Building in Vau i Dejës, Shkodër County
St Mary's Church is a Catholic church in Vau i Dejës, Shkodër, Albania. It was built in the 12th century and destroyed in 1969. The building was listed as a culture monument of Albania.[1]
History
The church was built in the 12th century. It was the place where the national hero Gjergj Kastriot Skenderbeg married[citation needed].
It was blown up on May 30, 1969, on the order of Fadil Ymeri.[2] Gani Stratizmiri filed a lawsuit with the prosecutor, because at the time, it had been a culture monument for about 20 years, and it was carrying a sign that it protected by the state. Prosecutor justified the perpetrators on the grounds that they acted without knowing that the church was a culture monument.[3][4]
Current status
The church has been reconstructed near the old church ruins. The church is illustrated on the 1000 lek currency note in 1996:[5]
References