Sveta Bogoroditsa Church

Black Sea Coast


This relatively plain 19th-century church is the only functioning one in town and modestly dressed visitors are welcome. (Shawls are provided at the entrance for bare-armed women.) The typically colourful interior is splashed with saintly murals, and if you still haven’t seen enough icons, there’s a small church museum attached, with examples going back to the 13th century.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Black Sea Coast attractions

1. Sveta Paraskeva Church

0.04 MILES

With only one nave and one apse, the Sveta Paraskeva Church is a fine example of 13th-century architecture. The church now houses a small exhibition of…

2. Sveta Sofia Church

0.06 MILES

The impressive ruins of this 5th-century church today form the centrepiece of a busy plaza surrounded by cafes and artists’ street stalls.

3. Archangels Michael & Gabriel Church

0.06 MILES

This 13th-century ruin shows off some beautiful exterior decoration. The arches of the church are underscored by striking green-glazed plates.

4. Sveti Spas Church

0.1 MILES

This modest, single-nave church was built in 1609, below ground level, as dictated by the Ottoman authorities of the time. It features some well-preserved…

5. Ethnographic Museum

0.11 MILES

Inside a typical wooden National Revival building, constructed in 1840 for a wealthy merchant, this museum features exhibitions of folk costumes and…

6. Byzantine Baths

0.11 MILES

Below ground level just behind the Sveti Spas Church are the partly excavated remains of a 6th-century Byzantine baths complex. Though not much to look at…

7. Church of St John the Baptist

0.13 MILES

The Church of St John the Baptist was built in the 10th century and features some of the best-preserved murals from the 14th and 17th centuries. The…

8. Basilica of the Holy Mother Eleusa

0.13 MILES

Overlooking the sea, the Basilica of the Holy Mother Eleusa dates from the 6th century, and later became a monastery. The fortified tower alongside it was…