The time came to share the story behind those places and since I cannot do it in the PDF for submission, I decided to create this post and share the information.
Name of the place of worship: Sveta Petka Samardzhiiska chucrh
Location: Sofia, Bulgaria
State: in use
Age: 1000+ years
The image above shows a church which barely escaped demolition - Saint Petka Samardzhiiska church. It is a 12th century small church, build on even more ancient remains. In the 1950s when the big Stalinist-style center was built the church was destined to be demolished. The complex, known as the Triangle of Power led to the destruction of the Roman Serdica and the whole layer of the earliest history of the city. They destroyed a whole street that used to house the trade shops in town (the so-called Targovska street), famous for its Viennese-style architecture AND they demolished the forum of Roman Serdica AND the larger part of the palace of Constantine the Great. If that is not stupidity, I don't know what is.
So, having destroyed all that, the Comrades, destined the church for demolition too. Until a delegation of government officials and their wives came from Moscow to inspect the new government's work. While the men did their job, the wives entertained themselves. One of these was an art historian and wanted to tour the city in search for frescoes. She found that church and demanded to see it. Even though it was already destined for demolition and locked up, somehow the Bulgarians managed to find the key and open the place, The woman was in awe because the frescoes were unique in the whole of Europe. She asked what the church would be made of, hoping to hear the phrase 'a museum' and was appalled to hear that it was to be demolished.
She made an effort to preserve the church (talking her husband to press on the Bulgarian Comrades for that) and they somehow bent to the wishes of the wife of the high official. The whole architectural plan was changed and now the church sits in the middle of one of the busiest crossroads in Sofia. All that, thanks to one woman who just loved art...
Otherwise, the history of the place spans across more than 10 centuries because it was built on the site of an ancient Roman temple. It is dedicated to Saint Petka, who is a Bulgarian saint that lived in the 11th century AD. The Samardzhiiska part of the name refers to the fact that in the Medieval ages the place was used by the guild of the saddlers so Samardzhiiska means of the saddlers.
A legend goes that Vasil Levski (a national hero, too long a story to explain all the context here) was buried in the church. There is even a tombstone at one side. Truth is, no one knows where Levski was buried...
Name of the place of worship: Saint George rotunda
Location: Sofia, Bulgaria
State: in use
Age: 1600+ years
It was built in the 4th century AD by the Romans on the remains of other archaeological remains (most of which were destoryed by the Comrades in the 1950s) and is practically one of the oldest churches in Bulgaria that is still in use. It has amazing frescoes and it is deemed one of the most important places of the Serdica Ecumenical Council. All in all, the fate of the Roman empire was determined behind its walls.
The church has been used for many a thing over the years - both as religious and secular building. During the Ottoman rule, it even functioned as a mosque.
This church shared the fate of the previous one - it was also destined for demolition. The reason was simple - it was located in the middle of the Presidential complex. The Comrades wanted to destroy it so that the government officials can go to the hotel next door in style (by car, that is). Problem was that this church was just in the way. Moreover, they discovered the palace of Constantine the Great and decided to preserve at least the part that was inside the building. The church, however, was a different story since the new ideology regarded religion as something degrading.
Here the church was saved by society - it is an example of different styles of iconography and you can see four centuries of frescoes and their development during the centuries along its walls. It is still quoted in art historians' textbooks and history books as a unique example.
Name of the place of worship: Italian Church of the Most Holy Redeemer
Location: Bucharest, Romania
State: in use
Age: 100+ years
This church also has a dramatic story to tell. It was consecrated in 1916 and is owned by the Italian government. It is a Catholic cathedral that differs drastically from anything else you can see in Bucharest. What is also draws some attention is the surrounding area. Blocks of flats are built so close that you can actually see through the church windows from their balconies.
The fact that it was owned by a foreign government saved the building from demolition during the huge reconstruction projects of Nicolae Ceaușescu (who was notorious for destroying churches and ) but it could save the priests that worked there and the architects who created it. The priests were imprisoned and the archcitect was forced to leave Romania.
The church remained closed up till 1968 when the government opened it for a while for the most important Christian holidays such as Easter and Christmas. It has been in use ever since.
Name of the place of worship: Cathedral of St Joseph
Location: Sofia, Bulgaria
State: in use
Age: less than 15 years (current building)
One of the newest places of worship in Sofia, this Catholic cathedral (commonly known as the cathedral by the locals) was built on the same spot where the old Catholic cathedral used to be before the bombings of WWII. The foundation stone was laid by Pope John Paul II during his visit to Bulgaria in 2002 and now there is a full-size monument depicting the Pope in front of the Cathedral.
Its futuristic design sets it aside from most of the other places in my project but since it is such an important landmark (and the only Catholic cathedral in Sofia), I decided to include it.
Just as the previous churches in Sofia, this one was also built on ancient remains as some of the Roman Serdica can be seen in the yard.
Name of the place of worship: Banya Bashi Mosque
Location: Sofia, Bulgaria
State: in use
Age: 500+ years
The only mosque in Sofia that looks like a mosque, Banya Bashi is one of the most spectacular buildings in the centre of Sofia. Together with the rotunda, the cathedral and the synagogue down the street it forms to so-called Rectangle of Tolerance where you see places of worship of four different religions and no one offends the others.
As with anything in the Sofia city centre, this place of worship stands on Roman remains, some of them still visible at the back yard. Below the mosque lies the stratum of Roman Serdica that was excavated a few years ago during the underground system construction works so the biggest underground station is literally five meters away from its entrance.
The mosque was built by the famous Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan in the 16th century and was once surrounded by huge baths (which gave the name to the mosque and were demolished in the beginning of the 20th century when the whole area was rebuilt). The story of the mosque resembles that of Taj Mahal because it was built in loving memory of a diseased wife of the local Ottoman ruler.
That mosque somehow managed to survive though wars, bombings, numerous earthquakes and what not. It is still in use so during prayer time (especially on Fridays) the space around it is packed with worshipers (which was one of the reasons I couldn't take pictures of it during night time).
Name of the place of worship: The Great Mahmud Pasha Mosque
Location: Sofia, Bulgaria
State: not in use, now housing the National Archaeological institute
Age: 600+ years
One of the biggest used-to-be mosques in Sofia that was not as fortunate as the previous one. It was used for many things during the years: a library, a military hospital and finally - a museum.
Legend has it that when the Liberation of Bulgaria became a fact (in 1878) most mosques in Sofia were either demolished or turned into churches - the same way Ottomans turned churches into mosques 500 years earler.
This mosque, however, was too big to be demolished. Another mosque in Sofia had already been turned into a dungeon (called the Black mosque, now a church) and city jail so this one was destined to be a theater. At the time, Sofia had no theater so this seemed like a good idea, especially given the location of the place - in the ideal center.
What saved the place was the speech of the Bulgarian Patriarch who gave an angry speech in front of all National Assembly members, stating that 'I will not turn a temple of God into a den of sin'. So, once excavations around Bulgaria were carried out, the place became the storehouse of the findings. Naturally, it was turned into a museum at the end of the 19th century.
Name of the place of worship: Saint Alexander Nevski Cathedral
Location: Sofia, Bulgaria
State: in use
Age: 150+ years
One of the most imposing buildings in Bulgaria and one of the symbols of Sofia, Saint Alexander Nevski church was built around the end of the 19th century. Paradoxically, one of the most famous place of worship in Bulgaria is dedicated to a Russian kniaz and warrior. The architecture is a cross breed between that of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul and that of traditional Russian churches. It is one of the biggest churches in Bulgaria and the place where the Patriarch announces the birth and resurrection of Christ. BUT it wasn't always as venerated.
In the 19th century it was built on donations by the grateful Bulgarian people and was a masterpiece of architecture. Some of the bells weigh up to 10+ tons and the whole complex houses several thousand people during festivities.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the church was hated for the Russian saint that was its patron. The reason were the political problems and numerous wars Bulgaria took part in. It even had its name changed because of this. During World War II. it was bombed because of its golden domes. The gold was a gift from Russia (15 years ago, when the domes had to be restored, the Russian church again donated 10 kilograms of gold for the restoration) but also a target for Western pilots. They were told to bomb yellow domes and yellow pavements. Paradoxically, the church is in the middle of the city center, all paved in yellow tiles, famous for their durability and beauty.
Today, the church is one of the most famous places in Bulgaria and the mark of the ideal center of Sofia. The area around it, though, is quite secular - since it doubles as a concert space and public parking.
Name of the place of worship: Holy Trinity Romanian church
Location: Sofia, Bulgaria
State: in use
Age: 100+ years
The Romanian church in Sofia is one of the hidden gems of the city. It is located on a quiet street, not far away from the other religious buildings in the complex. It is included here because it differs significantly from the Romanian churches in Bucharest.
It was built by the Romanian government for the Romanian congregation and was severely damaged by the WWII bombings and was restored in the 1950s. Now it is owned by the Romanian state.
Name of the place of worship: Kretzulescu Church
Location: Bucharest, Romania
State: in use
Age: 250+ years
One of the strangest structures in Bucharest and strangely eerie place. It was destined for demolition in the 1960 but was saved by the efforts of local architects. The church had been damaged during several earthquakes so the exterior (which used to be richly painted with frescoes) was changed to bricks.
The bust on the right belongs to a Romanian politician that was a devout Christian and in strict opposition to the Communist regime.
Name of the place of worship: Saint Dumitru Church
Location: Bucharest, Romania
State: in use
Age: 150+ years (current building)
The old church with the same name was built at the same place in the 16th century but was destroyed by a fire in the 19th century so the new building was consecrated shortly after that. It is dedicated to Saint Dimitru, the patron saint of Bucharest. It is located right behind the old Post office in the old town and is famous for its richly decorated interior.
Name of the place of worship: Curtea Veche church of Saint Anton
Location: Bucharest, Romania
State: in use
Age: 500+ years
This is the oldest church in Bucharest, build by one of the first Romanian kings in the 16th century. It was once part of a huge palatial complex that existed on the place of the Old town of Bucharest.
During the past two centuries, coronation ceremonials of the Romanian kings were held there. Today it is still one of the must-see sights of Bucharest and one of the most holy churches in the area.
Name of the place of worship: Stavropoleos Monastery church
Location: Bucharest, Romania
State: in use
Age: 250+ years
This small nunnery is one of the most famous places of worship in the whole of Bucharest. It was built by one of the Princes of Wallachia in the 18th century and used to be sustained solely by the inn it owned. Today, the only thing that stands from the original monastery, amidst the restaurants and bars of the Old town, is this little church with its amazing frescoes.
It is still in use and you can go in and listen to a mesmerizing choir during the service. Monks and nuns take it in turns to sing psalms (in Romanian so I couldn't make much of what they sang) and the feeling once inside the monastery - as if you have been transported back in time.
Name of the place of worship: Saint Nicholas the Miracle-Maker church
Location: Sofia, Bulgaria
State: in use
Age: 200+ years
This church was built in the place of a mosque that was demolished towards the end of the 19th century. This was one of the few churches that was open for all worshipers at all times (even during the Communist regime). Unlike other churches, where only old women were let in (technically anyone could come inside but younger people used to be scolded for lighting candles and so on), here anyone could come, but everyone was watched by the state secret police.
This is one of the most beautiful churches in Sofia and one of the landmarks of the city. Now it is located in a very busy (and fancy hence expensive) area, as you can see from the image (a reflection in a restaurant window).
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