THE SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH

THE CHURCH ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST was built in 10th century. Its construction was made of rough stone and mortar. The church is 14 m long and 10 m wide. Around the windows and above the door rudiments of decorative elements can be seen. The church is a typical representative of the transition between the shortern basilica towards the cruciform church. There is a cylindrical drum above the central part of the church and it ends with a hemispherical dome. To the East there are three semicircular apses. No nartex can be seen. Western, northern and southern facades of the church possess high blind arches.

The church was plastered up and painted with frescoes. Inside there is a portrait of a donator (14th century) on the south wall and fragments with St. Marina (17th century) are preserved on the southeastern column.

During archaeological excavations, part of a restoration project carried out in 2012-2013, it was found that the church was built on the foundations of an Early Byzantine three-nave basilica, dating from the 6th century. In its original plan, the basilica had one apse, semicircular inside and outside. Subsequently, two more semicircular small apses were added, one to the north nave and another one to the south nave.

The church operates as a museum.
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