4th Century Bishop’s Basilica with Marvelous Early Christian Bird Mosaics Opened for Visitors Bulgaria’s Plovdiv in Big Restoration Project with US Funding
The partly restored ruins of the 4th century Bishop’s Basilica, or Great Basilica, of the Ancient Thracian and Roman city of Philipopolis, with its almost fully restored fabulous Early Christian flood mosaics with birds and other motifs, has been opened…
19th Century Cathedral in Bulgaria’s Danube City of Vidin Gets Restoration Funding from Government
Bulgaria’s outgoing Cabinet has allocated nearly BGN 1 million (app. EUR 500,000) in funding for the conservation and restoration of the St. Great-Martyr Demetrius of Thessaloniki Cathedral in the Danube city of Vidin, one of the largest churches in the…
Bronze Dionysus Chariot Bust, Venus Terracotta Found in Home Burned Down in 251 AD Goth Invasion of Roman Empire in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv
A bronze bust of Ancient Thracian and Greek god Dionysus, which was part of the decoration of a chariot, and a terracotta (statuette) of Roman goddess Venus have been discovered inside a large 2nd century AD building from ancient Philipopolis,…
Large Silver Coin Hoard Hidden during 251 AD Goth Invasion of Roman Empire Discovered in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv
A coin hoard containing nearly 600 silver coins (denarii) from the 1st – 3rd century AD, most likely hidden during the first large-scale barbarian invasion of the Roman Empire, the invasion by the Goths in 250-251 AD, has been discovered…
Bulgaria’s Black Sea City Burgas Starts Restoration of 120-Year-Old Cathedral with EU Funding
The largest and oldest church in Bulgaria’s Black Sea city of Burgas, the St. Cyril and St. Methodius Cathedral, is undergoing long-awaited restoration.
Bulgaria’s Black Sea City Varna Starts Restoration of 134-Year-Old Golden-Dome Cathedral
Bulgaria’s Black Sea city of Varna, successor of ancient Odessos, has started the restoration of its largest church, the Dormition of the Holy Mother of God Cathedral, whose construction was completed 134 years ago.
14th Century Murals with ‘Warrior Saints’ Found in Newly Discovered Church in Medieval City Cherven in Northeast Bulgaria
A previously unknown church from the major medieval Bulgarian city of Cherven has been discovered and excavated over the past three archaeological seasons, exposing surviving church murals from the 14th century containing a scene with “warrior saints”.
30-Year-Old Roman Woman’s Grave Found in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv near Discovery Site of Tomb with Jesus Christ Murals
Part of a Roman Era home from the 2nd – 4th century AD and the grave of an approximately 30-year-old woman have been discovered by accident in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv, the successor of ancient Philipopolis, near a site where a now…
6 Luxury Quarters with Brothel like Pompeii’s Lupanar Formed ‘Heart’ of Roman City Philipopolis in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv, Archaeologists Reveal
The core, or “heart” of the ancient city of Philipopolis, today’s Plovdiv in Central South Bulgaria, during the time of the Roman Empire consisted of six luxury quarters with residential and public buildings, including a brothel similar to the famous…
Weird 15th Century Miners’ Burials, Venetian Theriac Cap Found in Bulgaria’s Kremikovtsi Monastery near Sofia
Dozens of weird Christian burials in which 15th and 16th century local miners were buried with bricks on their heads have been discovered in a late medieval necropolis at the Kremikovtsi Monastery right outside of Bulgaria’s capital Sofia.
Bulgaria’s Early Renaissance Boyana Church Gets Improved Lighting ahead of 40th UNESCO World Heritage Site Anniversary
The Early Renaissance Boyana Church in the Boyana quarter of Bulgaria’s capital Sofia, best known for its absolutely unique 1259 murals, has been equipped with brand new and improved lighting as it is about to celebrate the 40th anniversary since…
World’s First Medieval Gold Cross Reliquary with Holy Cross Particle Discovered in Trapesitsa Fortress in Bulgaria’s Veliko Tarnovo
A 12th century cross, which is a reliquary (engolpion) containing a particle from the Holy Cross from Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, and is the first known artifact of its kind that is made of pure gold, has been discovered by archaeologists…
Top 20 of the Most Popular Stories on ArchaeologyinBulgaria.com in August 2018
Following are the 20 most popular stories among the readers of ArchaeologyinBulgaria.com during the month of August 2018.
17th Century Ottoman Turkish Bath Demolished on Private Property in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv
The partly surviving ruins of an Ottoman Turkish bath likely dating to the beginning of the 17th century have been demolished in the southern Bulgarian city of Plovdiv, the successor of ancient Philipopolis.
Archaeologists Find Rich Roman Mansion near Bulgaria’s Gurkovo, Close to Ancient City Augusta Traiana in Stara Zagora
A rich Ancient Roman mansion from the 3rd – 4th century AD has been discovered near the town of Gurkovo in Eastern Bulgaria, some 29 kilometers (18 miles) from the major Roman city of Augusta Traiana in today’s Stara Zagora,…
Top 20 of the Most Popular Stories on ArchaeologyinBulgaria.com in April 2018
Following are the 20 most popular stories among the readers of ArchaeologyinBulgaria.com during the month of April 2018. The Top 20 stories are ranked by number of reads, from the highest to the lowest. Not all of them were written…
Archaeologists Find Late Roman Tomb with Murals, 26 Other Graves from Ancient City Augusta Traiana in Bulgaria’s Stara Zagora
Archaeologists excavating the main square in the southern Bulgarian city of Stara Zagora have discovered a total of 27 tombs and graves from a necropolis of the large Ancient Roman city of Augusta Traiana dating from the 2nd – 4th…
Archeologists Find Rare 12th Century Lusterware Pottery from Medieval Egypt in Building with Rich Murals, Reveal Medieval Streets in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv
A very rare piece of lusterware, a type of pottery, made in medieval Egypt in the 12th – 13th century AD, has been discovered in a medieval building richly decorated with colorful murals during rescue excavations in the southern Bulgarian…
Bulgaria’s National Museum of History, Boyana Church Welcomed 20,000 More Tourists in 2016
Almost 300,000 tourists visited Bulgaria’s National Museum of History in Sofia and the sites that it manages, including the world-famous Boyana Church, in 2016.
Archaeologists Find Late Antiquity ‘Peacock’ Mosaic, Medieval ‘St. Peter’ Mural in Early Christian Great Basilica in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv
A previously unknown and very well preserved mosaic floor featuring an image of a peacock and fragments of a medieval mural possibly depicting St. Peter have been unearthed by archaeologists in the Early Christian and Early Byzantine Great Basilica in…
Archaeologists Excavate Early Christian Basilica Destroyed by Barbarian Invasion, Ancient Earthquake in Bulgaria’s Cherven Breg
An Early Christian basilica which was destroyed by a barbarian invasion and a major earthquake in the Late Antiquity has been excavated by archaeologists near the town of Cherven Breg, Dupnitsa Municipality, in Southwest Bulgaria.
Bulgaria’s Black Sea Town Pomorie Claims Ownership of Famous Roman Era Ancient Thracian Tomb
The municipal authorities of the Black Sea resort town of Pomorie in Southeast Bulgaria is planning to claim the ownership rights of a huge Ancient Thracian tomb from the Roman Era famous for its absolutely unique architecture in order to…
Medieval Clothing in Second Bulgarian Empire Unveiled by Artist in Book Based on Archaeological Research
Detailed reconstructions of medieval clothing from Bulgaria in the High and Late Middle Ages which are based on profound archaeological research have been unveiled in a book by Bulgarian artist and designer Kalina Atanasova.
Replica of Crown of Medieval Bulgarian Empresses Unveiled by National Museum of History
Bulgaria’s National Museum of History in Sofia has unveiled a full-fledged replica of the gold crown worn by Tsaritsa’s (Empresses) of the medieval Bulgarian Empire in the High and Late Middle Ages.
Archaeologists Discover Grave of Medieval Bulgarian Princess ‘Built Into’ Foundations of Stone Church near Botevgrad
The grave of a female aristocrat from the Shishman Dynasty which ruled the Second Bulgarian Empire (1185-1396) in its last few decades before it was conquered by the Ottoman Turks has been discovered during the excavations of the old church…
Mural Portrairs of Tsars from Second Bulgarian Empire Identified in Largest Study of Frescoes from Medieval Capital Tarnovgrad (Veliko Tarnovo)
Previously unkown mural portraits of Tsar Ivan Asen II (r 1218-1241), one of his wifes, and three other medieval Bulgarian rulers from the Second Bulgarian Empire (1185-1396) have been identified in the most comprehensive study to date of the frescoes…
10th-Century Church ‘St. George’ in Bulgaria’s Kyustendil Presented in New Brochure in English by Regional Museum of History
The Regional Museum of History in the western Bulgarian city of Kyustendil has published a new information brochure on the 10th century church “St. George”, one of Bulgaria’s best preserved and most famous medieval monuments.
Unknown Self-Portrait of Most Famous Bulgarian Icon, Mural Painter Discovered on Hidden Church Fresco in Bulgaria’s Ledenik
A previously unknown self-portrait of Zahari (Zahariy) Zograf (1810-1853), the most famous icon painter from Bulgaria’s National Revival Period (18th-19th century) has been found on a fresco in a church in the town of Ledenik, Veliko Tarnovo District.
Bulgaria’s Botevgrad to Excavate Archaeological Site from the 6th Century AD Famous for Old Stone Church
An archaeological site from the 5th-6th century AD which is famous for harboring an old stone church is to be excavated near the town of Trudovets, Botevgrad Municipality, in Northwest Bulgaria.
Bulgaria’s National Museum of History, Boyana Church Saw 280,000 Visitors in 2015
Bulgaria’s National Museum of History in Sofia and the several archaeological, cultural, and historical monuments that it manages saw almost 278,949 visitors in 2015, the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture has announced.
Replica of Bulgaria’s Medieval Imperial Crown, Gift by Pope Innocent III, Unveiled by National Museum of History
Bulgaria’s National Museum of History in Sofia has unveiled a full-fledged replica of the gold crown worn by the Tsars of the medieval Bulgarian Empire in the High and Late Middle Ages, which was a gift from the Papacy in…
Bulgaria’s Best Preserved Medieval Castle, Baba Vida Fortress in Danube City Vidin, Left without Maintenance Funding
The Baba Vida Castle in Bulgaria’s Danube city of Vidin, which is the best preserved fortress from the period of the medieval Bulgarian Empire, has been left without maintenance funding for the past six months, a local archaeologist has alarmed.
National Museum of History Commissions Replica of Imperial Crown Worn by Medieval Bulgarian Tsars
Bulgaria’s National Museum of History in Sofia has commissioned the creation of a replica of the crown worn by the Tsars of the medieval Bulgarian Empire.
Archaeology Museum in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv Shows for the First Time Newly Restored Early Christian Tomb with Murals of Jesus Christ’s Miracles
A 4th century AD Early Christian Roman tomb with stunning biblical murals depicting the miracles of Jesus Christ, which was found by accident in the southern Bulgarian city of Plovdiv in 2012, has now been restored and shown to the…
Treasure Hunters Keep Destroying Ancient Thracian Burial Mounds in Southeast Bulgaria, Archaeologist Alarms
Ruthless treasure hunters continue to destroy entire Ancient Thracian burial mounds (tumuli) in the region of the town of Elhovo in Southeast Bulgaria, archaeologists alarm.
