A new tourist attraction will open in Plovdiv this spring. That is when it is expected to be completed the restoration of the Episcopal Basilica from the 4th Century. And its unique mosaics to be accessible to visitors. Even when entering the attraction, the guests of the city will be amazed by the rich colors and shapes of the stone paintings arranged on the floor.
Among the most attractive is a mosaic of peacock, which will welcome visitors as a stylized drawing and the exterior facade of the attraction as well. Its beauty is further accentuated by the various mosaics of birds, which are only one part of the over 100 images of feathers in the basilica. According to archaeologists, the birds symbolize the Garden of Eden.
The peacock, on the other hand, represents the resurrection of Christ and the immortality of the human soul. It is no accident that the scale of this mosaic is larger than the other birds surrounding it.
In the basilica, you have the chance to see two different layers of mosaics. The lower one shows mostly stylized geometric shapes and crosses. They come in only four colors – white, black, red and ocher. In the next layer, hundreds of birds and brighter colors are already relied on.
There are also differences between the southern and middle ships of the basilica, which in turn suggests that different masters worked on the arrangement of the colored paintings.
The basilica is three-nave, with a length of 86 meters and a width of 39 meters. The building was two stories high, and its weight was held by marble columns. The proof that the temple is episcopal comes from a Greek inscription found in 2106 that also dates to the 4th century. The basilica is believed to have been destroyed by an extremely strong earthquake that occurred around the 6th century.
To fully immerse yourself in the magic of Roman mosaic heritage in Plovdiv, be sure to visit the Little Basilica and the Eyrene Building, located in the Trakart Cultural Center. The three sites together apply for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List and since 2018 they have been on the indicative list, which is the first and most important step to make it happen.
