The treasures of the National Church Historical and Archaeological Museum in Sofia showcased in a new book

published on 3/19/25 5:05 AM

Deisis, 1557, from Bachkovo Monastery

Photo: National Church Historical and Archeological Museum

The book "Icons from the National Church Historical and Archaeological Museum" - a huge work of over 500 pages, with more than 700 published photographs and accompanying scientific articles, was officially presented a few days ago.

The unique edition presents for the first time the largest collection of iconographic works in Bulgaria.

The book is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the National Church Historical and Archaeological Museum under the Holy Synod and to the activities of its founder and long-time director, Archpriest Ivan Goshev. ‎

‎"The book was published under a project by the Institute for the Study of Arts, which is funded under the program for fundamental scientific research of the Scientific Research Fund of the Ministry of Education and Science", explains to Radio Bulgaria one of the authors - Assoc. Prof. Ivan Vanev.

"It is the result of joint cooperation between scientists and the team of the National Church History and Archeology Museum under the Holy Synod. The museum was founded in 1923, in fact, its official date of birth was then recorded - January 17. The then Minister of Public Education Stoyan Omarchevski approved the regulations of the museum which owns the largest collection of monuments of Christian art in Bulgaria.

The Iconographic Department of the museum stores a huge collection - nearly 850 icons are entered in their inventory book. The chronological boundaries that cover the icons are from the end of the 13th to the end of the 20th century." ‎

More than 10,000 photographs were taken during the project. Ivan Vanev explains that every scientific project has a financial framework and, unfortunately, it was not possible to publish absolutely all the icons from the museum's collection. But the book certainly presents icons that no one has seen yet - they are entering both scientific and public circulation for the first time: ‎

The Assumption of the Theotokos, 17th century, Prisovo Monastery

‎"The policy of the Institute for the Study of Arts is to do everything possible to distribute its publications in libraries, scientific institutes and museums - in our country and abroad. The book is certainly already in regional libraries, as well as in a large part of the museums and galleries in the country. The Church Museum has also been provided with a part of the circulation, so anyone who is interested in it can find it there." ‎

The publication has also been sent to various scientific institutes abroad. It is already present in the archives of all the countries that Bulgaria borders, as well as in Albania. ‎

The Institute for the Study of Arts at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences has many publications dedicated to Christian art. And their scientific activity certainly contributes to the popularization of the cultural and historical heritage of Bulgarian cities, directing tourist interest to them:

Christ Pantocrator, 1842, from the Assumption of the Theotokos Church in Kazanlak

"Our research and publications are used everywhere. Probably a very small part of your listeners know where the Church Museum is located. It is certainly not a very popular tourist destination, even though it is right in the center of Sofia - on Sveta Nedelya Square, and now with this publication we are sure that this will change", says Assoc. Prof. Ivan Vanev. "It will also become a place where people can see these icons in practice.

I am convinced of this, but due to the renovation, the exhibition is not open for visits at the moment. I hope that this will happen very soon."

Currently, the research associates from the Institute for the Study of Arts of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences continue to work on other monuments of Christian art from the huge collection of the Church Museum.