BERAT: A RARE HISTORY

Posted June 11, 2015

With a history as long as Berat’s, it’s not surprising that it’s been under the influence of many ancient and modern civilisations. Starting out in the hands of a Greek tribe known as the Dassaretae, Berat was captured by the Roman Empire around 200BC, but it wasn’t until 15th century that the Ottomans finally seized this city from the squabbling Bulgarians and Byzantines.

Berat represents an unusual case of coexistence seen between different religious and cultural groups. Something that’s relatively unheard of in the history of a European city. It’s under the Ottomans influence, at the end of the medieval period, that this toleration is most evident.

The large population of Christians present in Berat after the Ottoman’s conquered the area meant that converting or destroying Orthodox churches made no sense. Especially for a civilisation that was so determined to maintain peace. Known as the Kala, the castle in Berat once held many 13th century orthodox churches that were built by the Byzantines. Well into the 17th century these churches continued to thrive under Muslim rule. St. Mary of Blachernae Church located here had new biblical murals painted, and by the end of the 16th century, the ground had been elaborately decorated with mosaic. This peaceful coexistence is also clearly demonstrated at the Kala where numerous mosques were built alongside the Byzantine churches; something that had been happening as early as 1417. Among some of the most architecturally impressive mosques found here are Teqeja Helvetive mosque and Leaden Mosque.

Alongside Islam, the Christian arts in Berat also thrived. Onufri, an orthodox icon painter and Archpriest of the city of Elbasan, founded a painting school here in the 16th century. This school was responsible for reestablished pre-Ottoman Christian culture in Berat, something that was widely accepted by the Muslim rulers. Onufri’s school promoted a greater element of realism into Orthodox artwork and he was also the first artist to use the colour pink in icon painting. Onufri’s son, Nikolla, attended this school and was responsible for the murals seen in St. Mary of Blachernae Church. This development of such religious expression is staggering, especially when considering that Berat had now been ‘officially’ Muslim for over a 100 years.