Abstract:
Hundreds of masonry churches have been constructed in Albania during hundreds of
years. The majority of them exist at their original location; a significant part of them are not in
use any more. In this context, Roman and post - Byzantine masonry churches attract the
world’s special attention to this region. It is necessary to carry out systematic studies to assess
an inventory and determine the state of masonry churches in Albania, to preserve them, to
strengthen their basic structural elements, the arch, vault and other constructive components
and soundly deliver them into the future. From this point of view, this study is aims to outline
the classification of the churches built in post-Byzantine period based on the plan and spatial
composition of these structures. Following this typological classification, the church of the
“Monastery of Saint Nicholas” is selected as a case to investigate its structural performance.
The church of the Monastery of Saint Nicholas is a domed single-nave church dating back to
the 16th-17th century. This church is situated inside a monastery complex and it is proclaimed
a monument of culture by Institute of Monuments of Culture Albania.
