40 SAINT MONASTERY

40 Saints Monastery is situated on top of a hill, east of the city of Saranda (ancient Onhezmi).

40 Saints Monastery is an important monument, not only for our country and in terms of architectural formulation is among the few saved from the Byzantine period. This made the city Bitola Aios called Saranda (40 Saints) in Greek-saranda = forty, which retains the name today.

On the hill below which lies the sea bay and the city of Saranda, they have come to ruin our day 40 Saints Monastery or a large basilica, which retains a relatively well in the underground environment. Stjuduesit and archaeologists who have dealt with this subject cult dating back to the VI century AD Old photographs and a plan made in 1930 as well as existing ruins show that the Monastery had a magnificent structures, about 40 to 24 beyond .. Inside the basilica is a seven Konka, Konka three in each nave and apse of out, in the eastern face of Christian construction.

From the photos that remain from L.M. Ugolini is complete image using double arc and displayed their depth of Saranda bay. Bows are working with slate, worked as if they were bricks. One such technique is found in the restoration Roman Butrint theater scene. Overlapping of two arcs of one another, is a construction technique widely used by the Romans, from c. II – III to the beginning of the century. IV AD the new Basilica (Basilica Nova) of Mazencios.

Basilica underground premises of 40 saints look like Roman constructions in many constructive architectural elements. Under the large external vault at the entrance are two vaults catacomb introduced located one above the other, on two floors; where the lower serves to enter the underground Basilica. On its vault lower tunnels and a second overlaps with a gallery that goes in depth. On the north side of the lower entrance to the underground basilica, there is an entrance to the tanker environment. .

The underground complex has the shape of an eye and is a secret (underground), as a function of kriptës known to the Greeks and Romans. He works as cryptoparticus, gallery closed with heavy walls that open in place of columns, typical of Roman architecture .. first Christians laid the dead in cemeteries underground, believing that by his body will be resurrected immortal soul. The presence of graves, announces the Christian period. Pilgrims come to see the graves of famous martyrs.

Monastery injuries before he received the Totilës invasions of Ostrogoths in 551 and crushing injuries from the bombing Monastery received at the end of World War II.

Only underground facilities were preserved almost completely. The process for his restoration can bring to the situation earlier this property with the exceptional architectural value and historic.

For quality architectural and historical values this monastery carries, is very rare.

40 Saints Monastery is the only cultural monument of its kind preserved in Albania and the Balkans, as well as the territories of the Roman Empire Byzantine civilization.

Its history is connected with the cult of the 40 Saints that multiple sources in order to understand the martyrdom of this Christian group, refusing Namely, the religion.

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