Един енорийски храм в българската столица Търновград през XIV век
One Parish Temple Of The Bulgarian Capital Of Tarnovgrad During The 14th Century

Summary/Abstract: The fortress of Trapezitsa is one of the two fortified cores that shape the capital of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom – Tarnovgrad. The massive fortification walls from the early 13th century surround an area of 70 decares, which during the 14th century was filled with residential neighbourhoods, churches, monasteries, administrative, military and production buildings, unified by a developed street network (Fig. 1, 2). The significance of the fortress has not been inferior compared to neighbouring Tsarevets. This is additionally testified by its individual address by contemporaries, who called it “the glorious town of Trapezitsa”.In 2017, within the South sector of the fortress was unearthed a church unknown until that moment (Fig. 1–4). It is located on key spot for the urban area of Trapezitsa. Church No. 22 is situated northeast of the Southwest gate, which appears as a main one among the four entrances in the south part of the citadel. Along with that, the Christian temple is on a crossroad where two main streets interflow in order to head towards the gate. Church No. 22 is not only among the largest on Trapezitsa, but was also in direct connection to the neighbouring residential areas. Built in the 1330s together with the street pavements, it appears as a core – probably a parish temple, for the neighbourhoods which developed rapidly until the middle of the century. The church was also a place for interment of the residents of the southern part of Trapezitsa, with over 160 graves excavated in the necropolis or around it so far (Fig. 7). The dimensions of the temple, the used construction technique, the contents of the relics found inside it, related to its consecration (Fig. 6) and the urban environment (Fig. 1–3, 9) where it is located, does not exclude the possibility for its erection to have been an act of collective donation, executed by the inhabitants of that part of Trapezitsa.Along with the important results for the relation of the Christian temples to the urban environment of the capital town, Church no. 22 also presented a material visualization of the consecration of the temples and the treasury of relics and sacred gifts inside them (Fig. 5, 6).

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