Boyana Church, UNESCO World Heritage Site (Bulgaria) 

This excursion is included in the programs of the following field schools and it is covered by the reimbursement payment:

- Fresco-Hunting Photo Research Expedition to Medieval Balkan Churches   

The Church “St. Nicholas and St. Pantaleon” (also “St. Nikola and St. Panteleimon”) in Boyana district, Sofia, or Boyana Church for short, is famous for its remarkable medieval frescoes, among which the remarkable images from 1259 of the sevastocratic couple Kaloyan and Desislava and of the Bulgarian ruling family of that time: tsar Constantine Tikh Asen (1257 – 1277) and empress consort (tsaritsa) Irene.

In the four spaces of the tripartite building are preserved frescoed layers created between the 11th-12th and 16th-17th centuries, with the largest area occupied by frescoes from 1259. South of the church is buried Tsaritsa Eleonora of Bulgaria (1908 – 1917), second wife of Tsar Ferdinand of Bulgaria (Knyaz: 1887 – 1908 and Tsar: 1908 – 1918) and savior of the Boyana Church in the early twentieth century when it was in danger of being destroyed. The park around the church was created at the tsar’s initiative in the early twentieth century and is remarkable for its giant sequoias.

The Boyana Church was declared a national antiquity, protected by the state in 1927 and remained an active parish church until 1954. In 1979 it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List under the protection of UNESCO under No. 42, and since 2003 the cultural property has been a branch of the National History Museum.   

Find out more HERE!   

The tour/price includes:

• An English speaking guide & travel assistant;
• Round trip transportation
• All expenses of the guide & travel assistant, entries to galleries / museums and the driver
• Travel insurance