Author: Klevis Paloka
The 1500-year-old church of Saint Mary, located in the village of the same name in Kurbin, has turned into a pile of ruins. Although it has been declared a First Category cultural monument, this object of particular importance is heading towards total destruction, not only due to the indifference of the institutions that should deal with maintenance, but also due to the damage caused by the earthquake of November 26, 2019. Two years since the earthquake tragedy that affected Albania, the cultural monument church has not yet had restoration interventions.
Official data shows how the church of Saint Mary was affected by the earthquake and dozens of other cultural monuments, including castles, museums or even houses declared cultural monuments.
Saint Mary of Kurbin
The road to the ancient church starts to get difficult as soon as you reach the village. Small cars find it impossible to climb to the destination. To get to the 1500-year-old monument from the city of Mamurras, only 6 kilometers of road are counted. But despite the short distance, it takes 40 minutes to get there. Directional signs indicating the location are missing. You have to ask the residents. And after arriving there at the ruins, no one has remembered to announce the minimum information, to inform why this church has been included in the list of cultural monuments since 1973.
The lack of maintenance and restoration for this monument is understood from the first moment you see it, as it is surrounded by garbage thrown by residents or the few visitors who go there.
"We have not seen any man come to take an interest in the arrangement of the Church. They only came and looked at it after the earthquake and we have not seen human feet anymore. Even before the earthquake, no one came, except for tourists or residents of Kurbini areas who come every August 15t", says one of the residents of Saint Mary.
"The ruins of the Church of Saint Mary in the village of Shëmri belong to an important abbey church belonging to medieval Arberia. According to oral records, Gjergj Kastrioti and his wife Donika performed religious Services there. All the inhabitants of the village of Saint Meri are of the Islamic faith, but this has not prevented them from taking care. The ruins of this church were the only ecclesiastical monument in the province of Kurbin that during the period of the communist regime attracted the attention of the specialists of the Institute of Cultural Monuments”, says Kastriot Marku, a teacher passionate about the history of Kurbin, who, even though he lives in Italy, tries to find as many historical facts as possible about all the cultural monuments located in Kurbin.
The National Institute of Cultural Heritage has posted on its official Facebook page, since January 19, 2021, the project for the restoration of this object. It's been 1 year and this announcement has remained only a virtual status and therefore an unfulfilled promise.
ACQJ addressed to IKTK for more in-depth information and in their official response they state that they only did the restoration project and that the value of the restoration project cost 900.000 ALL.
"In response to your request administered by the National Institute of Cultural Heritage, we inform you that for the "Church of Saint Mary Mamurras" Kurbin, in the last 10 years, we have the following projects available: Project - idea "Conservation plan, reinforcement and restoration intervention in the object of cultural heritage and museum: "Ruins of the Church of Saint Mary, Mamurras, Kurbin", approved by Decision KKTKM no. 470 dated 04.12.2020. Project - implementation "Conservation plan, reinforcement and restoration intervention in 4 objects of cultural heritage" part of which is the object "Ruins of the Church of Saint Mary, Mamurras, Kurbin" approved by Decision KKTKM no. 485 dated 16.12.2020. The sole and winning bidder is "FOCUS Architecture" sh.pk, representative of the Union of Economic Operators: "FOCUS Architecture" sh.pk & "AVE Consulting" sh.pk & "Comfort 96" sh.pk & "AR-MI Project Management" sh.pk & "ALTEA & Geostudio 2000" sh.pk. The total value for the design of the project with the object "Ruins of the Church of Saint Mary, Mamurras, Kurbin" is 900.000 Lek (without VAT)", says the answer of the National Institute of Cultural Heritage.
From the monitoring done by "Sinjalizo", the signs of damage from the November 26 earthquake and the degradation that this cultural monument is suffering due to non-maintenance throughout the year are clearly visible in this cultural monument.
Plans with donors' pockets
So IKTK emphasizes that there are no funds for the maintenance or restoration of this church.
"IKTK does not have funds for the maintenance or restoration of this church, but we are waiting for intervention in this cultural property by foreign donors. The works for the restoration of this object have not yet started. UNOPS, as an implementing agency with funds from the EU Delegation in Albania, is committed to the implementation of works in this facility. Currently, UNOPS is reviewing the project approved by Decision KKTKM number 485, dated 16.12.2020 to continue with its implementation. It is expected that the project will begin implementation in early 2022", IKTK closes the answer to "Sinjalizo".
The Albanian Center for Quality Journalism was interested in the EU4Culture Project that is financed by the European Union (EU) and implemented by UNOPS in relation to the monuments that will be restored for 2022 and in the list of mentioned sites, the restoration of this cultural monument was not included.
"We hope to realize a number of sites by 2022, including the Venetian Tower, which we are turning into the first Heritage Interpretation Center in Durrës, the Hammam in Durrës which will be turned into the Hammam Museum, the Ethnographic Museum in Krujë, which will become more accessible using modern technology, the Kurcaj Bridge, which we hope to put on the map as a route for climbing in this area. The mosaic of the facade of the National History Museum on which we are proud to be working side by side with original authors and the Church of St. Anthony in Rodon", says the response of UNOPS Albania to ACQJ.
Another cultural monument located in the territory of the Municipality of Kurbin is the former Archdiocese of Durrës in Delbnisht, in Kurbin. Like the Saint Mary's Church, this monument is located only 6.5 kilometers from the city of Laçi, but it takes about 45 minutes to get there due to the non-accessible infrastructure.
According to the vicar of the Church of the village of Delbnisht, Fra Sokol Pepushaj, where this cultural monument is also located, this monument has been damaged and is becoming dangerous. "The earthquake of November 26 has greatly damaged this monument and it is even very dangerous to enter inside it. I am waiting for the state institutions to reconstruct this monument. I am waiting for the architects to make the project for intervention", says Fra Pepushaj.
"A cultural monument, a historical monument with rare values that would be the envy of not only Europe but the whole world for its size. A gigantic monument is left in this way. And those scandals that have been made have become a scandal. Therefore, I call on the state to intervene and appreciate this cultural moment because it is also an attraction for tourism, for tourists, but also the road should be fixed because it serves this very interesting place with historical values", said a resident of the village of Delbinshti.
If for the "Ruins of Saint Mary's Church", in Mamurras, the IKTK has made public a restoration project, nothing has been made public about this monument. Even in the UNOPS list, it does not belong as a monument for restoration.
But how many cultural monuments were damaged by the earthquake of November 26, 2019?
According to the Ministry of Culture, 38 objects have been defined as the most endangered and which were in immediate need.
"From the earthquake of November 26, 2019, a significant number of cultural assets suffered structural damage, endangering important values of our cultural heritage. IKTK in cooperation with the relevant DRKT performs the control of all objects with the status of cultural assets in the municipalities that were affected by the earthquake. Next, IKTK in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture determined the 38 most endangered objects, which needed immediate intervention in the municipalities of Tirana, Durrës, Kavajë, Krujë, Kurbin, Lezhë, Mirdita, Rrogozhinë and Vorë.", says the answer of the Ministry of Culture.
While based on a report of the Ministry of Culture that belongs to February 3, 2020, "Report on the damage caused by the earthquake of November 26, 2019 in objects and areas of cultural heritage", the estimated value of the effect of the earthquake is 5.75 million euros.
"In total, the estimated value of the effect of the earthquake (loss and damage) on cultural heritage is 707.58 million ALL or 5.75 million euros", says the report of February 3, 2020.
According to this report, it is noted that the two Museums - the National Historical Museum and the "House of Leaves" National Museum were closed.
"After receiving the statement of findings, the museums and sites that did not present any danger continued their work, while the two Museums - the National Historical Museum and the National Museum Shtëtia me Gjethe, are still closed until the compilation of detailed expert reports by the IN or the taking of measures for repairs / restorations", says the report.
From the monitoring done by "Sinjalizo", both of these two museums are now open to the public, only in the National Historical Museum the facade is being repaired.
So according to the Ministry of Culture, projects have been drawn up for all these monuments and they are awaiting foreign donors.
"The drafting of projects for reinforcement and restoration interventions or for study are financed by the State Budget, with Decision No. 213, dated 11.03.2020 "For the designation of the National Institute of Cultural Heritage as an implementing unit and for the use of the reconstruction fund, approved in the 2020 budget, for financing the restoration and reconstruction of cultural assets" and with foreign donors", says the Ministry's response.
Also, in the report of the Ministry of Culture, a list of priority monuments was made public.
"Through UNESCO, it will be lobbied at the Donors' conference (February 17, 2020), for the financing of the following priorities: - Kruja Castle - Dollma Castle - Durrës Castle - Preza Castle - Bashtova Castle - Ethnographic Museum "Aleksandër Moisiu ", Durrës", says the report.
Although we did not have an answer from the Ministry of Culture if they had managed to finance the first ones to be restored since the Donors' Conference. From the documents made public, two of these monuments, such as the Durrës Ethnographic Museum and the Bashtova Castle, are included in the UNOPS list.
While the other 4 monuments will be restored by the American Embassy as part of the US Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Heritage Preservation (AFCP) project.
"Today, we are signing a grant of nearly 800,000 dollars for the restoration of the fortifications in Krujë, Durrës, and Prezë. This two-year project will begin work on Tower C in Durrës, and then continue with work on the Teqe e Dollma here in Krujë, on the medieval Preza Castle and on the Clock Tower of the Krujë Castle," it says. in her speech in June 2020, American Ambassador, Yuri Kim.
From the list made available to "Sinjalizo", a total of 200.922.000 Lek for the year 2020-2021 has been financed from the state budget for the design of reinforcement and restoration projects or for study.
So we were interested again in UNOPS Albania to ask about the projects that they will finance and in their answer it is said that until now, they plan to restore up to 27 cultural monuments with a budget of 40 million euros.
"The EU 4 Culture project is funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by UNOPS in close partnership with the Ministry of Culture. It is one of the largest Cultural Heritage programs designed by the European Union with a total budget of 40 million euros. The EU4Culture program covers the entire territory affected by the earthquake of 26 November 2019. In addition to restoration, the project will invest in the revitalization of cultural heritage sites, including the improvement of Services and site conditions. The main goal is to increase the potential of tourism, contributing directly to the socio-economic recovery of Albania. Local entrepreneurship, craft and creativity evolve around the selected sites will be supported through grants providing a direct boost to local production and social well-being. In addition, EU4Culture aims to document, restore and rehabilitate up to 27 cultural monuments", states the official response of UNOPS.
According to the architect Doriana Musaj, due to the lack of intervention in time, the damage to some monuments risks escalating due to atmospheric influences.
"Restorative interventions can take time for various reasons, which time, in the case of objects such as the Durrës Archaeological Museum, the Aleksandër Moisiu Durrës Museum, the First Albanian Parliament in Tirana, the House of the former political persecuted, etc., risks escalating the damage as a result of degradation of the material from atmospheric influences. The second floor of the former first Italian legate, for example, the Building of the former political persecuted, is closed and out of order. When the objects have suffered in structure and become uninhabitable, we risk damaging beyond the structure the architectural elements of the facade or the interior", says the architect Musaj.
