When looked at from the outside, the typical house in Arbanassi resembles a small fortress - high, solid walls and heavy gates, iron grids and hiding places. From the inside, however, it is spacious, richly decorated and comfortably furnished. The oldest of Arbanassi's five churches is The Birth of Christ (1637 - 1649). Dug into the ground, without a belfry and with hidden cupolas, it hides a genuine art gallery with over 3,500 stunningly realistic figures and Biblical scenes, painted by unknown artists throughout the ages.