Saint Nicholas Church (Slokoštitsa): A Medieval Bulgarian Orthodox Church
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.6
- Popularity
- Very Low
- Country
- Bulgaria
- Primary era
- Medieval
- Eras represented
- Medieval
- Civilizations
- Bulgarian
- Site type
- Religious
- Remains
- Church
On this page6 sections
History
Saint Nicholas Church (Slokoštitsa) is a medieval Bulgarian Orthodox church in Bulgaria, built during the second half of the fourteenth century. It stands about 600 metres south of the village of Mervodol, in Nevestino Municipality, beside the old village cemetery in the locality of Izvora. The church is also identified with Saints Cosmas and Damian, Christian physician saints traditionally associated with healing.
The church was decorated with wall paintings twice, during the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries. Those paintings have since been completely destroyed. The building is now inactive and survives as ruins. In 1972, it was designated an architectural and artistic cultural monument of national importance.
Remains
Church Structure
Layout and Setting
The church is a small cross-domed building, meaning that its interior combines a cross-shaped plan with a dome over the central space. It measures 6.75 by 4.50 metres and was constructed on a steep slope descending towards a small river. Its plan includes a single apse, the curved eastern end of a church that commonly contains the altar.
Apse
The apse is the best-preserved part of the structure. It rises to the cornice beneath the roof, reaching a height of 5.30 metres. Elsewhere, the walls survive to as much as 1.30 metres above the level of the base.
Exterior Masonry
The exterior facing is arranged in alternating bands of roughly dressed stone and brick. Tufa blocks were used to form the corners of the building, adding a distinct material contrast to the wall surfaces.
