Cathedral of Saint Vissarion of Smolyan

The Cathedral of Saint Vissarion of Smolyan (Bulgarian: катедрален храм „Свети Висарион Смолянски“) is an Eastern Orthodox church in Smolyan, Bulgaria, inaugurated on 2 July 2006. It is the second largest church in the country (after the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia) and the largest church in southern Bulgaria. It is the first new Orthodox church in the city in the Rhodopes for 130 years.

The church's main premise has an area of 382 m² (enough to accommodate 500 laymen), the dome being 17 m in diameter and the belfry reaching 32 m. The cathedral's construction began with the laying of the foundation stone on 7 April 2002. Resources for the construction were gathered by raising money. The main church donor is Todor Batkov, a noted lawyer and PFC Levski Sofia president, who donated 2 million leva (circa 1 million).

The 11 bells, the largest of which being 152 cm high, 145 in diameter and weighing 2 tons, were cast in the Russian ZIL factory. The smallest bell weighs 60 kg, the total weight of all being 5 tons and the price €92,000.

Part of the church complex are also a baptistery (dedicated to Saint Theodore), a synodical library, a museum collection premise and a Sunday school.

Among the 5,000 guests who attended the cathedral's inauguration were Prime Minister of Bulgaria Sergey Stanishev, Minister of Culture Stefan Danailov, politicians Anastasiya Mozer, Emel Etem, Petar Beron and Pavel Chernev.

Listed in the following categories:
Post a comment
Tips & Hints
Arrange By:
Naiden Iliev
25 December 2014
Модернистична православна църква.
Ana
14 July 2012
Втората по големина църква, след Александър Невски, в България.
Load more comments
foursquare.com
5.7/10
796 people have been here
Map
bulevard "Bulgaria", 4700 Smolyan, Bulgaria Get directions

Св. Висарион Смоленски on Foursquare

Cathedral of Saint Vissarion of Smolyan on Facebook

Hotels nearby

See all hotels See all
Hotel Extreme

starting $36

Hotel Smolyan

starting $22

Ski Chalets At Pamporovo - An Affordable Village Holiday For Families Or Groups

starting $0

Hotel Brothers

starting $47

Forest Nook Aparthotel

starting $28

Hotel Forest Glade

starting $35

Recommended sights nearby

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Snezhanka Tower

Snezhanka Tower (кула „Снежанка“) is a 156-metre-high television towe

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Uhlovitsa

Uhlovitsa (Bulgarian: Ухловица) is the name of a cave in the Blue Po

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Golyam Perelik

Golyam Perelik (български. Голям Перелик) is the highest peak in the

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Rozhen Observatory

Rozhen Observatory (also known as NAO-Rozhen) is a Bulgarian

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Trigrad Gorge

The Trigrad Gorge (Bulgarian: Триградско ждрело, ) is a canyon of ver

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Marvelous Bridges

The Marvelous Bridges or Wonderful Bridges (български. Чудни[те

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Bachkovo Monastery

The Bachkovo Monastery (български. Бачковски манастир, Bachkov

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Ustra

Ustra (Bulgarian: Устра) is a castle in the eastern Rhodope moun

Similar tourist attractions

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Balıklıgöl

Balıklıgöl (or Pool of Abraham, Halil-Ür Rahman Lake), is a lake in

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
San Salvador, Venice

The Chiesa di San Salvatore (of the Holy Saviour) is a church in

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua

The Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua (Italian: Sant'Antonio da

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane

The Church of Saint Charles at the Four Fountains (italiano. Chiesa di

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery

St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery is a functioning monastery in

See all similar places