Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Construction of the first Bulgarian church in London under way

Photo: bulgarianembassy-london.org

The construction of the first Bulgarian Orthodox church in London named after Saint Ivan Rilski  is progressing. To date, only the Bulgarian Orthodox community does not have its own church in the United Kingdom.

The church is being built in the heart of London, within the property of the Bulgarian embassy, about 100 meters from the Royal Albert Hall and a few hundred meters from Kensington Palace. 

In a record short period of 4 months, the project was defended before the municipality in Westminster with the efforts of Bulgarian Ambassador Marin Raykov who gave the idea for the church and received a construction permit. 

At the end of 2023, the Bulgarian government allocated money for the construction of the church. Funds were also collected from Bulgarians in Great Britain. 

The project is by the Italian architect Carlo Bughi. 

"In order for the project to be approved, it had to not disturb the architectural appearance of the building. In reality, the facade will not be radically changed. We will build a medium-sized church with a dome and we will make it so that the Bulgarian community and the Bulgarian Orthodox Church actually have a definitely representative and beautiful temple," said Ambassador Raykov.

The new church will have a capacity for between 130 and 150 people and will be completed in a year and a half.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Bulgarian children in Las Vegas immerse themselves in native traditions and history for March 3

Our compatriots in Las Vegas organized a number of events related to the Bulgarian holidays in March , with the main focus being the National Day of Bulgaria (March 3) and the Bulgarian tradition of wearing twisted white and red..

published on 3/3/25 2:33 PM

Kukeri festival in Shiroka Luka to banish evil and bring health and prosperity

The Kukeri Festival in Shiroka Laka, traditionally held on the first Sunday of March, marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Accompanied by the sound of bells and cowbells, a ritual is performed to ward off evil. On this day local..

published on 3/2/25 7:30 AM

Children with special needs to demonstrate their sports skills in Ruse

A sports festival for children and youth with special needs will be held today in the square in front of the Ruse Municipality building , the local association "Parents of Children and Adults with Autism" announced. The event is..

published on 3/2/25 5:10 AM