly from the 13th century, possibly rising on the foundations of an earlier one, and has a rectangular narthex. Its greatest treasure is its cycle of 16th-century frescoes, painted in 1578 by Nikolla, son of the celebrated icon painter Onufri; the date is recorded in an inscription above the doorway leading from the narthex into the nave. The church has been protected as a Cultural Monument since 1948.
The church is usually kept locked, so a look inside may need to be arranged locally, but it remains a rewarding stop on any walk through the castle. Close by, the Onufri National Museum, housed in the Cathedral of the Dormition, displays icons by Nikolla’s father and makes a perfect companion visit, while the castle lanes lead on to other churches and viewpoints over the town.
Small, ancient and atmospheric, it offers a window onto the art of Berat’s celebrated icon painters.
