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Sveta Nedelya Cathedral Church, Sofia, Bulgaria.
The origins of the cathedral's early years remain largely shrouded in mystery. Presumably constructed in the 10th century, the cathedral boasted stone foundations but retained an overall wooden structure, a characteristic that persisted until the mid-19th century, distinguishing it from most other churches in the city. Around 1460, the remains of Serbian king Stefan Uroš II Milutin were brought to Bulgaria and temporarily housed in various churches and monasteries until finding a permanent residence in St Nedelya after it became a bishop's seat in the 18th century. The church gained an alternate name, Holy King ("Свети Крал," "Sveti Kral"), in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
On April 25, 1856, the original structure was demolished to make way for a more extensive and grandiose cathedral. Construction of the 35.5 m-long and 19 m-wide church commenced in the summer of the same year. However, the building faced setbacks when an earthquake struck in 1858, delaying completion until 1863. The official inauguration took place on May 11, 1867, in the presence of 20,000 attendees. In 1879, a new belfry was erected to house eight bells gifted to the church by Russian Knyaz (Prince) Alexander Mikhailovich Dondukov-Korsakov.
A renovation in 1898 saw the addition of new domes. Exarch Joseph I of Bulgaria was laid to rest just outside the walls of St Nedelya in 1915. Tragically, the church fell victim to a bomb attack in 1925, claiming over 150 lives. Following this incident, reconstruction efforts took place between the summer of 1927 and the spring of 1933, culminating in the church's reinauguration on April 7, 1933. Almost entirely rebuilt, the new temple measured 30 m in length and 15.50 m in width, featuring a central dome that soared to a height of 31 m. The gilt iconostasis that had survived the bombing was returned to its rightful place within the church.
Sveta Nedelya Cathedral Church, Sofia, Bulgaria.
The origins of the cathedral's early years remain largely shrouded in mystery. Presumably constructed in the 10th century, the cathedral boasted stone foundations but retained an overall wooden structure, a characteristic that persisted until the mid-19th century, distinguishing it from most other churches in the city. Around 1460, the remains of Serbian king Stefan Uroš II Milutin were brought to Bulgaria and temporarily housed in various churches and monasteries until finding a permanent residence in St Nedelya after it became a bishop's seat in the 18th century. The church gained an alternate name, Holy King ("Свети Крал," "Sveti Kral"), in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
On April 25, 1856, the original structure was demolished to make way for a more extensive and grandiose cathedral. Construction of the 35.5 m-long and 19 m-wide church commenced in the summer of the same year. However, the building faced setbacks when an earthquake struck in 1858, delaying completion until 1863. The official inauguration took place on May 11, 1867, in the presence of 20,000 attendees. In 1879, a new belfry was erected to house eight bells gifted to the church by Russian Knyaz (Prince) Alexander Mikhailovich Dondukov-Korsakov.
A renovation in 1898 saw the addition of new domes. Exarch Joseph I of Bulgaria was laid to rest just outside the walls of St Nedelya in 1915. Tragically, the church fell victim to a bomb attack in 1925, claiming over 150 lives. Following this incident, reconstruction efforts took place between the summer of 1927 and the spring of 1933, culminating in the church's reinauguration on April 7, 1933. Almost entirely rebuilt, the new temple measured 30 m in length and 15.50 m in width, featuring a central dome that soared to a height of 31 m. The gilt iconostasis that had survived the bombing was returned to its rightful place within the church.