The Church of St. John Aleitourgetos in Nesebar and its architectural origins (Bulgaria)

This study focuses on the Late Medieval church of St. John Aleitourgetos in the city of Nesebar (ancient Mesembria), Bulgaria. In English-language publications on Late Byzantine architecture the church is often referred to as an example of a provincial metropolitan style, even cited as a direct product of a workshop from the Byzantine capital. However, its placement in the development of Mesembria's architecture and that of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom is generally ignored. In addition, due to its fragmentary preservation and large areas of reconstructed masonry surface the description and evaluation of the church's constructional and stylistic elements are often incomplete. Therefore, the aim of this study is to provide a detailed examination of the history, architectural form, and decorative program of the church based on the available archival, archaeological, and stylistic evidence. One chapter discusses the conceptualization of the original structure and proposes a new interpretation of the available data. The problem of the typological and chronological relationship between the church of St. John Aleitourgetos and the other surviving Late Medieval churches in Mesembria is also addressed.; The evidence suggests that the monument in question was a product of a local workshop with extensive knowledge of building practices and stylistic trends not only on a regional but also on an international level. The possible construction-date of St. John Aleitourgetos was established through typological and stylistic comparisons with dated monuments from Constantinople, Thessaloniki, Tarnovo, and other Balkan urban centers of the Late Medieval period. Additionally, the study offers fresh insights into the church's urban context, facade program, and possible patron.