St. John the Baptist in Bratsigovo is an extremely beautiful Orthodox church.
How do you get here?
Construction of the church began in 1832, and construction was completed a year later. The builder of the temple is the prominent Kostur master Atanas Mechkarin (known among the people as Nase The Pot).
The church has three naves with two domes, without drums along the middle nave, which is a less common architectural device.
The construction is massive, as the arches are executed in a manner typical of the Bratsigovo masters with relieving arches.
Later, the church was rebuilt, the windows were widened, one dome was closed and the other was raised on a high drum, the empirical ladder was moved to the narthex, and supporting buttresses were built outside.
The western facade of the temple is distinctive, as the stone masonry acts as a decorative element. This facade has the rocky curve typical of the Bratsigovo school.
As soon as I step through the main gate, I see with what diligence and sense of beauty the owners of the temple take care of the yard, flower beds, green lawns and overall for this beautiful church, which you should visit.
If your visit coincides with the height of spring, you will enjoy the amazing blooming magnolias sparkling in the courtyard of the temple!
The bell tower
Along with its great past, Bratsigovo is also famous for the highest Orthodox bell tower on the Balkan Peninsula, which is located in the yard of St. John the Baptist church.
The bell tower was built by master Ivan Dragov in the period from 1884 to 1886 and is 35 meters high.
At first glance, the composition of the bell tower is Renaissance, but in the details and decoration there are influences from the Western European and Russian architecture that entered the country after 1878.
The tower can be seen from every point in Bratsigovo and is incredibly beautiful!
The Church of St. John the Baptist in Bratsigovo can be visited by people of all ages.
It is accessible to people in wheelchairs, and there are several easy steps to overcome, and additional help from an accompanying person may be needed to overcome them.
I wish you a charming walk!