Sofia Landmarks: Boyana Church

The Church of Saint Nicholas and Saint Panteleimon, also known as Boyana Church, is one of the most remarkable and valuable monuments of Bulgarian cultural heritage. The earliest structure has been dated back to the 11th century. A family tomb church was adjoined to the old church in the 13th century. The murals from that period (1259) have been the work of an anonymous master from the Tarnovo School of Painting and are thought of as forerunners of European Renaissance. The portraits depict in full length the donors, local governor Sebastocrator Kaloyan and his wife Desislava. These are faced by the portraits of Tsar Konstantin Asen Tih and Queen Irina, which are the only surviving portraits of Bulgarian rulers of the time. Boyana Church is in UNESCO World Heritage List.