Small Basilica, Plovdiv

Coordinates: 42°08′47″N 24°45′29″E / 42.146407°N 24.757954°E / 42.146407; 24.757954

Small Basilica of Philippopolis

small basilica

Mosaics in the small basilica of Philippopolis
Map of Plovdiv city center
Small Basilica
Shown within Plovdiv City Center
Location Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Coordinates 42°08′47″N 24°45′29″E / 42.146448°N 24.757944°E / 42.146448; 24.757944
Type Basilica
Length 20 m
Width 13 m
History
Material bricks, marble
Founded The second half of the 5th century AD
Abandoned The end of 6th century AD
Periods Roman Empire
Site notes
Excavation dates 1988, 2010
Archaeologists Mina Bospachieva
Condition Restored
Ownership Plovdiv Municipality
Public access Yes
Part of a series on the ancient city of
Philippopolis
Buildings and structures
Related topics
 • History • Timeline

The Small Basilica of Philippopolis (Bulgarian: Малка базилика на Филипопол, Malka bazilika na Filipopol) is one of Plovdiv's most distinctive landmarks. The basilica is located on Maria Louisa Blvd in the central part of Bulgaria's second-largest city. The ruins of the early Christian church were found during construction works in the area in 1988. The three-nave basilica is an example of the exceptional skill of mosaic builders in ancient Philippopolis.

The basilica

The basilica was built in the second half of the 5th century AD and contained rich architectural decoration including a marble colonnade between the naves, a marble altar screen, a pulpit, and a synthronon in the altar apse. The total length of the building is 20 m and its width is 13 m. Originally, it was built as a three-nave basilica with one apse and a narthex. The floors are covered with colorful Roman mosaics with geometrical motifs. A small chapel is built against the south end of the basilica and a baptistery is attached to the northern part of the building. The total length of the church is 20 m and its width is 13 m. The baptistery has a square plan, and contains a cruciform baptizing pool and polychromatic mosaics. Deers, pigeons, and other Christian symbols were depicted on them.

Excavation and restoration

Gallery

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 9/23/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.