The Churches of Arbanassi

As a Christian settlement, the church was a prime figure in both the development and definition of Arbanassi. From the church came the Greek language, the idea of formal learning and education which, for the time, survived the Moslem invasion, and formed the basis for much of the religious back ground of Eastern Europe today.

Some seven churches survive today as an indication of the strength of the faith of the people of Arbanassi, to not only build, but preserve the structures and traditions of the Christian faith within a Moslem world.

Those churches are …

1- Rodestsvo Hristovo -“The Birth of Christ”

2-” Saint Dimitur”

3- “The Saint of Archangel Michail & Gavril”

4-” Saint Atanasii”

5-” Saint George “

6- “Holy Mother of God “

7- “Saint Nikola “

Much of the large part that the church plays in the history of Arbanassi can traced to the Turnovo region, indeed the initiative and decoration of the churches belongs to the eminent Bishops of Turnovo, such as Gerasim the Second, Nikifor, Atenasii, who pioneered the establishment of Eastern Orthodox themes throughout Eastern Europe.

Arbanassi was an interesting development to Christian leaders of that time, as much of the Christian faith had been persecuted and removed from everyday life under the Ottoman Empire, so a particular focus of their attention was the Church of The Birth of Christ. Over many years there was continuous work on the renovation and decoration of the church to become a Christian shrine in what were considered non-Christian lands.

That church became the focus of religious art, and some of the murals that adorn the walls of this church represent over eighty years continuous work by many artists that literally lived and died in producing these murals. Another highlight is the carved altar and surrounds that are treated with gold leaf, depicting the tree of Christ, a work of stunning size and complexity. The rest of the church is filled with icons and other murals that are not only typical, but the best preserved of such Christian art of the period.

This is not to neglect the other churches in Arbanassi, which while having the same architectural form, contain a wealth of mural and iconography that is  the very best representation of post Byzantine religious art in the Balkans.

These churches also contain art from the masters of Aton, such as the church of “Sveti Atanasie”, whose frescos date from 1667, and show great similarities to monuments and religious architecture from Greece and Crete.

In the church of “Saint Archangel Michail and Gavrail” we see late 16th century artwork sponsored by the wife of Niku Kutukli, Kiriaky, who had undertaken a pilgrimage to the holy city of Jerusalem. Such was her enthusiasm, she enlisted the artists Georgi from Bucharest, and Michhail from Thessalonika to adorn the dome of the church in what is a great example predating other frescos utilizing the same perspective technique in Western Europe.

The frescos in the Church of Saint Dimitur, finished late 1621, are simply the finest achievements of late middle age mural work to be found in Europe, and so are unique in their preservation and condition.

Arbanassi also held an attraction for those who required a retreat from the ways of the world, and the monasteries of “Uspenie Bogorodichno” and “Saint Nikola” which still remain today as places of quiet contemplation.

Monasteries of Arbanasi

Under the territory of Arbanasi there are two monasteries “Uspenie Bogorodichni” and “Sveti Nikola”. It is not clear when the hostel was established, but the chapel is the oldest building within the priory, established 1680.By colours style and type, the frescos are similar to the church “Church of the Birth of Christ”.

The chapel of “Sveti Nikola” was in active use until the raid on Arbanasi in 1798, which leftthe buildings partially destroyed, but renovation took place 1808 to its original form, and by 1833 the monastery complex was well established. In the vestibule, some of the origin frescos are still to be seen, along with a variety of wood carvings. Both monasteries are in active use today.