Description of the attraction
The Basilica of St. Anthony is located ten minutes walk from the center of Melnik. The church is located on the territory of the cultural and historical architectural reserve "Melnik".
The temple was built in 1765. In shape, the basilica, built of stones and bricks, fastened with special mortar, resembles a large ship. The façade with four asymmetrically positioned windows and a central entrance is the widest part of the building, which gradually tapers. Inside, the church is richly decorated with frescoes: flowers, cherubs, seraphim, angels, etc. The iconostasis and icons (especially the "Mother of God" and "Holy Mother of God") are of exceptional value.
This is the only church in Bulgaria and on the Balkan Peninsula named after St. Anthony the Great. In Christianity, this saint is the patron saint of the mentally ill. According to legend, the temple has wonderful properties. All patients suffering from mental disorders who spent one night in the church were healed by Saint Anthony. A rod with an iron chain has been preserved in the temple, which was intended for violent mental patients.
Currently, the basilica is a cultural monument of national importance.
