Bishop’s Basilica of Philippopolis

The Bishop’s Basilica was a monumental early Christian building uncovered during rescue excavations in the 1980s and more extensively investigated in later campaigns. Its mosaics combine geometric designs, birds and donor inscriptions. Two principal floor layers record change over time rather than a single completed decorative scheme. The church itself stood above earlier buildings, and the area became a cemetery during the Middle Ages. The display therefore connects distinct periods of urban life. A modern protective building makes the mosaics accessible in a controlled environment while keeping archaeological remains distinct from museum construction. Their value lies in both individual images and the sequence in which the floors were made.