Description of the attraction
The Church of St. Nicholas of Mirlikisky is an Orthodox church located in the center of the Bulgarian capital, the city of Sofia. It is believed that the original temple was built by the Emperor Constantine the Great himself, who declared Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire. The building was erected at the beginning of the 4th century along with the palace complex intended for the emperor. Later, in the Middle Ages (XIII century), the sevastocrator Kaloyan built his residence and a new church on the site of a Roman palace and an early Christian temple, respectively. During the years of Ottoman slavery, the church was known as "Sveti Nikola Golemi". There is information that the building was renovated during the Bulgarian Renaissance. In 1944, during the bombing of Sofia, the three-aisled basilica, which has survived to this day, was completely destroyed.
The current small church was built in the 50s. XX century at the insistence of Patriarch Kirill. In memory of the former temple, parts of the wall of a medieval building have been left, which can be seen inside the church from the north side.
The main value and shrine of the temple is the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas of Myra, which mysteriously remained unharmed after the devastating bombing of 1944.
