The Round Church in Preslav, the Golden Church of Tsar Simeon
The Round Church, also known as the Golden Church or the Church of St John, is a partly preserved early medieval church in Preslav, the former capital of the First Bulgarian Empire in north-eastern Bulgaria. It dates to the early 10th century, the reign of Simeon I, and is regarded as one of the most impressive examples of medieval Bulgarian architecture. The Round Church in Preslav is a rewarding stop for anyone interested in the Golden Age of Bulgaria.
Why is it called golden? The Round Church may be the “new golden church” from a tsar's manuscript of 907, and its circular plan has no match among medieval Bulgarian churches.
The history of the Round Church in Preslav
Bulgaria was founded in 681 as a pagan state and was formally Christianised by Byzantine clergy in the 860s, under Prince Boris. His son Simeon, who ruled from 893 to 927, made the country a power that at times threatened Constantinople, and his reign is remembered as the Golden Age of medieval Bulgarian culture. Early in his rule Preslav replaced Pliska as capital, partly because Pliska was tied to pre-Christian paganism. Simeon turned Preslav into a cultural centre and a rival to Constantinople, with a literary school, many palaces and dozens of churches.
The Round Church dates to the early 10th century. It is popularly identified with the “new golden church” mentioned in a note to an Old Bulgarian translation of Athanasius of Alexandria's Orations Against the Arians. The note says the work was translated for Prince Simeon by Constantine of Preslav and copied by Theodore Dox in 907, “at the mouth of the Ticha”, where the prince had the holy new golden church built. If the identification is right, the church was finished no more than a few years before 907. Scholars differ on how sure this is: Stancho Vaklinov calls it incontestable, Nikola Mavrodinov thinks it probable, and A. P. Vlasto says it is not absolutely certain. An inscription inside names a church official, the chartophylax Paul, as a possible donor, while the main funding probably came from Simeon.
The church stood outside the inner city, on a high terrace about 250 metres from its south gate. Its plan has three parts: a wide atrium, a rectangular narthex marked by two round turrets, and the rotunda itself, about 10.5 metres across and covered by a dome. In all it measures 38.5 metres, including the atrium. This circular layout is unique in medieval Bulgarian architecture. Researchers compare it with churches of the time of Justinian I such as San Vitale in Ravenna, suggest Armenian or Caucasian influence, and note resemblances to the Palatine Chapel of Charlemagne in Aachen, since Bulgaria was then in direct contact with the Frankish Empire.
The interior was richly decorated with mosaics, painted ceramic tiles and marble, and the walls carry hundreds of scratched drawings and inscriptions in Greek, Glagolitic and Cyrillic, including up to eleven ships. Scholars still debate whether it was a monastery church or a city cathedral.
The church was unearthed and first examined in 1927–1928, and in 1927 the whole of medieval Preslav was declared a historical and archaeological reserve. In 1970 the church was listed as a monument of culture of national importance. The Church of St Petka in Ruse, opened in 1944, was built as a reconstruction of it. After partial restoration in the late 1990s and early 2000s, a monument to Tsar Simeon was unveiled beside the ruins in 2007. The Round Church is not an active church, but it is regularly used for baptisms and weddings.
Curious facts about the Round Church in Preslav
- The name “Golden Church” comes from its likely identification with a “new golden church” built by Prince Simeon, mentioned in a manuscript note of 907.
- One study counted 193 signs and 30 drawings scratched on its walls, among them up to 11 ships, crosses and animals.
- Among the Glagolitic writing is the Preslav Abecedarium, a liturgical text with the first thirteen letters of that alphabet.
- Its design has been likened to Charlemagne's Palatine Chapel in Aachen, as well as to churches of Ravenna and Thessaloniki.
- It was the only known building in Preslav to rely heavily on polychrome ceramic tiles for its decoration.
- The Round Church is listed as No. 98 among the 100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria.
Tours near Round Church, Preslav
Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:
Visiting the Round Church in Preslav
- The narthex is the best preserved part, with some walls still about 3 metres high and the base of its two round turrets.
- Look for the almost square atrium with its water well at the centre, and the circle of column bases inside the rotunda.
- The ruins are part of the large reserve of medieval Preslav, and a monument to Tsar Simeon stands close by.
- Pliska, the earlier capital, and the nearby Great Basilica make a natural pairing for a Golden Age trip.
- The church is not active but is used for baptisms and weddings, so check the current visiting conditions before you go.
Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.
Map: where Round Church, Preslav is
Photos of Round Church, Preslav
Questions
What is the Round Church in Preslav?
It is a partly preserved early medieval Orthodox church in Preslav, built in the early 10th century in the time of Simeon I. It is also called the Golden Church or the Church of St John.
Why is the Round Church called the Golden Church?
It is popularly identified with the “new golden church” that, according to a manuscript note of 907, Prince Simeon had built. The identification is widely accepted but not absolutely certain.
Where is the Round Church in Preslav?
It lies among the ruins of medieval Preslav near the town of Veliki Preslav in Shumen Province, in north-eastern Bulgaria.
What makes the Round Church special?
Its circular plan is unique in medieval Bulgarian architecture and is compared with Early Christian, Armenian and Carolingian buildings. It also had rich mosaics, ceramics and inscriptions.
How old is the Round Church in Preslav?
It dates to the early 10th century, probably a few years before 907, in the reign of Simeon I. It was unearthed in 1927–1928.
Is the Round Church in Preslav still used?
It is not an active church, but it is regularly used for baptisms and weddings.
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