Sveta Petka Samardzhiyska Church

The Church of Sveta Petka Samardzhiyska sits at the head of the underpass beneath the TSUM department store on bul. Knyaginya Maria Luiza, in the heart of Sofia, Bulgaria. It is a small single-nave church, dedicated to Saint Paraskeva (Petka) and named after the saddle-makers, or samardzhii, whose guild is said to have worshipped there during the Ottoman period. Its origins lie in the late Middle Ages, and the present building is generally dated to the 14th century, with later repairs. The church is partly sunk into the ground, a feature explained by Ottoman restrictions on the height of Christian buildings and by the gradual rise of the street level over centuries. Its low profile and plain stone exterior hide an interior with well-preserved murals, including 16th-century frescoes painted over earlier layers. Because the church was built into a hillside and later surrounded by the city, it escaped demolition when the nearby area was redeveloped in the mid-20th century, and it was incorporated into the pedestrian underpass that now gives access. Tradition holds that the Bulgarian revolutionary Vasil Levski was buried near or in the church after his execution in 1873, although his burial place has never been confirmed. The church has been restored several times in the 20th century and is used for services on major church holidays. The interior is intimate, with space for only a few visitors at a time, so it is best seen quietly. It is a short stroll from the Serdica ruins, Sveta Nedelya Church and Banya Bashi Mosque.