site.btaBishop's Basilica, Late-Antique Mosaics of Philippopolis Inscribed in UNESCO Tentative List

Sofia, April 3 (BTA) - The Bishop's Basilica and Late-Antique Mosaics of Philippopolis, Roman Province of Thrace, have been inscribed on the UNESCO Tentative List of important natural and cultural heritage sites, the UNESCO World Heritage Centre announced in a letter addressed to Bulgarian Culture Minister Boil Banov, Banov's Ministry said in a press release on Tuesday.

"The Bishop's Basilica in Plovdiv [South Central Bulgaria] together with the mosaics preserved in it represents a unique monument of which Bulgaria is proud. The inclusion in the UNESCO Tentative List is yet another aspect of the contribution of our country and specifically of Plovdiv, which is one of the oldest cities on the continent, to the conservation of cultural heritage," Banov said. His Ministry wholeheartedly backed the initiative of Plovdiv Municipality and the America for Bulgaria Foundation for the inscription of the site on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the press release says.

Inclusion in the Tentative List is the first step of a nomination of a site for inscription on the World Heritage List.

The three-nave Bishop's Basilica, with an apse to the east and a peculiarly shaped narthex and atrium to the west, was discovered during rescue archaeological excavations in 1982-1986. It is about 83 m long and 36 m wide, which makes it the largest 4th-6th century basilica in Bulgaria and one of the largest on the Balkans. It is also one of the few preserved monuments from that period.

The Bishop's Basilica is lavishly decorated with architectural elements and mosaic floors. The three naves, the narthex and the atrium porticos are floored with mosaics totaling over 2,000 sq m - Europe's largest mosaic floor of an early-Christian basilica from the 4th-6th centuries preserved in situ. The mosaics are extremely intricate in composition, with a great variety of ornaments and impressive colours. Amazingly, their vivid hues are due only to the rich palette of local natural stones that were mined from the nearby Rhodope Mountains. They have a peculiar aspect of their own, combining various influences and local culture, traditions and resources.