Boyana Church

The Boyana Church is one of Bulgaria’s historical treasures and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. Located in the residential district of Boyana on the outskirts of Sofia, the Boyana Church is situated at the foot of Mount Vitosha.

It is a small medieval Orthodox church built in the 11th century that is famous for the frescoes that decorate the interior walls of the temple and are certainly the most complete example of medieval art in Eastern Europe that are preserved today.

The origin of the frescoes goes back to the year 1279 They depict scenes from the society of the time and include 240 human figures, among them the portraits of Tsar Constantine and his wife Tsarina Irina and Tsar Kaloyan (in the north wing) are the most successful. The author of the work is unknown but it is assumed that it came from the school of Veliko Tarnovo. Apart from the 13th century frescoes, the church was later decorated with other paintings in the 14th, 16th and 17th centuries. If you visit the Boyana Church, you will find more information about the history of the church in the attached museum. Visits to the interior of the temple are restricted and can only be made accompanied by a guide.