Description:
Five kilometers north of Voskopojë is the small town of Shipskë at 1,350 m altitude with one of the most beautiful churches in Albania – the Church of St. George (Kisha e Shën Gjergjit). It is in the middle of an old cemetery. There are two ways to get to Shipskë – either by car on a narrow and winding gravel road or better in a two to three hour hike via the Shën Prodhromit Monastery (Monastery of John the Baptist), which is also worth seeing. The first traces of St. George’s Church date back to the 5th century, the current construction dates from the 15th to 17th centuries.
The church was renovated ten years ago with the help of private sponsors and EU funds and it is full of beautiful frescoes with picture cycles from the life of Jesus and also of many saints, also created in the 17th century. As a visitor, you will be overwhelmed by the colors and the unique beauty of the pictures. The church has been robbed four times, most recently in 2013. The stolen works of art could no longer be found and were probably sold abroad. Only a handful of families still live in Shipskë, most of the residents have emigrated to Greece. Some come back in the summer and renovate the old houses. There is a small bar in Shipskë village, but it is open irregularly.
