CHURCH „INTRODUCTION VIRGIN”

The Church is national monument of Culture.

The building of the church “Introducion Virgin” starts in 1840 and ends in 1844 with the voluntary donations of the Bulgarian population in the city. At the 50s of ХІХth century a new secular school is settled in the courtyard of the church. The architectural design of the church in Gorna Dzhumaya is a three-nave pseudo-basilica.

The painting of the temple is made at a number of stages. After 1879 the Bulgarians of Gorna Dzhmaya invite especially some painters to paint the walls as it is the tradition. The church is the work of master builders coming from Stoimirovo village, of Maleshevsko region and the voluntary work and donations of all Bulgarian people from the city and the near villages. Wallpaintings are the work of painters from the Bansko art school – Mihail Golev, Dimitar Sirleshtov, Kosta Marunchev. Most of the icons are the work of artists of Bansko’s and Samokov’s schools. 

The iconostasis is made similarly to this in the church of Rila monastery, and although his inferior size and grace it ranks among the best and most interesting specimens of the Bulgarian woodcutting art of the Renaissance age of woodcutters of Samokov’s and Dobarsko’s art schools, which makes it a very valuable specimen of Bulgarian  church carving.  With respect to some architectural elements and painting of the temple some renovation works are done in the 80s of the ХХ century. In the courtyard of the church the monument of mayor Nikolai Pavlovich Orlinski is situated. He was the commander of the Russian military squad that leaded the attack for the liberation of Gorna Dzhumaya on the 12th February 1879. It was placed there in 1987. This same year 1987 another monument was ready there that has been started one year before – the Memorial of the Goce Delqchev’s family.