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 haven't seen anyone come to take an interest in the repair of the Church. They only came and looked after the earthquake and we haven't seen anyone else. Even before the earthquake, no one came, except for tourists or residents of the Kurbin area who come every August 15th ," says one of the residents of Shën Mëria.
" The ruins of the Church of St. Mary in the village of Shëmri belong to an important abbey church belonging to medieval Arbëria. According to oral records, Gjergj Kastrioti performed religious Services there together with his wife Donika. All the inhabitants of the village of Shën Mëri are of the Islamic faith, but this has not prevented them from taking care of it. The ruins of this church were the only church monument in the Kurbin region that during the communist regime attracted the attention of specialists from the Institute of Cultural Monuments ," says Kastriot Marku, a teacher passionate about the history of Kurbin, who, although living 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 object "Church of St. Mary, Mamurras" Kurbin in the last 10 years we have the following projects: Project - idea "Conservation plan, reinforcement and restoration interventions in the cultural heritage and museum object: "Ruins of the Church of St. Mary, Mamurras, Kurbin", approved by Decision KKTKM no. 470 dated 04.12.2020. Project - implementation "Conservation plan, reinforcement and restoration interventions in 4 cultural heritage objects" part of which is the object "Ruins of the Church of St. 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 Projektim Mbikëcyrje” 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 (excluding VAT) ”, states the response 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 to carry out the maintenance or restoration of this church, but we are waiting for intervention in this cultural heritage object from foreign donors. The works for the restoration of this object have not yet begun. UNOPS, as an implementing agency with funds from the EU Delegation to Albania, is committed to the implementation of the works on this object. UNOPS is currently reviewing the project approved by Decision KKTKM number 485, dated 16.12.2020, in order to continue its implementation. It is expected that the project will begin implementation in early 2022 ," concludes IKTK's response 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 complete a number of sites by 2022, including the Venetian Tower, which we are turning into the first Heritage Interpretation Center in Durrës, the Hamam in Durrës that will be turned into the Hamam Museum, the Ethnographic Museum in Krujë, which will be made more accessible using modern technology, the Kurçaj Bridge, which we hope to put on the map as an itinerary for climbing in this area. The mosaic of the facade of the National Historical Museum for which we are proud to be working side by side with original authors, and the Church of Saint Anthony in Rodon ,” reads UNOPS Albania’s response 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 parish priest of the Delbnisht village church, Fra Sokol Pepushaj, where this cultural monument is 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 it. I am waiting for state institutions to reconstruct this monument. I am waiting for architects to make the project for intervention ," says Fra Pepushaj.
" A cultural monument, a historical monument with rare values that would be coveted not only by Europe but by the whole world for its size. A gigantic monument to be left in this way. And those repairs 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 must be repaired because it serves this very interesting place with historical values ," said a resident of the village of Delbinshtit.
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 considerable number of cultural assets suffered structural damage, endangering important values of our cultural heritage. IKTK in cooperation with the relevant DRKTs carried out an inspection of all objects with cultural property status in the municipalities that were affected by the earthquake. Subsequently, IKTK in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture determined the 38 most endangered objects, which were in immediate need of intervention in the municipalities of Tirana, Durrës, Kavajë, Krujë, Kurbin, Lezhë, Mirditë, Rrogozhinë and Vorë ", states the response of the Ministry of Culture.
While based on a report by the Ministry of Culture dated February 3, 2020, "Report on the damage caused by the earthquake of November 26, 2019 to cultural heritage objects and areas", the estimated value of the earthquake's effect is 5.75 million euros.
" The total estimated value of the earthquake's effect (loss and damage) on cultural heritage is 707.58 million lek or 5.75 million euros ," the report of February 3, 2020 states.
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 findings, the museums and sites that did not pose a risk continued their work, while the two Museums - the National History Museum and the House of Leaves National Museum, are still closed until detailed expert reports are compiled by the IN or measures are taken for repairs/restorations ," the report states.
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, by Decision No. 213, dated 11.03.2020 "On 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 ", the Ministry's response states.
Also, in the report of the Ministry of Culture, a list of priority monuments was made public.
" Through UNESCO, lobbying will be carried out at the Donors' Conference (February 17, 2020) for the financing of the following priorities: - Kruja Castle - Dollma Tekke - Durrës Castle - Preza Castle - Bashtova Castle - "Aleksandër Moisiu" Ethnographic Museum, Durrës ," the report states.
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 for the restoration of fortifications in Kruja, Durrës, and Preza. This two-year project will begin work on Tower C in Durrës, and then continue with work on the Tekke of Dollma here in Kruja, the medieval Preza Castle, and the Clock Tower of Kruja Castle,” said US Ambassador Yuri Kim in her June 2020 remarks.
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 extends to 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 tourism potential, directly contributing to the socio-economic recovery of Albania. Local entrepreneurship, crafts and creativity evolving around the selected sites will be supported through grants, providing a direct boost to local production and social well-being. Furthermore, EU4Culture aims to document, restore and rehabilitate up to 27 cultural monuments ”, states the official UNOPS response.
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.
" Restoration interventions can take time for various reasons, which in the case of buildings such as the Durrës Archaeological Museum, the Aleksandër Moisiu Museum in Durrës, the First Albanian Parliament in Tirana, the Building of the Former Politically Persecuted, etc., risks escalating the damage as a result of the degradation of the material from atmospheric influences. The second floor of the former first Italian legation, for example, the Building of the Former Politically Persecuted, is closed and out of function. When buildings have suffered structural damage and become uninhabitable, we risk damaging the architectural elements of the facade or interior beyond the structure ," says architect Musaj.
