Boyana Church
Боянска църква
A medieval UNESCO World Heritage chapel whose 1259 frescoes are renowned for their lifelike figures, regarded as a masterpiece of medieval art in Eastern Europe.
Boyana Church stands at the foot of Vitosha Mountain in the Boyana district and consists of three small chapels built in different periods. It is best known for its frescoes painted in 1259, about 90 murals with more than 240 figures. Their vivid expressions are considered to foreshadow the realism of the Renaissance. The church was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1979. To protect the frescoes, each group is limited to about 8 to 10 visitors for roughly 10 minutes, and queues form in peak season. Admission is about €5 (Bulgaria adopted the euro in 2026, so confirm the price on site). A combined ticket is available with the nearby National History Museum. It is about 20 minutes by taxi from the city center.
Opening hours
Approx. 09:00–17:30 (closed Mondays; check the official website)
Nearby sights
- National Historical Museum
- Boyana Waterfall
- Zlatnite Mostove (Golden Bridges)
- National Palace of Culture (NDK)
- Vitosha Boulevard
- St Nedelya Church
- Seven Saints Church
- Church of St. George Rotunda