Sandanski, Bulgaria

Metropolitan church, built in the XIII century, located in the southeast of Melnik. Its initial state has nothing to do with what is now. In the Middle Ages it was small one nave building, but over the years the church was rebuilt and expanded several times. In 1756 it acquired its final appearance - proof of that is an inscription on the altar wall in the eastern part of the church. In 1895 it was burned, but in the early XX^th century was restored by the National Institute for Cultural Monuments. The church was built of stone and thin brick. It was painted by  Zograph Lazar whose image is still preserved in the old iconostasis.  The temple preserves valuable icons like "Mary Odigitria", "Saint Anthony the Great", "Entry into Jerusalem" and other unique images of  Melnik art school.