The Church

The Church of the Holy Mother of God, also known as the Blessed Virgin of Petrich Church, is the most notable and best-preserved feature of Asen’s Fortress. The church was built in the 12th century during the Byzantine rule of the Komnins. Serious renovations were done during the reign of the Bulgarian Tsar Ivan Asen II, and new architectural elements emerged. Typical of the 13th-century elements are the "blind arches" visible in the upper part of the building. The most striking feature of the church is the large, rectangular tower rising directly above the entrance. It is probably the earliest preserved example of a bell tower integrated into a church building in the Balkans. This style was introduced in the region after the Fourth Crusade, and it was widely spread in Bulgaria and the former Byzantine Empire.

As you have noticed, the church has 2 floors. The Lower Story’s function remains a subject of debate; while it was likely intended to be an cript, no human remains have been discovered, leading some researchers to believe it served as a storage facility or was built primarily to level the uneven, rocky terrain.

The Upper Story is where the sanctuary was. When you go up, you are entering a gallery of 14th-century art. The walls were covered in frescoes painted in the ’Palaiologan style,’ which was the high fashion of the late Byzantine world. Unlike the stiff, flat figures of earlier periods, these saints have volume, emotion, and movement. Recognizable scenes include the Baptism of Christ, Pilate’s Court, the Dormition of the Mother of God, and the Crucifixion. Unfortunately, they are very fragmented.

And yet, a logical question should emerge: why is it still standing? Obviously, the rest of the fortress was completely demolished. The end of the story for this fort is in the early decades of Ottoman rule in the region. Please follow the stone stairs that go up to the highest point of the fort. I will reveal the final chapter of the story when you are up there and you have the view of the structure and the stunning landscape.