In the 18th century Voskopojë, known as Moscopole, flourished as a centre of trade and learning for the Aromanian community, whose merchants traded as far as Venice and Vienna. The town had one of the earliest printing presses in the Ottoman Balkans and an academy, the New Academy, founded in 1744. Its prosperity ended abruptly: the town was sacked in 1769 and largely destroyed in 1788, and much of its population scattered across the region.
Of the many churches that once stood here, five survive, decorated with remarkable post-Byzantine frescoes. The largest is the Church of St Nicholas, built in 1721, whose wall paintings were completed in 1726 by David Selenica and his assistants. Their vivid scenes are among the finest of their kind in Albania.
With its fresh mountain air, historic churches and traditional guesthouses, Voskopojë is a rewarding day trip or overnight stay from Korçë, in summer or under winter snow.
