The Bishop’s Basilica of Philippopolis, Plovdiv (Bulgaria)

Centuries of History

Plovdiv, or Philippopolis as it was known in the ancient world, is one of the longest continually inhabited places in Europe, and the Bishop’s Basilica was a witness to many significant events in the city’s history.

Philippopolis became a part of the Roman Empire in AD 45/46. Within a few years, a grid street plan, a large forum, a stadium, a theater, and public baths appeared in it. In the 2^nd century, a large temple, probably dedicated to the imperial cult, was erected near the forum.

Philippopolis became a religious center when Christianity was legalized in the Roman Empire, in 313. At the end of the 4^th century, the Bishop’s Basilica was erected where the pagan temple used to stand. Measuring 83 m by 36 m, it is the largest early Christian church ever discovered in the Bulgarian lands.

In the 7^th century, the Basilica was abandoned, but not deserted. Some residents of Plovdiv built their houses among its ruins. In the 10^th century, a necropolis appeared over a part of it. The local buried their relatives there until the end of the 14^th century. Then the site sank into oblivion.

No one even suspected the existence of the Bishop’s Basilica when people’s homes, St Ludwig Catholic Cathedral, and the Eastern Orthodox church St Petka the New were erected in this location, in the 19^th century.

The Basilica’s remains were partially uncovered in the 1980s, but the site was fully excavated and researched only in 2015 – 2019.

Ancient Predecessor

The pagan temple that stood in the Basilica’s place in the 2^nd-4^th century was an impressive sight. Combining elements of Classical Greek and Roman architecture, the elegant building was located in central Philippopolis. Researchers surmise it was dedicated to the official religion of the Roman Empire, the imperial cult.

The Christians reused inscriptions, columns, capitals, and other construction elements from the temple to build the Bishop’s Basilica.

Early Christian Basilica

The great dimensions, the central location, and the sumptuous decoration of the Bishop’s Basilica told the citizens of Philippopolis that Christianity had become an indelible part of their lives. Churchgoers would first enter a spacious open-air courtyard with porticos (atrium) and a water fountain. Then they would walk through an anteroom (narthex) and into the mosaics-decorated three-nave basilica. The altar and the ambo, or pulpit, were made of marble.

The Mosaics Speak

The mosaics covering the floors of the Bishop’s Basilica create a remarkable picture of ornaments, geometrical compositions, symbols, and birds. They testify to the craftsmanship of their masters, tell stories, and are rich with symbolism.

The first mosaics were laid in the Basilica at the end of the 4^th and the beginning of the 5^th century. As time went by, the mosaic floor caved in, possibly as a result of an earthquake. Subsequently, a second layer of mosaics was laid over it.

The first-layer mosaics depict mainly geometrical compositions. Many of those came from ancient pagan art and were adopted by the early Christians.

Multitude of Birds

The Bishop’s Basilica’s signature bird images are in the second layer of mosaic. There, you can see over 100 birds belonging to 12 species.

The peacock is the most impressive of them. It occupies a central place in the narthex mosaic and in the Spring of Life scene. In pagan Antiquity, the peacock symbolized immortality, an idea early Christian art adopted.

The birds are stunningly realistic and beautifully crafted. Most of them were depicted around the Basilica’s altar, creating a symbolic image of the Garden of Eden.

Medieval Heir

The last worshippers and priests walked out of the Bishop’s Basilica at the end of the 6^th or the beginning of the 7^th century. The times were uncertain: there were barbarian incursions, a weak economy, wars. Most Plovdiv citizens sought refuge in the Three Hills area, where Plovdiv’s Old Town is now.

Though the Basilica fell into disrepair, the site was not deserted. A quarter of modest houses appeared over its ruins. Their foundations and fireplaces left traces over the mosaics that are still visible today.

In the 10^th century, likely because they considered the site a holy place, the citizens of Plovdiv started burying their dead there. The practice continued for four centuries, resulting in the  creation of Plovdiv’s biggest medieval necropolis. During the excavations, the remains of over 300 men, women, and children were unearthed. Bone analysis indicated they lived longer and ate better food then their counterparts in other towns in the region.

A small church decorated with murals stood by the necropolis.

The necropolis was abandoned at the end of the 14^th century. At that time, Plovdiv was already under Ottoman rule. The center of urban life had moved north, toward the banks of Maritsa River.

The Bishop’s Basilica and its surroundings were forgotten.

From an Archaeological Site to a Visitor Center

The Bishop’s Basilica of Philippopolis has come back to life through the efforts of archaeologists, mosaic restorers, arthistorians, numismatists, epigraphers, forensic anthropologists – and of hundreds of volunteers.

The archaeologists of the Regional Museum in Plovdiv researched the Bishop’s Basilica of Philippopolis in 2016 – 2017. They uncovered the foundations of Roman, early Christian, and medieval structures, and examined the coins, pottery shards, architecture elements, and other finds. Hundreds of Bulgarian and international volunteers worked on the digs, among them students, journalists, engineers, diplomats, musicians, judges, NGO representatives, and others.

In 2015-2019, a team of mosaic restorers excavated, researched, and conserved a total of 2000 sq. m. of mosaic floors. Some of mosaics were restored in situ, while others were removed and shipped to a special workshop for more detailed cleaning and conservation. Today, the mosaic can be seen at the Bishop’s Basilica Visitor Center, the work of Bulgarian and US architects. There, the story of the Basilica and its mosaics is told through both traditional and contemporary means such as BR reconstructions.