Church of St George, Kyustendil

The Church of Sveti Georgi ( Bulgarian Свети Георги, dt George's Church ) of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in the western Bulgarian town of Kyustendil is one of the oldest surviving churches in the Bulgarian and southeastern Europe. The church is an architectural and artistic monument of culture of national importance. It is dedicated to St. George.

Location

The Church of Sveti Georgi is located in the southwestern part of Kyustendil, District Koluscha (medieval village Kolasia ), on the slope of Osogowo Mountains, approximately 90 km south-west of the Bulgarian capital Sofia. Kolasia was in the Middle Ages seat of the metropolitans.

History

The present church of Sveti Georgi is a cross-domed church with a small porch ( esonarthex ). The church is about 10 m long and 9 m wide. The church was built on stone foundations with brick.

Due to its architectural features and the recently discovered medieval mural paintings of the building dates back to the turn of the 10th to 11th century. Next frescoes were discovered in the 12th, 15th and 17th centuries.

It is believed that the grave of the 1330 killed in the Battle of Welbaschd Bulgarian Tsar Mikhail III. Schischman was here.

In the 19th century the church was destroyed by the Ottoman Turks to the arches. After the liberation of Bulgaria in the years 1878-1880 it was built with Djado Stojan as Ktitor again. Since she was in gottesdienstlichem use, a cloister, a bell tower and portico were additionally ( Arcade ) built. The inner and outer walls of the church were re-plastered and re- painted by masters of Samokower art school.

Restoration

The first scientific studies were carried out in 1906 by Jordan Ivanov. He was followed in 1921 André Grabar and 1931 Nikola Mawrodinow.

From 1974 to 1976 Plamen Petrov led the first restoration of the church. From 1979 to 1985, the work of Christina Stanewa and Ljuba Krasowska were continued. After 1990, they were led by Albena Masakowa and from 2004 Borjana Dschiwdanowa.

In 1985, the portico, the bell tower and the newer frescoes were removed. Thus the church was restored to its medieval appearance.

Was started in 1990 with the complete exposure of the medieval frescoes. The restoration of the church was completed in 2004.

Frescoes

The medieval frescoes were painted by painters of the School of Thessaloniki. In the iconography of a merger with the Bulgarian traditions of the Second Bulgarian Empire and the School of Tarnovo took place here. In the murals Mina are in addition to the holy Pantelejmon, Ermolaj, Damjan and Kozma, the Saint Barbara, Nedelja, Ekaterna and the Holy Petka of Bulgaria presence. The best-preserved fresco depicts St Nicholas of Myra dar. from the 15th and 16th century icons of the Sava of Serbia and Ioanes Babtijski are well preserved.

The obtained there medieval wall paintings are rare monuments of Byzantine monumental painting in Bulgaria and expand knowledge of the Bulgarian church painting of the time. The church is of great historical, artistic and architectural value.

The removed during the restoration frescoes from the period of the Bulgarian Revival end of the 19th century were jointly issued in a dedicated built museum, which is located in the immediate vicinity. They are among the best preserved examples of frescoes Samokower school, worked in the European part of the Ottoman Empire.