VILLAGE DE BOBOSHTICA

Located at an altitude of 1,100 meters, along the SH 90 road linking the towns of Korça and Dardha, the village of Boboshtica today has around 1,000 inhabitants, the majority of whom are Aromanians. This is the former Bulgarian village of Бобощица (or Boboštica), founded in the ^9th century. It became the personal property of Iljaz Hoxha, the first Ottoman governor of Korça in the ^15th century, and of Ali Pacha de Tepelena in 1807. It was once an important stopover for Orthodox pilgrims on their way to Ohrid in northern Macedonia. Boboshtica still boasts two beautiful Bulgarian-Byzantine churches with their original frescoes: the ^18th-century Church of St. Demetrios (Kisha Shën Mitrit) and the remarkable ^14th-century Church of St. John the Baptist (Kisha Shën Jovanit). The Monastery of the Dormition of the Mother of God (Manastiri i Fjetjes së Hyjlindëses Mari), the Church of the Monastery of St. Nicholas (Kisha Shën Kollit) and the Church of Saints Anargyres-Côme-et-Damien (Kisha Anargjendët Kozma e Damian) were destroyed during the atheist campaign of 1967. Recently, however, they have been rebuilt, and you can see them when you visit. However, these old churches are often closed. The easiest way to visit them is to ask at the village restaurants: they'll be able to give you all the information you need about the churches. And don't forget to stop for a bite to eat!