Church of St. Paraskeva

Address

58 Rakovski Blvd.

Location

42.701243,23.329049

Description

The church was erected in honour to St Paraskeva, a healer and hermit in Thrace in the 11 th century. In 1238 her relics were transferred to the capital of Tarnovo, and later, following the Ottoman invasion, to the town of Yas, Romania. She is one of the most revered Bulgarian saints. The church was the work of architect Anton Tornyov and was consecrated in 1930. It resembles a huge bulb and is one of the most valuable architectural treasures of Sofia. The church interior, however, is not wall painted, but it features a remarkable iconostasis and boasts wonderful acoustics.

Historical Information

The temple has been built for 12 years and is finished in 1930. Plans to build a church at the site date to 1910, when Stuttgart-educated Bulgarian architect Anton Tornyov (1868–1942) won a competition for the church's design. Due to the Balkan Wars and World War I, however, the construction was postponed. In 1922, the church board of trustees announced another competition, which was again won by Tornyov. The construction of the Church of St Paraskeva was complete by 1930, but the finishing works on the porticos did not cease until 1940.Night view of the ChurchSt Paraskeva has a somewhat unusual design for an Eastern Orthodox church: for example, the cella is in practice a round chamber over 20 metres (66 ft) in diameter. The cella gradually disintegrates into the surrounding apses.