Church of the Holy Forty Great Martyrs in Bulgaria, Veliko Tarnovo resort
Rating: 8,0/10 (1256 votes)  The medieval Orthodox Church of the Forty Great Martyrs was built in 1230 by order of Ivan Assen II in honor of the victory over the despot Theodore Duca. The tsar awarded his victory to the intercession of the Forty Martyrs, after whom the church was later named. During the reign of Assen II, the church was considered the main church of the Great Lavra in the city. Originally, Sava was buried in the church – a Serbian saint who died here between 1235-1236. In 1237, the relics of the saint were transported to Serbia. During the Ottoman rule, the church still remained Christian, until the 18th century. Then the building was converted into a mosque, as a result of which almost all church frescoes were destroyed. Today, only a few surviving ones can be seen on the northwest wall. In 1908, it was here that the Bulgarian prince Ferdinand declared the full independence of Bulgaria. For many years, the church was used as a royal burial vault. Such famous kings as Kaloyan, Mikhail Shishman, Ivan Asen II, Tsarina Irina and Anna Maria, and many members of the royal families, as well as representatives of the aristocracy were buried here. The building is a long three-nave six-column basilica, with three semicircular asps in the eastern part and a narrow narthex in the western part. Inside the church, on the columns, you can observe records that tell about some important events in the history of the country. One of the columns was made during the construction of the building and contains records about the life and deeds of Asen II, the rest of the columns were brought here from Pliska. We also recommend reading Kapinovsky monastery in Bulgaria, Veliko Tarnovo resort Topic: Church of the Holy Forty Great Martyrs in Bulgaria, Veliko Tarnovo resort. |
