St. John the Baptist Church represents the transition between the shortened basilica and the cruciform church.

Church of St. John the Baptist

The Church of St John the Baptist is a true miracle in the history of Nessebar. The building, from the 10th century, has been preserved in excellent condition.

Considering the evolution of religious architecture in this part of Bulgaria, the Church of St. John the Baptist represents the transition between the shortened basilica towards the cruciform church. The church was constructed with rough stone and mortar and has decorative elements around the windows and above the door. There is a cylindrical drum above the central part of the church and it ends with a hemispherical dome.

Inside the church, you can see the walls were covered in plaster at some point and then painted with frescoes. Most of these are now lost but there are still a few fragments that have been preserved. Interestingly, it was discovered during archaeological excavations that the church lies on the foundations of a pagan temple from the 4th century BC. There is also evidence of an Early Byzantine basilica from the 6th century on the site.

Visit

Church of St. John the Baptist

Hours

In 2018, the opening hours are as follows:
From 28 April to 8 July, it is open from 10:30 – 14:00 and 14:30 – 18:00.
From 9 July to 24 September, it is open from 10:30 – 14:00 and 14:30 – 19:00.
From 25 September to 31 October, it is open from 10:30 – 14:00 and 14:30 – 18:00.
From 1 November to 27 April, it is open only by request.

Pricing

Adults: 3 lv
Children: 2 lv

There are also the following combination tickets available.

The Archaeological Museum and the Ethnographic Museum: 8 lv (4 lv for children)
The Church of St Stephen and the Church of St Spas: 8 lv (4 lv for children)
The Archaeological Museum and the Church of St Stephen: 10 lv (5 lv for children)
The Archaeological Museum, the Church of St Stephen and one of the following – the Church of St Spas, the Church of Christ Pantokrator, the Church of St. Paraskeva, the Church of St John the Baptist, or the Ethnographic Museum: 12 lv (6 lv for children)
The Archaeological Museum, the Church of St Stephen, the Church of St Spas, the Ethnographic Museum and the Church of Christ Pantokrator: 15 lv (8 lv for children)
The Church of St Stephen, the Church of St Spas, the Church of Christ Pantokrator, the Church of St Paraskeva and the Church of St John the Baptist: 15 lv (8 lv for children)
The Archaeological Museum, the Ethnographic Museum, the Church of St Stephen, the Church of St Spas, the Church of Christ Pantokrator, the Church of St Paraskeva and the Church of St John the Baptist: 20 lv (10 lv for children)