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Hisar Gate

Hisar Gate

Plovdiv

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HomeEuropeBulgariaPlovdivThe Old TownHisar Gate

Hisar Gate

Hisar Gate
The gate exists in its pesent-day appearance since XI century. However, below the level of the street pavement there have been found foundations from the Roman period (probably from the 2nd century AD). It served as a crypt for many years. The gate is part of the ensemble, which includes the outdoor quadrangular tower under the altar of St. Konstantin and Elena Church.

Information

  • addressTsanko Lavrenov Str.

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St. St. Konstantin and Elena Church

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Armenian Apostolitic Church

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Metropolitan Church of St. Martyr Marina

Metropolitan Church of St. Martyr Marina

After the Edict of Milan in 313 AD in the ancient city of Plovdiv were built an episcopal basilica and residence of the spiritual head of the diocese. The temple, existing in the time after this period, was built probably in V century and existed until the end of VI century when it was destroyed by Slavic invasions. According to studies of these researchers the temple was dedicated to St. Paul. In the middle of XVIII century the church was burned down again. Among the first donors in its recovery were Hadji Andon, Konstantin Mavrudioglu, Costa Atanasov and priest Yani. It was finally completed in 1783 during the time of the Plovdiv Metropolitan Kiril. In 1828 the construction of a new iconostasis for the temple, a pulpit and a canopy for the Holy See started. The woodcarvers who made this were representatives of the Debar carving school. The dome is with polyhedral shape. In the western part of the temple there is an open colonnade – narthex which was inscribed with biblical scenes by painter Nikita Odrinchanin in 1858. The total number of scenes are 29, 24 of which are from the Old Testament. When the construction of the new, bigger temple started, the earlier carved iconostasis was preserved. On the left of the royal doors of the iconostasis was an icon of Virgin Mary with the Divine Infant, and on the right – an icon of Christ the Savior, both painted by Stanislav Dospevski in 1868.Two old places for church singers have octagonal shape and are decorated with encrusted bones and wooden plates. Nowadays, St. Marina is the temple with the biggest number of bells. The church also stores a fraction of the holy relics of Saint Martyr Marina as a sanctuary.

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