Architecture of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom

Tarnovgrad – Tzarevgrad – Tarnovo – capital of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. The first settlements on the territory of nowadays Tarnovo date from 4th to 5th century and are found in Tsarevetz, Trapezica and Momina Krepost. A late – antique village is built on Tsarevetz, which in the early-Byzantine ages is formed as big, fortified city. After the liberation from Byzantine supremacy the family of Asenevci, which lands were most probably not far from Tarnovo, builds their castle over the hill of Tsarevetz. The castle of the Bulgarian tzars was built there and it was completed repeatedly.
The fortress’s wall was surrounding the whole hill of Tsaretetz. The main entrance in the north-east part was guarded by two towers: round and four-edged. The second entrance, which was also very well guarded, was on the southern side of the keep. The medieval walls lay on early-Byzantium walls which were built before.
When Tarnovo becomes capital, it combines the fortresses-villages Trapezica and Momina Krepost and between Trapezica and Tzarevetz is built the so-called “new city” (nowadays “Asenova Mahala”), surrounded also by fortress wall and this was the neighborhood of the traders form Dubrovnik and Jews.
Between Tzarevetz and Trapezica was the monastery “Velikata Lavra”, the king’s monastery, related to the name of Ivan Asen II (1218 – 1241 years). At the place where the monastery was, were discovered remains from ancient villages (XII – I centuries B.C.), most probably inhabited in the past from the ancient tribes Krobizi, who lived in these lands. The fortress’s building at the place of the monastery existed from the times of the First Bulgarian Kingdom. The golden age of the monastery is during the period of the Asenevci dynasty when religious and national relics were kept in. The relics of St. Sava were kept there, also many rulers were buried. In the XIV century next to the church “Sts. 40 Machenizi” was built a mausoleum for wealthy boliars. The church itself, named after the battle at Klokotnitza (9th march 1230 year), is a memorial because in the naos were implemented the columns with commemorative writings of Khan Omurtag and Ivan Asen II, built by their reign. The youngest of the brothers Asenevci – Kaloian was burried there.
“St.Dimitar” church is situated on the right shore of river Yantra at the foot of Trapezica. It is connected with one of the most important events in the Bulgarian history – the liberation from Byzantium slavery and the restoration of the Bulgarian country. It was build by the boliars Petar and Asen, most probably over their lands. During the autumn of 1185 year in this church was announced the restoration of the Bulgarian country and the independent Bulgarian church. At the early decades of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom in this church were crowned the Bulgarian tzars.
The church’s building was build over old culture layers. The one at the bottom is Thracian form the early-iron epoch. Being destroyed several times, nowadays this church is restored because of the archeological researches analogically to other churches, saved from this historical period. Only the eastern facade is kept in its original looks, surviving the earthquake in 1913 year, when plenty of monuments were destroyed.
The church “St.Peter and Pavel” was built during the 14th century. It is cross-shaped with dome, put freely on columns. A pair of columns separates the area around the altar from this of the naos. There are 3 entrances. In the whole building you can feel the freedom with which the native people interpret the influences from Konstantinopol. The church was written at 15th century and according to Nikola Mavrodinov is the last representative of the brilliant Tarnovo’s school of arts. Being tortured and destroyed a lot of times during its existence, today it is restored maximally close to the original.
The patriarchal monastery “St.Troica” is built under the west slopes of the Arbanasi plateau during the times of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. During the 14th century at the rule of Ivan Aleksandar and Ivan Shishman it is turning to a place of literature and science. Patriarch evtimiy gathers students of Teodosiy Tarnovski and other famous writers and poets and realizes the reform of the Cyril-Metodian script. When Tarnovo was captured the monastery, which is patriarchal, was pillaged and destroyed.
City of Melnik was founded in I–II century, but the oldest trails show the foundation of the village as 9th century. Until 14th of century the center was the plateau “St.Nikola” also known as “Slavova krepost”. The only middle-aged “boliar” house was saved in the city. Melnik was used for exile of Byzantium nobles after the common riots in Konstantinopol. The city was capital during the rule of Aleksi Slav (1209 – 1230year) who made a vast, independent principality. Until the beginning of 20th century (1905 year) there were saved around 20 of the existing during the middle ages 40 family chapels. Archeological excavations were made in the middle-aged core of the plateau, the monasteries in the city, the middle-aged fortress and the church inside St.Nikolay, which according to some authors dates back form XII – XIV centuries, according to others dates from the time of the Western Bulgarian Kingdom form 11th century.
The middle-aged town Cherven gives us entire image about the fortified villages, destroyed later on by the Ottoman armies and remaining inhabitable until these days, so the middle-aged structure is not destroyed by later deposits, which is very common for the villages who continued with their existence. Situated 30 km from Ruse, the city is surrounded by the banks of river Cherni Lom, which was used as defence equipment; however the city was surrounded by fortress walls and defensive turrets. The castle of the ruler has II-shaped form and was used as a defense system of the inner living yard, where a family church was built. The houses of the people, who were mostly craftsmen, were made from light materials and were not saved.
The church “St. Panteleymon” known as Boianskata church was built at the foot of the mountain Vitosha. It consists of three parts nowadays. The oldest one, dating back from 10th century is square with central dome. Its western part was rebuilt when in 1259 year the sebastocrator of the Boyana area – Kaloyan, builds two-floored church-tomb, connected with the first built church into one part. The third rebuilding dates back from XIX century(1845 year) and consisted of adding a two-floored building to the western wall of the Kaloyanova church. Nowadays there is no second floor, so that the middle-aged architecture and the implemented inside fragments can be fully seen.
The church was written several times. Inside there were recovered four stratums of wall-writings with extremely high art qualities, therefore it was declared a monument of the culture.
Nesebar, known in the past as Mesembira, is a city rich of middle-aged monuments, which are in pretty good shape nowadays. Founded by Greek colonists, during their settlement along the seaside, the town is built on an island with a total size of 25 hectares, connected with the land via sand-bar 400 m long, which creates the illusion that the island is part of the main land. Its position was of significant advantage against the attacks during its thousands of years of history. Its architectural inheritance, form the middle-ages, is in best shape. The middle-aged Nesebar is a phenomenon of the city life on the Balkans. Despite many other villages, it suffers the passage form the late antiquity to the early middle-ages and the late Ottoman supremacy, saving its position as big city center with active live forever. Very helpful in this way is its geographical positioning, its connections with big part of the towns in the Mediterranean and Asia Minor and the saved traditions and elements of the city life, untouched by its conquerors to be used in the restoration of the normal way of living in the conquered lands. The wall system consisted of a wall, surrounding the whole island, with one main gate at the west side against the neck of land. There were six towers next to the main gate. During the middle ages this part was destroyed and rebuilt several times – in the end of 5th century, the first beginning of 4th century, in the end of 6th century, the first half of 7th century, the third reconstruction was completed in the last 25 years of 9th century, and consequently in the beginning and the end of 14th century. In the second half of 13th century Nesebar was known as one of the most important centers of the Venetian and Genoa trade in Cherno More. Mesembria is metropolitan’s headquarters from the time of the Nikean council in 325 year, which explains the activity of the temple building during all the periods from its past. After the creation of the Bulgarian country, the role of Nesebar as a Byzantium port grows significantly, that’s why the city and its region were ruled by an archon. On 4th of November the city was conquered by khan Krum, but in 863 year Byzantium manages to conquer the city again. Being in Bulgarian and Byzantium rule several times, Nesebar during the middle-ages turned into a territory, where the high developed culture of the Byzantine capital influenced the architecture and the art, interacted with the local traditions and moved later on to the main lands. The city is in Bulgarian territories since the times of Simeon Veliki (894 – 927 year) and remained Bulgarian until 971 year. The church “St.Yoan Krastitel” was also founded at these years. After a big earthquake in 1063 year the city was renovated and become big cultural, political and harbor center. At the rule of Ivan Aleksandar, Nesebar used big privileges. The monasteries, combined with city temples were renovated and 2 more were built: “Pantokrator” and “St.Yoan Aliturgetos”. The temple devoted to Hristos Pantokrator is in the center of the city. Its architectural type belongs to the cross-domed church buildings, but its naos is significantly enlarged. In the central filed, over 4 columns, was placed a dome over a huge cylinder. The apse is three-sized with big hole on the west side. The outside architecture is extremely rich. Every facade is made separately and decorated with belts form white stone and bricks and different colored pottery elements. The church is restored (the dome is rebuilt from professor architect P.Karasimeonov) and is one of the town’s architecture monuments. “St.Yoan Neosveteni” is closed to the town’s harbor. It’s the brightest representative of the so-called pictorial style – symbiosis between architectural form and decorative pottery decoration. Destroyed during the numerous attacks of the city, the church is restored nowadays, but this affected its original look. It was supposed to be cross-domed church with bigger dome than the Pantokrator’s. In represents development of the architectural king in this sense. The biggest developments are at the eastern facade. “St.Stefan” (The new metropolitan). Three-shipped basilisks. Saved entirely in its original shape without the western part desecrated in the 19th century. This church dates probably from 12th century while its wall writings date form 14th century. The wall-writings in the beginning are new. The iconostasis is medieval. The churches “St.Arhangel Mihail and Gavrail” and “St.Petka” are representatives of the “artistic style” from 13th – 14th century. “Hreliovata kula” is one of the most preserved temples from the 14th century in the nowadays Rila Monastery. It was built from Hrelio Dragovol, ruler of Struma municipality. The monastery brotherhood was formed by the saint Ioan Rilski in the beginning of 11th century. The monastery changes its place a several times and it remains undiscovered until nowadays when are the first buildings built at this place where they are standing in present days. Helyo Dragovol builds the tower as a defense and as a place for living in 1335 year. It has five floors and the last one is the chapel Preobrazhenie Gospodne with writings from the time of its building and the last floor is dungeon. The architecture of the tower is impressive and similar to the ones form Aton, Greece. A church was built next to the tower, the so called Hrelyova church which existed until 19th century. The remains allow us to recreate its original form of one-shipped building with two entries built later on. The entering doors are saved until nowadays.