Hagia Sophia Church in Nessebar, Bulgaria

Located in the heart of Nessebar’s old town, the Hagia Sophia Church predates Istanbul’s famous Grand Mosque of the same name by almost a century. Also known as the Old Bishopric, the church is one of the oldest and most important Christian sites in the Balkans, showcasing the region’s rich Byzantine heritage.

Nessebar’s Hagia Sophia Church was built sometime in the 5th century, likely over ruins of the ancient Greek agora and a temple dedicated to Apollo. In its heyday, the Eastern Orthodox church was 83 feet long with a large central nave flanked by two side aisles. Between the nave and aisles, a two-story arcade of stone columns was topped with delicate brick arches. The front of the church featured a semicircular apse that would’ve been elaborately decorated in Byzantine mosaics. 

For more than a millennia, the Hagia Sophia Church was an important gathering place for the local Eastern Orthodox community. However, by the late 18th century, the church was largely abandoned as later medieval churches, such as the Church of St. Stephen, became centers of religious life. 

Today, the church stands largely in ruins, but visitors can still wander its ancient stones and imagine the centuries of marriages, funerals, and services that have echoed through these historic walls. 

Source: Atlas Obscura - Latest Articles and Places