Belovo Basilica
Encyclopedia
The Belovo Basilica is a large partially preserved Christian
basilica
from Late Antiquity
near the village of Golyamo Belovo
in Belovo Municipality, Pazardzhik Province
, southwestern Bulgaria
. Located on a hill in the vicinity of the village, the church dates to the 6th century and was first described in the 19th century. It features three naves and three apses as well as a baptistery. Notably, instead of a dome it was covered by a vaulted roof.
. The church is accessible via a road which starts to the east of the village and passes some of its fruit orchards.
Built in the first half of the 6th century, the church has been only partially preserved to this day. Among the sections that are still standing are the north arcade, the south wall of the narthex and monumental west facade. The church was first described in the 19th century by Bulgarian National Revival
enlighteners Stefan Zahariev and Petko Slaveykov
, followed by a scholarly description by historian Petar Mutafchiev in 1915.
The earliest professional excavations of the church's ruins date to 1924. These were financed by American
scholar Thomas Whittemore
and carried out by art historian André Grabar
. Since 1927, the church has been under state protection as a national antiquity, and in 1966 it was classified as a cultural monument of national importance. In 1994, the basilica underwent partial reconstruction.
. The basilica measures 28 by 17.15 m (91.9 by 56.3 ft). The interior is divided into three nave
s by two rows of fours columns each running through the middle of the church. Each of the naves has an apse
at its east end. The apses are of a semicircular design; the middle apse, the largest of the three, houses a three-tiered synthronon (stone benches for the clergy).
The western section of the church includes a narthex
, which has a baptistery
with three semi-dome
s attached to its south wall. There are several entrances to the church, none of which can be considered the main entrance. The basilica is not topped by a dome. Rather, a row of baldachin
-like arches acted as its roof. This feature of the basilica's architecture sets it apart from most other examples of early Christian architecture in the Balkans
.
While architecture historian Stanford Anderson considers the ruins to be characteristic for the architecture of modern Bulgaria at the time, Bulgarian archaeologist Krastyu Miyatev believes it to be radically different from Bulgaria's other preserved basilicas of the same period. Architecture historian Stefan Stamov likens the Belovo Basilica's plan to that of Mediterranean
basilicas and presents the opinion that it was influenced by construction techniques from Asia Minor
. The construction materials are, however, typical for the Bulgarian lands.
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
from Late Antiquity
Late Antiquity
Late Antiquity is a periodization used by historians to describe the time of transition from Classical Antiquity to the Middle Ages, in both mainland Europe and the Mediterranean world. Precise boundaries for the period are a matter of debate, but noted historian of the period Peter Brown proposed...
near the village of Golyamo Belovo
Golyamo Belovo
Golyamo Belovo is a village in Southern Bulgaria. It is located in the Pazardzhik Province. It is part of Belovo Municipality.-References:* *...
in Belovo Municipality, Pazardzhik Province
Pazardzhik Province
Pazardzhik Province is a province in Southern Bulgaria, named after its administrative and industrial centre - the town of Pazardzhik. It embraces a territory of 4,456.9 km² that is divided into 11 municipalities with a total population of 290,614 inhabitants, as of December 2009.-History: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...
. Located on a hill in the vicinity of the village, the church dates to the 6th century and was first described in the 19th century. It features three naves and three apses as well as a baptistery. Notably, instead of a dome it was covered by a vaulted roof.
Location and history
The basilica is located on the Spasovitsa Hill (or Holy Savior's Hill) 1.5 kilometre (0.93205910497471 mi) to the south of Golyamo Belovo and 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) south of the town of BelovoBelovo, Bulgaria
Belovo is a town in South West Bulgaria. It is located in Pazardzhik Province, where the Yadenitza flows into the Maritza river, at the foot of three mountain ranges , on the western end of the Thracian Plain...
. The church is accessible via a road which starts to the east of the village and passes some of its fruit orchards.
Built in the first half of the 6th century, the church has been only partially preserved to this day. Among the sections that are still standing are the north arcade, the south wall of the narthex and monumental west facade. The church was first described in the 19th century by Bulgarian National Revival
Bulgarian National Revival
The Bulgarian National Revival , sometimes called the Bulgarian Renaissance, was a period of socio-economic development and national integration among Bulgarian people under Ottoman rule...
enlighteners Stefan Zahariev and Petko Slaveykov
Petko Slaveykov
Petko Rachov Slaveykov was a noted nineteenth-century Bulgarian poet, publicist, public figure and folklorist.-Early years and educational activity:...
, followed by a scholarly description by historian Petar Mutafchiev in 1915.
The earliest professional excavations of the church's ruins date to 1924. These were financed by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
scholar Thomas Whittemore
Thomas Whittemore
Thomas Whittemore was a scholar, archaeologist and the founder of the Byzantine Institute of America. He was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1871...
and carried out by art historian André Grabar
André Grabar
André Grabar was an art historian of Medieval and Byzantine art. Born and raised in Ukraine and educated in the Russian Empire, he spent much of his career in France and the US but wrote all his papers in French...
. Since 1927, the church has been under state protection as a national antiquity, and in 1966 it was classified as a cultural monument of national importance. In 1994, the basilica underwent partial reconstruction.
Architecture
The chief material employed in the Belovo Basilica's construction were square bricks joined together with mortarMortar (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...
. The basilica measures 28 by 17.15 m (91.9 by 56.3 ft). The interior is divided into three 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...
s by two rows of fours columns each running through the middle of the church. Each of the naves has an apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
at its east end. The apses are of a semicircular design; the middle apse, the largest of the three, houses a three-tiered synthronon (stone benches for the clergy).
The western section of the church includes a 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...
, which has a baptistery
Baptistery
In Christian architecture the baptistry or baptistery is the separate centrally-planned structure surrounding the baptismal font. The baptistry may be incorporated within the body of a church or cathedral and be provided with an altar as a chapel...
with three semi-dome
Semi-dome
A semi-dome, also called a "half-dome", is the term in architecture for half a dome , used to cover a semi-circular area. Similar structures occur in nature.-Architecture:...
s attached to its south wall. There are several entrances to the church, none of which can be considered the main entrance. The basilica is not topped by a dome. Rather, a row of baldachin
Baldachin
A baldachin, or baldaquin , is a canopy of state over an altar or throne. It had its beginnings as a cloth canopy, but in other cases it is a sturdy, permanent architectural feature, particularly over high altars in cathedrals, where such a structure is more correctly called a ciborium when it is...
-like arches acted as its roof. This feature of the basilica's architecture sets it apart from most other examples of early Christian architecture in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
.
While architecture historian Stanford Anderson considers the ruins to be characteristic for the architecture of modern Bulgaria at the time, Bulgarian archaeologist Krastyu Miyatev believes it to be radically different from Bulgaria's other preserved basilicas of the same period. Architecture historian Stefan Stamov likens the Belovo Basilica's plan to that of Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
basilicas and presents the opinion that it was influenced by construction techniques from Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
. The construction materials are, however, typical for the Bulgarian lands.