Church of St. Petka of the Saddlers, Sofia

The Church of Saint Petka of the Saddlers is a small medieval structure built of thick brick-and-stone walls nearly three feet wide. It consists of a single nave covered by a cylindrical vault and a hemispherical apse. The church is dedicated to Saint Petka, also known as Parascheva of the Balkans, an 11th-century ascetic born near the Sea of Marmara who became widely venerated throughout the region.

The name “of the Saddlers” dates back to the Middle Ages, when the local guild of saddlemakers adopted Saint Petka as their patron. The building’s modest size reflects Ottoman law, which at the time forbade churches from rising higher than an ordinary house, resulting in a humble but enduring place of worship.

Inside, the church’s most interesting feature is its collection of murals, painted over several centuries. These frescoes mostly depict Biblical scenes, with the earliest dating to the 14th century and later layers added in the 15th and 16th centuries—creating a visual record of evolving artistic styles and devotional practices.

A persistent local legend adds another layer of intrigue: it is said that Vasil Levski, Bulgaria’s national revolutionary hero, was secretly buried in the crypt beneath the church. Although no conclusive evidence has ever been found, the story remains deeply woven into the site’s identity and popular memory.