Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo In BulgariaRock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo In Bulgaria

Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo - Bulgaria

Short Report

In the valley of the Roussenski Lom river, in the north-east Bulgaria, a complex of rock-cut churches, chapels, monasteries and cells developed in the vicinity of the village of Ivanovo. This is where the first hermits was dug out their cells and churches during the 12th century. The 14th-century murals witnesses of the special skills of the artists to the Tarnovo School of painting.

Wonderful Universal Importance

The frescoes of the Ivanovo churches show a exceptional artistry and a remarkable artistic sensitivity for 14th century painting and Bulgarian medieval art; they are an important milestone in the christian art of south-eastern Europe. The 'To' be accommodated in monastery mosaics (Karia Djámi Kebír) 1303 - 10, this frescoes, by their expressiveness exceed all other historical monuments discovered, characteristic for the Palaeologues style. Neo-classic in the spirit and in elements of their subjects, the frescos imply a break with the cannons of Byzantine iconography. They show close links with expressive Hellenistic art and a clear preference for the nude, the landscape, an architectural background of a composition, drama, an emotional atmosphere - qualities that together an exceptional masterpiece of the Tarnovo school for painting and monumental art.

The five historic monuments in this group (chapels, churches, etc. ), dating from the 13th and 14th century, serve as examples that clears the way for the distinctive character development and control of the art of the Second Bulgarian National/ 1187-1396/. The richness and diversity of the blood cells, chapels, churches, monastery complexes, the original architectural solutions - all in a beautiful natural environment, confirm the value of this extraordinary historic group.

Many churches, chapels, monasteries and cells were in the natural rock along the Rusenski Lom river, during the 13- 14th century. The 'Church' frescoes show a exceptional artistry and a remarkable artistic sensitivity for 14th century painting and Bulgarian medieval art; they are an important milestone in the christian art of south-eastern Europe. Neo-classic in the spirit and in elements of their subjects, the frescos imply a break with the cannons of Byzantine iconography. They show close links with expressive Hellenistic art and a clear preference for the nude, landscape, an architectural background of a composition, drama, an emotional atmosphere - qualities that together an exceptional masterpiece.

The extensive complexes of monasteries were built between the time of the Second Bulgarian State / 1187-1396/ and the conquest of Bulgaria by the Ottoman Empire. The five historic monuments in this group, which dates back to the 13th and 14th century, the richness and diversity of the blood cells, chapels, churches, monastery complexes, the original architectural solutions - all in a beautiful natural environment, confirm the value of this extraordinary historic group.

Integrity

The property includes within its boundaries all components necessary for its exceptional universal value but the rock-solid, where the churches are located, has serious stability problems. In the course of the years a continuous program of research and scientific, technical and design projects, mainly focused on the strengthening and stabilization of the rock formation. THE program was carried out for the 'Research, identification, stabilisation and waterproofing of the rock massif' for the Church of the Holy Virgin. All statistical analyzes are based on processing and instrument meteorological data and studies.

Authenticity

Made of natural cavities of a karst massif, the authenticity of form, the material and the content of the rock-cut Churches of Ivanovo is still preserved. Urgent conservation work is completed on the valuable 13TH and 14th-century murals, while cleaning, stabilisation and presentation of the Church of the Holy Virgin murals is also carried out. It is minimal retouching work, and the maximum retention of the original. As a result of a rock collapse of the early 20th century, the 13th-century ceiling murals from the buried church of St. archangels are saved and transferred to a new substrate. The first phase of the work on the 14th century murals of the collapsed St. Todor Church is completed.

Wide Report

In the valley of the Roussenski Lom river, in the north-east Bulgaria, a complex of rock-cut churches, chapels, monasteries and cells developed in the vicinity of the village of Ivanovo. This is where the first hermits was dug out their cells and churches during the 12th century. The 14th-century murals witnesses of the special skills of the artists of the Tarnovo school of painting.

The period of the history of Bulgaria from the last years of the 12th century, when for the second time the country had become independent of Byzantium to the Ottoman Empire annexation in 1396, is known as the Second Bulgarian Empire. Independence of Byzantium not fully to the Bulgarian clergy were relatives of the Patriarch Costantinopoli. In 1204, the Tsar Kaloyan signed an agreement with the papacy moved back as part of the roman catholic church. It Was not a long-term agreement. In the time of Tsar Ivan Ansen II, Bulgaria again embraced Orthodox Christianity, but with a private Patriarch, not subordinate to Costantinople.

The first Patriarch was the monk Gioacchino, which shared with Ivan Ansen the plan of the Bulgarian church. Before deciding on the patriarchal throne he lived as a hermit in a cave in the Rusenski Lom river valley, not far from the village of Ivanovo. The monk reached as high level of inviolability that Tzar Ivan Ansen entrusted the construction of a monastery, which has contributed to strengthening its image as a merciful frost. The monastery was built between 1218 and 1235 and was from the beginning a rocky character; all buildings were dug in the limestone cliff gap of the river and its contributories. In the years between 1331 and 1371 the monastery, thanks to new royal gifts, acquired the best of its artistic heritage: the splendid frescoes due to the painters of the so-called Tarnovo School.

During the conquest of the country by the Ottoman Turks in 1396, the monastery of Ivanovo was quickly forgotten in ruins and was abandoned. The hard limestone from which the country was cut and that frescoes were painted could withstand the inclemency of the weather. Along the two walls of the Rusenski Lom river gorge there is a labyrinth of cells, of rooms, and above all churches and chapels dug in the rock which were originally completely covered with frescoes, but which only five are still in good condition.

Bearing in mind the fact that these three churches back to the regime of Ivan or immediately thereafter, they constitute remarkable evidence of the revolution in painting during the two centuries of the Second Bulgarian Empire. In the churches of the first period, the human figures are painted in the same realistic style, with oval faces and fleshy lips, and the colors of the clothing are light. The 14th-century frescoes of contrast in the classic style of the Palaeologic period. The five churches and frescoes are testimony of the Byzantine art influence in Bulgaria. The creation and establishment of the rock-cut churches is largely attributable to the donation of the Bulgarian Tzars in the 13th and 14th century.

Source:whc/unesco