Constantine and Helena Church

Constantine and Helena Church

The Church of Sts. Constantine and Helena is one of the two Bulgarian Orthodox churches located in Edirne. Built in 1869, the construction was funded by people originally from Macedonia and Thrace. The building reflects the characteristics of Orthodox architecture from that period and takes the form of a three-nave pseudo-basilica. The central nave is low, with two lower side wings that end in a colonnade that supports the roof.

The eastern nave of the church became the final resting place of the metropolitan bishop of Edirne after his death in 1888. During a renovation in 2008, his tombstone was relocated to the main entrance.

After the Turks expelled Bulgarians from their country following the Second Balkan War in 1913, the church was abandoned. However, the Bulgarian government signed an agreement with the Turkish authorities to restore it. After years of neglect, the church underwent significant renovations in 2008, partially financed by the Bulgarian government.