Church of St. George, town of Byala, Ruse region

Overview

"St. George" is an Orthodox church in the town of Byala, Ruse region. The church is located in the city center. The church was conceived in 1910 as a temple monument and mausoleum. In its foundations Filip Simidov laid a piece of the flag of Botev's detachment. The project is the work of the Ruse architect Dimitar Shoylev, and the church was built in 1910-1915. It was consecrated in November 1924. Above the entrance there is an inscription "Construction: master Petko Ivanov from the village of Stoychevtsi, Dryanovo region. Sculptor: Matthew Kossuta from Italy. Painted (1923-1924) by the artist: Apostol Hristov from Sofia and his son Hristo Apostolov. Carvers: Ivan Kosev from Tryavna (iconostasis), Stefan Stoyanov from Byala (everything else). Consecrated in 1924. Mayor with merits: Ignat A. Getsov. Priest of Merit: Peter Tsokov. The church was restored by the artist-restorer Pantaley Seferov from Sofia in 1966. " Architecturally, it is a three-nave domed building with a pronounced transverse axis. There is a bell tower above the porch in the western part. The altar has three apses, and the nave is entered from two side entrances from the north and south. The decorative layout includes neo-Byzantine elements. The bell tower is 20 m high and has four bells - a gift from the Russian Emperor Alexander II, the largest weighs 1500 kg and is 1.10 m high. The church was painted in 1923 by the prominent Debar master Apostol Hristov and his son Hristo Apostolov.