The unknown predecessor of Leonardo da Vinci from our lands noticed the biblical plot “The Final Supper” differently, which makes the temple extraordinarily priceless for world tradition
The one fresco of its form, depicting the forging of the nails for the Crucifixion, could be seen within the Zemen Monastery (painted within the 14th century), reviews the Regional Administration – Pernik, quoted by BTA.
The church is the one cross-domed temple in Bulgaria with a cubic form – 9 by 9 by 9 meters. When getting into from the vestibule to the altar, an inscribed cross in a sq. is shaped. The dome of the church can be an inscribed sq.. The frescoes date from the 14th century, though earlier iconography will not be excluded. “St. John the Theologian” can be distinctive with the one wall portray in our nation – the forging of the nails for the cross of Christ. This fresco is nowhere to be present in temples and monumental portray, neither within the East nor within the West.
The frescoes within the monastery church “St. John the Theologian” inform about the way in which of Jesus to Calvary. The unknown predecessor of Leonardo da Vinci from our lands noticed the biblical plot “The Final Supper” in a particular manner.
On it, Christ is depicted twice, with two pictures – one Christ arms the bread, the opposite pours the wine. The “Double Christ” can’t be seen wherever else. This completely different studying makes the temple extraordinarily priceless for world tradition.
One can discuss for a very long time concerning the attention-grabbing interpretations of the well-known biblical scenes within the frescoes of the monastery, about plenty of distinctive motifs from the life and being of individuals, concerning the authenticity and improvement of religion, however it’s higher to see them dwell. Right this moment the complicated contains two buildings, a bell tower and a church. On its territory there are centuries-old timber with stunning trunks and large crowns. The sense of calm and peace with your self and the world right here is exceptional. The Zemensky monastery will not be inhabited by monks and has been became a museum. On March 5, 1966 The Zemen church has been declared a monument of Bulgarian structure and portray, and the Zemen monastery – a nationwide museum, which since 2004 has been a department of the Nationwide Historical past Museum. It has been declared a monument underneath the safety of UNESCO.
On the foot of the north-eastern slope of Risha Mountain, on a wonderful terrace, a singular pearl is nestled – one of the crucial priceless monuments of the Center Ages – the Zemensky Monastery “St. John the Theologian”. The crystalline waters of a giant spring bubble up subsequent to the monastery. Situated solely about 80 km. from the town of Sofia, close to the town of Zemen on the foot of the Konyavska mountain, the Zemen monastery enchants with its timelessness and wonder. It isn’t as large and as well-known because the Rila Monastery or the Bachkovo Monastery, however identical to them, it hides unsuspected secrets and techniques and treasures inside itself. It has magic, historical past, religion. On August 9, 1909 Zemen railway station is solemnly opened. Many individuals from the capital and cultural figures go to Zemensko and uncover the individuality of the Zemensko monastery, its great wall work, the work of an unknown native artist from the Center Ages.
Prof. Yordan Ivanov made the primary publication concerning the Earthly Church, with which he introduced to the nation and the world concerning the existence of a hitherto unknown and priceless historic monument from the 14th century. The Zemenska Church rivals in worth the Boyana Church in Sofia, inbuilt 1259. In-depth research show that the church in Zemen dates again to not the XIV, however to the XI century. It was repeatedly burned. The outstanding factor is that the monastery fence, the monastery constructing was demolished and rebuilt many occasions, however the church with the frescoes was not destroyed and survived for greater than 7 centuries. From the research of the monastery archives, it’s clear that the church was strengthened in 1830 and 1860. A significant architectural restoration of the church was carried out in 1968. Full conservation of the frescoes was carried out in 1970-1974. underneath the management of Bonka Ilieva. Through the conservation, it was found that underneath the frescoes from the 14th century there’s an older layer of frescoes, which refers back to the monumental artwork of the Twelfth-Thirteenth centuries. The frescoes from the primary portray layer belong to the second half of the eleventh century. The recognition of the monument is due not solely to the attention-grabbing architectural answer, but additionally to the exceptional wall work with biblical scenes. The altar is made from a stone monolith, and the ground is made from multi-colored stone slabs and vintage bricks. The Zemlenska church can be one other proof that the Zemlengrad fortress existed on these lands firstly of the Thirteenth century, and it was wealthy and vital for its time. The founders of the church have been the Earthly ruler Despot Deyan and his spouse Doya. Their portraits embellish the partitions of the monastery and are one of many earliest portraits of Bulgarian boyars and of the best inventive worth, like the pictures of Sevastokrator Kaloyan and Desislava from the Boyana church.
The frescoes of the church are painted with nice ability and class. The paints with which the earthly artist used to maintain the murals so vivid and colourful for therefore many centuries stay a thriller. From the primary mural layer, essentially the most preserved is the depiction of “Rejecting the Items of Joachim and Anna”. The portray is split into 4 zones. To the fitting of the doorway are the inscribed portraits of the founders of Despod Deyan and Doya and their household. They’re distinctive, as a result of solely within the Boyan Church and within the Zemen Monastery within the occasions of Medieval Scholasticism have been dwelling folks drawn, and never solely saints and icons. It was revolutionary for its time and heralded the Renaissance. Their pictures are a priceless supply for the garments and ornaments of the boyars from the start of the 14th century. Probably the most spectacular is the picture of Doya – a younger girl, with stunning expressive eyes, wearing a pink tunic with lengthy lace sleeves, with a white veil on her head and a crown. Above the heads is the founder’s inscription “This temple was written, devoted to St. John the Theologian with the favor of Despod Deyan. All inscriptions within the church are in Previous Bulgarian literary language.
Illustration: The distinctive fresco depicting the forging of the nails for the Crucifixion, with the “Double Christ”, preserved within the Zemen Monastery (Picture: Regional Administration – Pernik) / BTA
