Maqellarë

Maqellarë (Macedonian: Макелари) is a former municipality in Dibër County, Northeastern Albania.

The Maqellarë area is part of a region known as Dolno Pole in Macedonian and Fusha e Shehërit in Albanian. This area has historically had an ethnic Macedonian minority, though it has declined significantly. Only two villages today have a sizable minority of Orthodox Macedonians, Herebel and Kërçisht i Epërm, and the Muslims of the area today are virtually entirely Albanian.

An important 13th-century liturgical manuscript in Cyrillic was written in Herebel. It is today housed in the Russian National Library. The manuscript is considered to be from the Ohrid Literary School.

The villages of this area are on or near highway SH6. Maqellarë is also a short distance to the North Macedonia border, connected with highway SH44 to Debar.

Frescoe depicting the Dormition of the Virgin Mary at the Church of the Holy Savior in Kërçishti i Epërm

• 🌍 Church of the Holy Savior (Kisha e Shën Sotirit; Црква „Свети Спас“), village of Kërçishti i Epërm. This medieval church is best-known for its frescoes, well-preserved and unrestored. They were likely painted in the 16th century and have a mostly flat, two-dimensional rendering of the figures. The annual holiday "Spasovden" is celebrated by the Macedonian Orthodox population at the church. The village has four other churches. (updated Jun 2020)
• 🌍 Church of the Holy Transfiguration (Kisha e Shpërfytyrimit; Црква „Свети Преображение), village of Herebel. Built in the 16th century, this church is small and simple. Its frescoes, which all contain Slavic inscriptions, have been somewhat restored. The annual celebration of the Holy Transfiguration occurs at the church every August 18 and 19, primarily attended by the Macedonian Orthodox population but also by some Muslims. (updated Jun 2020)

• Debar is a city just on the other side of the border with North Macedonia