Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Big early Christian cathedral found in the Rhodopes

Photo: Valya Apostolova

A team of archaeologists headed by Prof. Nikolay Ovcharov has discovered the foundations of a big episcopal early Christian cathedral in the rock town of Perperikon. 
The cathedral is dated to the second half of the 5th century. The building had a monumental colonnade, walls made of huge square blocks and beautiful monumental decorations. So far only the building’s central part (25 x 15 meters) has been unearthed, but the overall length is expected to be 40 meters or the size of the old bishopric in the town of Nessebar or of the St. Sofia church in the capital city. In the 9th century the cathedral was reconstructed into a single-nave basilica, again impressive in size. As a basilica it functioned right up to the 14th century when Perperikon was captured by the Ottoman Turks. A necropolis of vaulted tombs formed around it, 25 of which are fixed though they are yet to be uncovered. 



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Exhibition "Memories of Antiquity" will be unveiled at the Burgas History Museum

On November 6 at 4 p.m., an exhibition will open at the Archaeological Exhibition of the Regional History Museum in Burgas on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the rescue archaeological research by specialists from the Burgas Museum of a rich grave..

published on 11/6/25 6:15 AM
Australian author Joanna Murray-Smith

Australian author Joanna Murray-Smith visits Sofia

Australian author Joanna Murray-Smith is coming to Sofia at the invitation of the Nikolay Binev Youth Theater. She is visiting Bulgaria for the first time between November 5 and 9, 2025 for a specially organized "Panorama of Joanna Murray-Smith", which..

published on 11/4/25 2:26 PM

BNR brings together three contemporary Bulgarian artists in London

On the eve of one of the brightest Bulgarian holidays – the Day of the National Awakeners, the Bulgarian Cultural Institute in London welcomed the guests of the Bulgarian National Radio in a meeting-conversation with Bulgarian poet Mirela Ivanova,..

published on 11/1/25 1:59 PM