Probably the most pleasant city in Albania, Korça has a continental climate with heavy snowfall in winter and pleasant temperatures in summer. Korça has preserved the appearance of a small French town with its clean streets and well-maintained sidewalks and cobblestones. Thus, the region preserves a large number of churches that escaped the atheistic madness of the communist period. Some of these churches still contain wonderful frescoes, especially in the Aromanian village of Voskopoja and around Prespa lake.
This large fertile area where the Merlot grape variety grows, produces good wines. It was here that modern Albanian was created and the first school in the Albanian language was opened (1887). A city of rich merchants, artisans and intellectuals, Korça is also the most festive city in the country with the main brand of local beer bearing its name and the biggest festival in the country, the “Beer Festival” that attracts 100,000 participants here every August.
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF MEDIEVAL ART
It houses the largest collection of icons in the country and one of the richest in the Balkans: about 6500 pieces, of which 200 are always exposed. It also has about 1,500 liturgical objects (bibles, crosses, etc.), about 50 of which are available to the public.Among the oldest works (XII-XIV centuries) we find the magnificent icon of Saint Michael from the church of Saint-Ritso, produced by anonymous painters, the icon of Saint Nicholas (XIII century) from the monastery of Saints – Kozma and Damian of Vithkuqi. The museum includes especially some icons of the greatest painter of Albanian religious art, Onufri. He lived in the 16th century, educated in the school of painting in Berat and the bright red stands out in his work, called “Onufri’s Red”. Some of his masterpieces are the portraits of Saint Constantine and Helena, the resurrection of Lazarus, the baptism of Christ and the Transfiguration.
“Resurrection of the Christ” Cathedral
Completed in 2004, this Orthodox cathedral is the seat of the Metropolis (Diocese) of Korça. With a neo-Byzantine style, it is the most famous monument of the city and, above all, a very good reference point. Inside it is richly decorated with chandeliers, frescoes and icons with gilded backgrounds and a small carved wooden iconostasis.
Gjon Mili Museum (John Milli)
About 240 photographs of the world-renowned artists (Pablo Picasso included), Gjon Mili is thefirst photographer to use electronic flash and strobe light. Thanks to the interactive rooms, visitors will be able to take a photo made with the same technique with which Mili took his emblematic photos, as a souvenir by the museum.