Church of St Nicholas, Sapareva Banya
Encyclopedia
The Church of St Nicholas is a small medieval Eastern Orthodox
church in the southwestern Bulgaria
n town of Sapareva Banya
, which is part of Kyustendil Province
. Originally either the property of a local notable or attached to a larger church, it was constructed anytime from the 11th to the 14th century.
The church was built using red bricks and white mortar. Architecturally, it is of a simple Byzantine
cross-in-square
design, with a single nave
and apse
. The frescoes in the interior are only scarcely preserved. It was reconstructed in 1937 after falling into ruin, and it was listed as a monument of culture of national importance in 1968.
in the capital Sofia
.
Due to its diminutive size, the Church of St Nicholas was probably not constructed as an independent church. A legend links the church to the name of an unidentified local feudal lord
named Nikola (Nicholas) as his final resting place, though archaeologist Nikola Mavrodinov considers it more likely that it was possibly a chapel
or a cemetery church attached to a larger place of worship. The larger church was perhaps pulled down during the early Ottoman
rule of Bulgaria (post-14th century). While the Church of St Nicholas was not destroyed, its renovation was prohibited by the Ottomans, thus it gradually fell into ruin.
In his 1931 study, Mavrodinov also writes that at the time, the church lacked a roof. He references a story about a group of Circassians that were settled in Sapareva Banya on the order of the Ottoman authorities after the Crimean War
(1853–1856). According to that story, the Circassians sought to pull down the church's roof. However, one of them fell to his death inside the church, so they fled in horror. The church was thoroughly reconstructed in 1937 by a team under architect Rashenov.
, a single apse
and no narthex
present. The church follows the Byzantine
cross-in-square
design, with unusually short arms of equal size. The dome has twelve sides and is of no particular height, though it is rather large for the church's size. The apse is situated on the church's eastern side; its shape is semicircular and it features a window. The entrance is located on the west wall.
The church was constructed out of rows of red brick
s stuck together with white mortar
. According to scholar Bistra Nikolova, its size is 7.2 by 5.5 m (23.6 by 18 ft), while another source measures it as 6.6 by 5.4 m (21.7 by 17.7 ft). Either way, it is square in appearance. In height, it probably reached 6.6 m (21.7 ft) at the dome and 4.2 m (13.8 ft) at the cornice
.
In terms of design and decoration, Mavrodinov likens the church to the Church of St Pantaleon
in Gorno Nerezi near Skopje
, today in the Republic of Macedonia
. It is also compared to the Church of St Theodore
in nearby Boboshevo
. The Church of St Nicholas features a multitude of two-stepped vaults on its outside walls. The interior was originally entirely covered with fresco
es, though only fragments survive. It was enlisted as a monument of culture of national importance in 1968, with a publication in Bulgaria's newspaper of record, the State Gazette
, issue 77.
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
church in the southwestern Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n town of Sapareva Banya
Sapareva Banya
Sapareva Banya is a town in southwestern Bulgaria, part of Kyustendil Province. It is located at the north foot of the Rila mountain 15 km east of Dupnitsa...
, which is part of Kyustendil Province
Kyustendil Province
-Religion:Religious adherence in the province according to 2001 census:-Language:Mother tongues in the province according to 2001 census:* 153,242 Bulgarian * 7,929 Roma * 1363 others and unspecified -Ethnic groups:...
. Originally either the property of a local notable or attached to a larger church, it was constructed anytime from the 11th to the 14th century.
The church was built using red bricks and white mortar. Architecturally, it is of a simple Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
cross-in-square
Cross-in-square
The term cross-in-square or crossed-dome denotes the dominant architectural form of middle- and late-period Byzantine churches. The first cross-in-square churches were probably built in the late 8th century, and the form has remained in use throughout the Orthodox world until the present day...
design, with a single nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
. The frescoes in the interior are only scarcely preserved. It was reconstructed in 1937 after falling into ruin, and it was listed as a monument of culture of national importance in 1968.
History
Scholars disagree on the possible period of the church's construction; assessments range from the 11th–12th, through the 12th–13th, to the 13th–14th century. In an article in the Bulgarian Church Review magazine from 1898, the local priest Mihal Popov was cited as saying that a stone from the church altar was unearthed during excavations. The priest believed that the stone, which reportedly had the date 1160 inscribed on it, was sent to the National Archaeological MuseumNational Archaeological Museum (Bulgaria)
The National Archaeological Museum is an archaeological museum in the centre of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. It occupies the building of the largest and oldest former Ottoman mosque in the city, Büyük camii , built from stone around 1474 under Mehmed II...
in the capital Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
.
Due to its diminutive size, the Church of St Nicholas was probably not constructed as an independent church. A legend links the church to the name of an unidentified local feudal lord
Feudalism
Feudalism was a set of legal and military customs in medieval Europe that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries, which, broadly defined, was a system for ordering society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour.Although derived from the...
named Nikola (Nicholas) as his final resting place, though archaeologist Nikola Mavrodinov considers it more likely that it was possibly a chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
or a cemetery church attached to a larger place of worship. The larger church was perhaps pulled down during the early Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
rule of Bulgaria (post-14th century). While the Church of St Nicholas was not destroyed, its renovation was prohibited by the Ottomans, thus it gradually fell into ruin.
In his 1931 study, Mavrodinov also writes that at the time, the church lacked a roof. He references a story about a group of Circassians that were settled in Sapareva Banya on the order of the Ottoman authorities after the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
(1853–1856). According to that story, the Circassians sought to pull down the church's roof. However, one of them fell to his death inside the church, so they fled in horror. The church was thoroughly reconstructed in 1937 by a team under architect Rashenov.
Architecture
The Church of St Nicholas lies in the centre of Sapareva Banya. Its architecture is rather simple, with a single naveNave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
, a single apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
and no narthex
Narthex
The narthex of a church is the entrance or lobby area, located at the end of the nave, at the far end from the church's main altar. Traditionally the narthex was a part of the church building, but was not considered part of the church proper...
present. The church follows the Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
cross-in-square
Cross-in-square
The term cross-in-square or crossed-dome denotes the dominant architectural form of middle- and late-period Byzantine churches. The first cross-in-square churches were probably built in the late 8th century, and the form has remained in use throughout the Orthodox world until the present day...
design, with unusually short arms of equal size. The dome has twelve sides and is of no particular height, though it is rather large for the church's size. The apse is situated on the church's eastern side; its shape is semicircular and it features a window. The entrance is located on the west wall.
The church was constructed out of rows of red brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
s stuck together with white mortar
Mortar (masonry)
Mortar is a workable paste used to bind construction blocks together and fill the gaps between them. The blocks may be stone, brick, cinder blocks, etc. Mortar becomes hard when it sets, resulting in a rigid aggregate structure. Modern mortars are typically made from a mixture of sand, a binder...
. According to scholar Bistra Nikolova, its size is 7.2 by 5.5 m (23.6 by 18 ft), while another source measures it as 6.6 by 5.4 m (21.7 by 17.7 ft). Either way, it is square in appearance. In height, it probably reached 6.6 m (21.7 ft) at the dome and 4.2 m (13.8 ft) at the cornice
Cornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
.
In terms of design and decoration, Mavrodinov likens the church to the Church of St Pantaleon
Church of St. Panteleimon (Nerezi)
The Church of St. Panteleimon in Gorno Nerezi, Republic of Macedonia, is a small 12th century Byzantine church located in a monastery complex. The church and monastery are dedicated to St...
in Gorno Nerezi near Skopje
Skopje
Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
, today in the Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
. It is also compared to the Church of St Theodore
Church of St Theodore, Boboshevo
The Church of Saint Theodore is a Medieval Bulgarian church near the town of Boboshevo, Kyustendil Province.- Location, history, architectural and artistic features :...
in nearby Boboshevo
Boboshevo
Boboshevo is a town in Western Bulgaria. It is located in Kyustendil Province and is close to the towns of Kocherinovo and Rila.The town of Boboshevo is situated around to the south of Sofia and from Bulgaria's prime skiing destination, Bansko...
. The Church of St Nicholas features a multitude of two-stepped vaults on its outside walls. The interior was originally entirely covered with fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
es, though only fragments survive. It was enlisted as a monument of culture of national importance in 1968, with a publication in Bulgaria's newspaper of record, the State Gazette
State Gazette
The State Gazette is the gazette of record of Bulgaria. It has been published since 1879.The print edition of the gazette is divided into two sections. The "Official section" contains bills promulgated by the National Assembly, decrees by the Council of Ministers, international treaties, and other...
, issue 77.