“This temple will testify to a sacred act, done by the Russian people, and will remind of a bounden duty the Bulgarian people accepted.”
From the speech of Metropolitan Bishop Metodi Kusev at the consecration on September 15, 1902

It is rare that the tourists crossing the Rose Valley would not be tempted to turn north on the road from Kazanlak to Gabrovo, lured by the shining gold-plated domes of the Nativity memorial church or the sweet sound of its 17 bells. Rising majestically near the town of Shipka at the southern foothills of Stara Planina, it is one of the most sacred places for the Bulgarian people. A real pantheon of immortality, keeping the memory of the selfless feat of the Russian soldiers and the Bulgarian volunteers who died for the liberation of Bulgaria in the Russo-Turkish War 1877-78. As the director of the National Park Museum “Shipka-Buzludja” Dancho Danchev says, “In our history there is no other event that unites us as a people so irresistibly and links us so strongly with the land and the sky of our motherland, its past and present, with the blood of the heroes and the spirit of freedom, as the epopee of Shipka”.

In the church – with devotional excitement and reverence
I have often tried to find an explanation for the spontaneous excitement, admiration and reverie which seize one as one approaches the church, for the respect and devotional excitement that grip one’s senses when one steps over the threshold. And I think that this incredible effect is due to the unique architecture of the church, designed with talent and inspiration by architect Antoniy Tomishko, and the impressive interior. Doubtless is also the contribution of the builders – architect Alexander Pomerantsev, who designed the elaborate ceramic friezes and arches on the exterior and the wonderful iconostasis, made in the ateliers of the Petersburg architect A. Y. Yagn, the construction director architect A. N. Smirnov, the Russian and Bulgarian master masons and woodworkers, the Italian stonemasons, the artists who painted the murals…

The grand church, a masterpiece of the art of architecture and building, is built in the style of the Russian churches of the 17th c. The church has five domes – four 33 m tall and a central one 42 m high (including the crosses above) – made in the traditional Russian form of a bulb and gold-plated. The northern and southern faÍades of the church are open galleries with beautiful arcades. At the four ends of the galleries there are polyhedron pyramidal pavilions ending also in gilt bulbs and a cross. The main entrance of the church is on the western faÍade, where an imposing tower-belfry rises 45 m high, dominating the entire composition. Elaborately decorated polyhedron spiked pyramid ending in a gilt bulb and cross, the belfry rests on four arches with dimensions 8:8 m.

The church has 17 bells, richly ornamented, with inscriptions and relieves. The largest bell weighs 11 643 kg and all together they weigh over 20 tons! Above the domes rise 10 metal crosses, copper-faced and gold-plated. The tallest is 4.5 m high. The faÍades are decorated with polychrome ceramic ornaments. The wealth of color, the white-stone details on the background of the red brick walls, the relief friezes depicting stylized plants and birds, lend the church filigree openness and lightness. From afar it looks like a fairytale castle.

The interior decoration is equally splendid and powerful in its aesthetic impact. The monumental chief iconostasis, carved of lime-tree, is impressive. The 83 icons on it were carved of dried cypress wood by Mount Athos monks from the Russian monastery St. Panthaleimon. After its completion, the iconostasis was gold-plated. At the consecration of the church were donated another 15 icons by Mount Athos monks, 25 Russian icons, church plate, ancient religious books and many other precious things.

The murals in the church were painted in two stages. They were started in 1902 by the Russian artist Prof. P. Myasoedov, author of the classic composition Christ Pantocrator in the central dome, and Prof. Anton Mitov. Their work was continued and completed only in 1957-59 by a team headed by the icon-painter Nikolay Rostovtzev. Besides the biblical scenes in the central part of the church, on the southern and northern wall were depicted Russian and Bulgarian historical personalities canonized by the Orthodox Church. Among them are the brothers Cyril and Methodius.

The pantheon
In view of the purpose of the church to be a memorial to the heroes in the Shipka epopee, below the ground level of the church a crypt was built for paying homage to their memory. Later an iconostasis was placed here, and in the two galleries 17 stone sarcophagi were built where the bones of the perished in the battles at Shipka were laid. In the church and in the open side galleries there are 34 marble plaques, on which the names of the military units and the victims (18,491) are inscribed in golden letters. A special place is given to the Bulgarian volunteers – on four plaques, mounted on the western wall, 451 names of fallen volunteers are inscribed.

To whom do we owe this unique sanctuary?
Let us go back 127 years. The Russo-Turkish War is over. The fields are strewn with crossless and common graves. Thousands of Russian families have lost their members – fathers, husbands, sons have died faraway from their motherland in the bloody battles for the liberation of Bulgaria, and from the hellish cold of the winter 1877-78, from epidemics, starvation or disease. The Russian people is deeply moved by the heroic self-sacrifice of its children. Among the eminent personalities, who sympathized with the Bulgarian liberation cause and took part in the war, the idea was born to build a memorial church to the heroes who died for the faith, the tsar and the freedom of Bulgaria. The mother of General Skobelev, Olga Nikolaevna Skobeleva, the former Russian ambassador to Istanbul Count Ignatiev, his wife and several other persons made an appeal to the Russian people to contribute their mite for the construction of this church. On September 5, 1879, the Tsar Liberator Emperor Alexander II issued royal permission to start a campaign for fund raising and himself gave an icon, chain armor and a thousand rubles. On April 25, 1880, his royal permission was granted to form a “Committee for the construction of an Orthodox church at the foot of the Balkan Mountains in Southern Bulgaria for the eternal remembrance of the soldiers who fell in the war 1877–78”.

There was no difference of opinion as to the place where the church was to be built. War historians had already appreciated the importance of the Russian liberating mission, as well as the crucial role of the epic defense of the Shipka Pass and the victory at Shipka-Sheinovo for the successful outcome of the war. As the chosen spot was in the still autonomous district of Turkey, Eastern Rumelia, a special sultan’s irade was required permitting the erection of the memorial church. It was obtained in April 1883.

On January 22, 1881, at the initiative of Count Ignatiev, the Committee decided the church will be called Christ’s Nativity, as the last big battle took place during the days around this holiday. The committee fund raised more than 300 thousand rubles and many donations. The contest for architectural monument was won by Acad. Tomishko. The preparations for building the church after his design started in 1885 but its construction continued after 10 years, with the renewal of the diplomatic relations with Russia, severed after the Bulgarian coup on August 9, 1886, and the dethroning of Prince Alexander Battenberg. Construction works went on for 6 years.

The church was completed in the summer of 1902. Its official consecration took place on September 15-19 and coincided with the 25th anniversary of the Shipka epopee. The government of the then ruling progressive-liberal party, which came to power with the ambition to bring back Russia’s trust in the Bulgarian state and secure its help in the implementation of the San Stefano Peace Treaty, turned it into a magnificent national celebration with broad Russian participation. On the Bulgarian side it was attended by Prince Ferdinand, and the Russian delegation was headed by the personal representative of Emperor Nikolay II – the Grand Prince Nikolay Nikolaevich Jr.

Thus, the Bulgarian and the Russian people came into possession of a grandiose symbol, which links the two peoples with brotherly feelings and gratitude for ages.

Today the stream of tourists does not stop
With the creation of the Shipka-Buzludja architectural-historical reserve in 1964, which includes the Nativity Church, the memorial complex has been visited annually by hundreds of thousand Bulgarian and foreign tourists, 800 000 on the average. The Memorial Church, open every day of the year, enjoys special interest. Even today this complex is unrivalled in terms of visiting. The number of tourists from the West European countries is steadily growing.

What is attractive is its memorial nature, related to fateful for Bulgaria historical events and its being an exponent of Orthodox Christian culture, its architectural style, exquisite details, refined murals, and picturesque landscape, especially in summer. For the Bulgarians and the guests from Russia these sights are also an object of deep respect for the heroic historical truth, handed down the generations. Many people come here to pay homage to the dust of their relatives, who died in the epic battles. The servicing of the tourists is organized according to their interests. Visitors can receive additional information about prominent activists from the time of the historical events, about important moments in the church construction, about cultural-historical valuables and unique pieces kept in the church, etc. Particularly strong is the effect of the melodious bell ring, the church services during which, according to the canons of the Eastern Orthodox ritual, prayers are addressed to the throne of the Lord for peace on the souls of the dead and choir performances of Church Slavonic music.

The location of the Memorial Church is also convenient. It is situated 12 km to the north of Kazanlak, near the southern entry of the Shipka Pass, through which goes the shortest road from Southern to Northern Bulgaria. Here is also the crossing point of the traditional hiking routes in Stara Planina.

The other monuments in the historical-architectural reserve also have attraction, particularly the Monument to Liberty at Mt. Shipka, the archaeological excavations from prehistoric times, antiquity, the Middle Ages and the Revival Period, some of which are of world significance. Notably the prehistoric settlement west of Kazanlak, the famous Thracian Tomb, the fortress of the medieval town of Kran. After the discovery of precious treasures in the mound tombs in the district by Prof. Georgi Kitov in 2004, this place is prospectively an attraction not only for scholars, historians and archaeologists, but also for the thousands of people who love travel and new knowledge. The hospitable Bulgarians from the town of Shipka and the nearby villages are ready for this challenge. Proud to be heirs of glorious and heroic ancestors, they anticipate the curiosity, acknowledgement and homage of the world for the Bulgarian sanctuaries.

Yordanka Tropolova