The village of Viden - so picturesque, beautiful and so charming with its hardworking, kind and wonderful people.
The village is located in the middle of the Valley of Roses and tucked away at the foot of Sredna Gora, with an incredible view of the North, where the mighty and old Balkan are located, in front of which proudly flows the beautiful Tundzha river.
And there, between the river and the village, you will find the remains of St. Athanasius church.
It is said that once in the heyday of the village, it was an extremely beautiful church, whose bells rang far and wide, the mountain blew it up and amplified it many times, so that the song echoed into eternity.
The temple was built between 1851 and 1854, but was destroyed during the Liberation.
The people of Viden raised funds and managed to restore it, so that the temple became even more beautiful than before.
Legends abound about the wonderful acoustics, measured by that of Teatro alla Scala or La Scala in Milano, achieved through a masterpiece - empty clay pots walled into the walls in a complex scheme, so that each in a unique way to reflect the sounds inside the temple.
A huge and very beautiful dome rose from above, under which hung huge chandeliers, and silver candlesticks gleamed in front of the old icons.
There was also a balcony from which a church choir praised the Lord with hymns.
But the time has come to build a dam on the Tundzha River.
The newly built dam floods and submerges the whole area and almost the whole village. Of the 400 houses, only 80 remain.
At the end of the summer of 2020, the honest people of Viden consecrated the new church, bearing the same name "St. Athanasius the Great".
Go to the village of Viden and you!
How to get to here?
Use the newly built temple as a landmark. You pass it so that it stays to your right and continue along the quiet street.
At the end of it you will find a place to leave your car.
From there you continue on foot.
The ruins of the sunken church await you in the vast field in front of you.
I wish you an exceptional and impressive walk!