Kapinovo Monastery of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker is nestled at the foothill of the Fore-Balkan Massif, near the banks of the Veselina River. Built in the distant 1272, this holy place is part of the complex known as Tsars’ Monasteries, located in close proximity to the old capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire – the city of Veliko Tarnovo.
The monastery church dates back to the end of the 17th and the beginning of the 18th century, and houses a unique scene of the Last Judgement, a fine example of Bulgarian Revival painting. The icons and the wooden iconostasis with carved elements, made by painters and woodcarvers from the famous Tryavna School, are also emblematic achievements of medieval art. The dormitory, built with donations from the brothers and future monks Theodosius and Kessarius Horozovski, will strike you with its unique architectural beauty. The monastery was used as refuge by many participants and leaders of the Bulgarian struggles against the Turkish invaders, and still keeps the memory of the patriotic spirit of the time.
References:The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.
The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.
The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.