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Boyana Church


The chapel "St. Panteleimon and St. Nicholas", known as the "Boyana Church" is a medieval Bulgarian church in the suburb of Boyana near Sofia, located at the foot of Vitosha. It is among the most important cultural symbols of Bulgaria and one of the best preserved medieval chapels in Bulgaria. In 1979 it was included as a cultural monument in the List of World Heritage by UNESCO. In 2003 the museum "Boyana Church" became part of the National History Museum in Sofia.

The temple has two floors. It refers to the type of churches with the lower floor for the crypt (cemetery) and above for the family chapel. The oldest building is the period from the late tenth century - beginning of XI century. This is a small cross-building with apse built struts that form a cross inscribed.

The church was expanded with additions in the XIII century, a major part by order from Sebastocrator Kaloyan during the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. Namely, it determines the kind of two-storey temple-tombs churches. The bottom floor (the crypt) is covered with semi-cylindrical vault with two niches (arkosolii) - north and south wall and the upper floor - repeated architectural style of the original church. Typical is the facade decoration except where the plasticity of blind arches and arch-shaped niches in the open. Here is used the “Artistic style” - mixed masonry of white stone and red brick combined with built-in ceramic decoration of glazed colored “glasses” characteristic of the Tarnovo, Nessebar and Ohrid Bulgarian churches. Two more churches built during the rule of Sebastokrator Kaloyan in Sofia are preserved – “St. Petka the Old” and “St. Nikolay”.

The third Revival part is finished of the inhabitants of Boyana, with their money in the middle of XIX century. After the Liberation of Bulgaria in 1878 the villagers wanted to build a big new church as they tear down the old medieval building. The chapel was rescued by the Bulgarian queen, Eleanor, second wife of King Ferdinand, which gave the villagers a different terrain. Ferdinand suits charming little park around the church and planted the unique for Bulgaria North American redwoods and other rare species. After his death in September 1917, Queen Eleanor was buried to the south side of Kaloyanova church. The citizens of Boyana erected a monument to the fallen in the wars for the unification of Bulgaria.

The frescoes in the church are from different periods: XI-XII century, 1259 (the most valuable ones), XIV century, XVI-XVII Century and 1882. Amazing works of art are the world famous paintings (240 images - a second layer over the original) from 1259, created by the so-called “Boyana master” and his band of medieval artists. Among them we know the name of Dimitri Zograf from the medieval Turnovo school of painting. Founder of the temple were sebastokrator Kaloyan and his wife Desislava. Their portraits of the north wall, as well as those of the Bulgarian Tsar Constantine Asen and Queen Irina, are characterized by bright personality and psychological depth. By their portraits are marked and their regal title.

Thanks to the restoration, which ended in 2006, clearly visible are the frescoes from the 17th century among which is the first image of Saint Ivan Rilski. The frescoes of the Boyana master Valchan are considered the forerunners of the European Renaissance.

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