ABOUT THE BOYANA CHURCH
The Boyana church is situated at the foot of
Vitosha mountain. In 11 th century here was a fortification, which played a main role in the wars with Byzantium. The Boyana church is the most remarkable monument of the Bulgarian medieval painting art. At the same time it is one of the best preserved and interesting architectural monuments from the epoch of the feudalism. It was painted by a talented master from Boyana. The wall-paintings dates from 1259, and they are very precious and irrefutable contribution in the European art culture.
On the north wall of the church there is a family portrait of the founders. Sebastocrator Kaloyan and his wife Desislava are represented in whole stature, dressed in sumptuous solemn clothes. The portraits of King Konstantin and Queen Irina are also very interesting. There are rendered all details of the clothing, there are observed all of the individual details, so we can say that these portraits are painted by nature, in time when the portrait paint art was in germ.
In spite of the fact that the monastery was not destroyed by the Turkish when
Sofia was conquered, it began falling. The monastery was affected in 17 th century, and in 18 th it became desolated.
Nowadays it is a parish church in Sofia’s section of Boyana, and it is a museum of Bulgarian art. The restoration of the church finished in 1987. The Boyana church is included in the list of UNESCO.
Description
