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The Church of Saint Vissarion of Smolyan (Bulgarian: храм „Свети Висарион Смолянски") is an Eastern Orthodox church in Smolyan, Bulgaria, inaugurated on 2 July 2006.

Some people believe that it is the 2nd largest church in the country (after the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia, St Dimitar Cathedral in Vidin and Dormition of the Theotokos Cathedral in Varna) and the largest church in Southern Bulgaria. It is the first new Orthodox church in the city in the Rhodopes for 130 years.

The church's main premise has an area of 382 m² (enough to accommodate 500 laymen), the dome being 17 m in diameter and the belfry reaching 32 m. The church's construction began with the laying of the foundation stone on 7 April 2002. Resources for the construction were gathered by raising money. The main church donor is Todor Batkov, a noted lawyer and PFC Levski Sofia president, who donated 2 million leva (circa €1 million).

The 11 bells, the largest of which being 152 cm high, 145 cm in diameter and weighing 2 tons, were cast in the Russian ZIL plant. The smallest bell weighs 60 kg, the total weight of all being 5 tons and the price of €92,000. The cladding of the domes and the rest of the roofing is made entirely of copper by a Bulgarian company - Kiprida.

Part of the church complex are also a baptistery (dedicated to Saint Theodore), a synodical library, a museum collection premise and a Sunday school.

Among the 5,000 guests who attended the church's inauguration were Prime Minister of Bulgaria Sergey Stanishev, Minister of Culture Stefan Danailov, politicians Anastasiya Mozer, Emel Etem, Petar Beron and Pavel Chernev.

References

• Sabchev, Konstantin (21 June 2006). "Smolyan's temple dream comes true" (in Bulgarian). Standart Newspaper. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 2006-07-03.
• Chakarova, Shtilyana (24 September 2005). "Unique bells resound in the Rhodopes" (in Bulgarian). Standart Newspaper. Archived from the original on 22 May 2006. Retrieved 2006-07-03.

41°34′31″N 24°42′30″E / 41.57528°N 24.70833°E / 41.57528; 24.70833

v t e Smolyan Municipality
Capital: Smolyan
Villages	Aligovska Arda Belev dol Bilyanska Borikovo Bostina Bukata Bukatsite Chamla Chepleten Chereshkite Chereshovo Chereshovska Reka Chokmanovo Chuchur Dimovo Dunevo Elenska Elyovo Fatovo Gabritsa Gela Gozdevitsa Gorna Arda Gorovo Gradat Gudevitsa Hasovitsa Isyovtsi Katranitsa Kiselichevo Kokorkovo Koshnitsa Kremene Kukuvitsa Kutela Laka Levochevo Lipets Lyulka Milkovo Mogilitsa Momchilovtsi Mugla Nadartsi Oreshitsa Ostri Pazlak Petkovo Peshtera Pisanitsa Podvis Polkovnik Serafimovo Poprelka Potoka Rechani Reka Rovina Selishte Shiroka Laka Sivino Slaveyno Smilyan Sokolovtsi Solishta Sredok Stikal Stoykite Sarnino Strazha Taran Tikale Trebishte Turyan Varbovo Vievo Vlahovo Valchan Zaevite Zmievo
Landmarks	Agushevi konatsi Bulgarian National Astronomical Observatory Church of Saint Vissarion of Smolyan Smolyan Lakes Snezhanka Uhlovitsa Cave
Culture	Smolyan dialect Rozhen National Folklore Fair The Rhodopi International Theater Collective PFC Rodopa Smolyan
Notable people	Vasil Angelov Valya Balkanska Dicho Uzunov Assen Vassilev

• Bulgarian Orthodox churches in Bulgaria
• Buildings and structures in Smolyan Province
• Tourist attractions in Smolyan Province
• Smolyan