the Church of "St. John the Baptist"

The Church of "St. John the Baptist," one of the most authentic monuments in Nessebar. It was constructed in the late 10th or early 11th century over the ruins of an even older three-nave basilica. This temple is architecturally vital as it marks the transition from the early Christian basilica style to the medieval cross-domed design. Look at its exterior, built with rough stone and mortar, it possesses a simple yet harmonious appearance. Notice the decoration just under the roofline. You will see the original "toothed" brick ornament forming a decorative cornice around the entire building. Inside the church, precious fragments of frescoes have been preserved. The most striking are a 14th-century donor figure and a 17th-century depiction of St. Marina. Interestingly, St. Marina is traditionally honored by the local community as the patron saint of fishers. This church served as a prototype for the later architectural masterpieces built in Nessebar during the 13th and 14th centuries.