**ONUFRI MUSEUM – MUSEUM OF ICONOGRAPHY ONUFRI**
**Museum Timetable:**
1ST October – 15 May 09:00 -16:00 ( On Monday is closed )
16 May – 30th September 09:00-18:00 – Every day No Holiday
Entrance fee: 400 Leke per person
Tel +355 322 322 48
The museum’s collection consists of 200 carefully selected objects from the funds of churches and monasteries in the Berat region. Primarily composed of icons and a group of liturgical objects, the works in this museum date from the oldest in the 14th century to the early 20th century. Iconographers such as Onufri, Nikola, the son of Onufri, Onufër Qiprioti, David Selenica, Kostandin Shpataraku, Adam Kristo, and the artists known as Çetiri (Gjergji, Joani, Nikolla, Naumi, Gjergji the Younger, and Ndini), along with many anonymous painters, have created these icons. The museum also features liturgical objects predominantly bearing the signatures of Albanian goldsmiths over the centuries. The cathedral’s wood carvings were crafted by master Stefan Barka from Misrasi i Oparit and master Naum Ngjela from Lavdari i Oparit in the early 19th century.
– **Iconostasis of the Cathedral Fjetja e Shën Mërisë (The Dormition of St. Mary):**
– Date: 1807
– Considered one of the finest works by Albanian woodcarvers, this iconostasis reflects baroque influences and principles typical of churches built in the Balkans during the 18th and 19th centuries.
– The wood carvings near the iconostasis preserve the relics of Saints Gorazd and Angelari, disciples of Saints Methodius and Cyril, believed to have carried out their mission in the 9th-10th centuries.
– **Under the Sanctuary’s Floor:**
– Date: August 12, 1968
– Two Codices of Berat were discovered: “Codex Purpureus Beratinus” from the 6th century AD and “Codex Aureus Anthimi” from the 9th century AD.
– These codices are cultural and civilizational landmarks, true encyclopedias of Christian thought. They are registered on UNESCO’s “Memory of the World” list.
**Collection of the Onufri Iconography Museum**
- **Ungjillëzimi (The Annunciation):**
– 14th-century work by an anonymous artist.
– Taken from the Church of the Annunciation in Berat Castle.
- **Darka Mistike (The Mystic Supper or The Last Supper):**
– Late 18th-century work by an anonymous artist.
– Taken from the iconostasis of the Church of the Nativity of St. Mary in the village of Vokopolë in Berat.
- **Prezantimi i Krishtit në Tempull (The Presentation of Christ in the Temple):**
– 16th-century work by Onufri.
– Taken from the Church of the Holy Trinity in Berat Castle.
- **Ikona e Shën Marisë (Icon of St. Mary):**
– Attributed to Onufri, 16th century.
– Hodigitria type (guide). One of the museum’s iconic works.
- **Ikona e Shën Joan Pagëzori (Icon of St. John the Baptist):**
– 16th-century work by Onufri.
– Taken from the Church of the Annunciation in Berat Castle.
- **Ngritja në Qiell e Profet Ilias (The Ascension of the Prophet Elijah):**
– 1929 work by Agathangjel Mbrica.
– Taken from the goldsmith’s collection in the “Perroi” neighborhood of Berat.
- **Ikona e Burimit Jetëdhënës (Icon of the Life-Giving Source):**
– 18th-century work by an anonymous artist.
– Taken from the Church of the Prophet Elias in Berat.
- **Ikona e Shën Dhimitrit (Icon of St. Dimitri):**
– 18th-century work by Kostandin Shpataraku.
– Taken from the Church of Prophet Elias in Berat.
Explore the rich cultural and artistic heritage showcased in the Onufri Museum, a journey through centuries of religious artistry in the heart of Berat.
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