“Bulgaria 🇧🇬 ~Shipka Memorial Church; “St Nikolay” in Shipka”
SPECTACULAR!
After we left the coast of the Black Sea, we drove several hours to see this Church, which took us inland, and closer to central Bulgaria. We first wanted to stop in Burgas to see another coastal town, but the Lady in the Maps took us on another wild goose chase, instead.
We did manage to see a lake area, that is suppose to be pink (salt flats) but it was not pink at all. Still pretty, and here is one photo.
Lake Atanasovosko
We left the non-pink lake, and headed for Shipka. The drive was not spectacular, to Shipka, nor did we desire to stay overnight or eat in this town, as it is very run down, but this Russian Church; found on the hill above the city, was a very worthwhile stop.
The setting was quite pretty within a wooded area, a stark contrast from the city, below.
Underneath the Church is a mausoleum, which we were allowed to enter.
History
The monastery was built in living memory to the Russian soldiers and Bulgarian revolutionaries who died during the Russian-Turkish Liberation War of 1877-1878.
The funds needed for the construction of the monastery were raised from donors mostly in Russia, but also in Bulgaria upon the initiative of Olga Skobeleva, mother of the Russian general Skobelev and count Ignatiev.
Construction works started in 1885 and finished in 1902 under the guidance of Russian architects. Initially, the monastery was Russian property, but in 1934, it was donated by the Soviet government to the Bulgarian state. The “St Nikolay” church is a true architectural masterpiece, built in the traditional style of 17th-century Russian cathedrals. The church, declared a monument of culture, shines with its colourful mosaic decoration and golden domes from a big distance. It has one central dome and four smaller gilded ones, with golden crosses on top. An almost 174 foot-high bell tower with 17 bells (the biggest of which weighs almost 12 tons) rises right next to the western façade of the church.
Inside the church, visitors can see 24 mosaic plates with the names of 18,491 Bulgarians and Russians who gave their lives during the struggles at the Shipka peak and in the neighbourhood of Kazanluk.
The church’s walls were painted twice; first in 1902 by G. Mesoedov and A. Mitov, and then again in 1957-1959 by a team of wall-painters, headed by N. Rostovtsev.
Close-up of the Bell Tower
Down the dark stairway to the crypts, below
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Hello and Welcome to our Travel Blog Website, We enjoy writing about our experiences and taking photos of our adventuring along the way. Our names are: Daryl and Pen, but Daryl calls me “Bunny.” We met, quite randomly, whilst both… Read More