Early Christian Basilica and Mosaics of Lin
Fshati: Lin, Njësia Administrative: Udënisht, Bashkia: Pogradec
The Early Christian Basilica of Lin, together with its mosaics, stands on the top of Shën Thanas (St Athanasius) Hill, which forms the Lin peninsula. It was first discovered in 1967 during a survey expedition by staff of the local Pogradec museum, who also undertook a campaign of excavations to bring it to light. A more detailed investigation carried out in 1968 by the Institute of Monuments in Tirana concluded that this basilica was one of the most remarkable ever discovered in Albania.
It consisted of 7 rooms in all, every one of which had a mosaic floor. The basilica and the rooms around it were first built in the 6th century AD as the summer residence of the bishops of Lychnidos (present-day Ohrid). The style of the mosaics and the position of the baptistery are the same as in the Basilica of St Erasmus in Ohrid, suggesting that they may have been built in the same period and by the same workshop. The mosaics of the Early Christian Basilica of Lin feature not only motifs commonly found in other basilicas, such as the “Eucharist” (birds pecking at grapes), interlaced patterns, scenes from the aquatic, plant and animal worlds, swastikas (hooked crosses) and flowers, but also very rare motifs, such as bees. The colours most used for decoration are white, black, red, brown, green, yellow and orange. The mosaics are made of small cube-shaped stones (tesserae) measuring 1 x 1 cm, mostly of limestone, although there are also tesserae of marble, brick and glass paste.
In terms of layout, the Lin basilica has a centrally planned baptistery, a type whose only counterpart is the Baptistery of Butrint. The Early Christian Basilica of Lin was not long-lived. Excavations have revealed traces of a massive fire in the archaeological layer dating from the 10th–11th centuries. It was during this period, which coincides with the Bulgarian conquest of the area, that the basilica must have burnt to the ground, as its walls were completely levelled. After the fire it was never rebuilt.
Monument record
- Ownership
- State-owned
- Current use
- Place of worship and cultural site
- Original use
- Church, place of worship
- Dating
- 5th – 6th century AD
- Declared a monument
- Ministry of Education and Culture, Decision no. 1886, dated 10/06/1973
- Monument category
- I – First
- Current condition
- The ruins of the basilica were restored in 2008 and are now in very good condition across their entire layout. The mosaics are also very well preserved and are covered with a layer of sand to protect them from the weather. The only mosaic left uncovered for visitors measures 1 m² and is located in the narthex.
- Distance from Pogradec city centre
- 20 km to the north.
How to get there
The journey by car or bus takes about 20 minutes. Buses with more than 30 passengers can drive into the centre of Lin village; from there to the basilica it is advisable to walk, which takes no more than 10 minutes. Buses with up to 30 passengers and small cars can drive up to the top of the peninsula, just below the ruins of the basilica.
What it offers
- Cultural Monument
