Photos: Daniel Albrecht from Prague, Czech Republic, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 fusion-of-horizons, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 Marina Shvedova, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo credits
Photos: Daniel Albrecht from Prague, Czech Republic, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 fusion-of-horizons, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 Marina Shvedova, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
St Stephen's frescoes, layer by layer
Your local guide
Veselina Petkova
View profile
Highlights
- Seven centuries of painting, one church
- The oldest layer, shown up close
- Telling periods apart by colour
- A slow, careful look at each layer
- Byzantine art explained in depth
About this tour
This session moves through St Stephen's church, built up in layers of wall painting between the 11th and 18th centuries. You see the plain exterior, the oldest surviving paintings near the entrance, and later work added deeper inside, each period explained in turn. It stays within this one church throughout.
I move slowly between the layers, since telling the periods apart takes a careful eye and I want viewers to actually see the difference rather than take my word for it. Filming stays quiet and steady, and detailed questions are welcome throughout.
This suits anyone with a real interest in Byzantine and post-Byzantine church painting. It also works well paired with the Christ Pantocrator session for a fuller view of Nessebar's medieval art.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 6 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Nessebar before heading out.
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Church Exterior 17 min
The camera shows the plain outer walls of St Stephen's, and I explain how the building was extended and repainted across several centuries.
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Earliest Wall Paintings 17 min
You see the oldest surviving layer of painting near the entrance, and I point out how it differs in style from the later work deeper inside.
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Later Wall Paintings 17 min
The camera moves to painting added centuries after the first layer, and I explain how to tell the different periods apart by colour and figure style.
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Your questions 11 min
Time to ask anything about Nessebar: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 5 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Shopska salad and Isthmus, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Sofia time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 8 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Nessebar, showing you Church Exterior and Earliest Wall Paintings live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need any background in art?
No. The guide explains what matters as you go, whatever you already know or do not.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet and the link comes with your booking. Filming inside the church stays quiet and steady, since it remains a place of worship.
Times shown in Sofia time (EET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Fri 30 Oct · 8 seats left From 24,00 €
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