Episode BG53. The Erased Village from the Map of Bulgaria and the Submerged Church!
Hello, Bulgaria! 🇧🇬
The submerged church near the Zhrebchevo dam is one of the most powerful visual and symbolic paintings in Bulgaria. Abandoned, ruined by time, but still resisting the waters and the wind, it is the last remaining witness of the obliterated village of Zapalnya. Built at the end of the 19th century with donations and labour from the local inhabitants, the church survived the submersion of the village in the 1960s – and to this day still emerges mystically from the water in the dry seasons. It is not just a temple, but a silent monument to an injustice left in the shadow of concrete progress.
You can navigate directly to a desired moment in the video by clicking on the timer👆
0:00 – Intro
1:10 – Where is it?
2:37 – Trailer Bulgaria DropView
2:58 – The Church and the Village
5:06 – St. John of Rila and St. Ivan of Rila
5:39 – The Story
11:24 – Final Thoughts
12:46 – What to Expect in the Next Episode
💡 Other interesting places nearby:
None
👉 References to other episodes:
None
📌 What will we look at in this article?
📝 Episode Summary
🔥 The most interesting moments
⭐ Location assessment
✅ Final conclusion
📝 Brief summary of the episode
The Church “St. Ivan Rilski” was built in 1891-1892 by 80 families in Zapalnya and remained the only surviving object after the submersion of the village during the construction of the Zrebchevo dam. The village was officially wiped out by decree in 1965 and its inhabitants forced to demolish their homes and move out – without compensation. The temple survived thanks to the priest Dragan Stoykov, who refused to leave it until the last moment. Today, the church looms over the water at low dam levels and is a symbol of human faith and state insensitivity.
🔥 What will you see in this episode?
The story of the submerged church is linked to the tragic fate of a village wiped off the map in the name of industrialization. A decree of 1961 ordered the inhabitants of Zapalnya to demolish their homes and leave in order to build the Zhrebchevo dam. The only building that remains is the St. John of Rila”, whose name has even changed in the language of the people. After years of vandalism and destruction, the temple remains a grim but majestic skeleton of a place that was once full of life. A memorial plaque with the names of those who fell in three wars remains, and the iconostasis itself has been transferred to a church in Tulovo.
In this episode, we travel to the Submerged Church near the Zhrebchevo Dam. Despite the gusty winds and technical challenges, from the air you can see the scale of the place and the empty space that was once a village. The series traces the fate of the church – built by locals in 1891 and the sole survivor of the Zapalnya flood in the 1960s. It shows how the village priest stayed in the church to the last, which is why it was not destroyed. The story of the iconostasis being brought to Tulovo is also told, as well as the destruction and vandalism after the eviction. The views reveal the dramatic interplay between water, architecture and memory that makes the place so evocative.
⭐ Location assessment
The assessment is entirely based on my personal impression and is made according to several main criteria considered separately. I use a 5-point scale where (1/5 – Very bad, 2/5 – Bad, 3/5 – Average, 4/5 – Good, 5/5 – Excellent)
| Criterion | Personal impression | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Accessibility 🚗 |
The Submerged Church can be reached directly by car, parking literally metres away when the dam is low. | ★★★★★ |
| History 📜 |
The church is the only remaining memory from the village of Zapalnya, which was wiped out during the construction of the Zhrebchevo dam. Built in 1891, it survived thanks to the priest who refused to leave it. Today it is a symbol of erased memory and defiance of oblivion. | ★★★★★ |
| Condition 🛠️ |
The church is almost ruined – without a roof with severely destroyed walls and traces of vandalism. However, it stands stably and makes an even stronger impact with its ruin. | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Conveniences 🚻 |
There are absolutely no amenities on site. There is only one sign telling the story. | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Price 💰 |
The visit is free of charge. No entrance, no fences – just free access to a memory of times gone by. | ★★★★★ |
★★★☆☆
✅ Conclusion
The village of Zapalnya no longer exists, but its church stands – as if refusing to be forgotten. Access is unmarked, there are no amenities, and sometimes the waters swallow it up. But when it reappears, it stands as a warning and a prayer. There is no entrance here, no infrastructure, no signage. Still, the feeling is stronger than any paid attraction. The submerged church is a place for reflection – for memory, for roots, for the things we can’t erase even when they’re gone.
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