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The Memorial Temple of the Birth of Christ, which is now Bulgarian Orthodox, was built between 1885 and 1902 in the 17th century Muscovite style, complete with friezes, arcs, and pediments. The building is dedicated to those soldiers—Russian, Ukrainian, and Bulgarian—who lost their lives fighting to free Bulgaria in the Russo-Turkish War from 1877-78 and more specifically, the Battles of Shipka Pass fought between the Russian and Ottoman Empire. The Church officially opened on the 25th anniversary of these battles, with the names of fallen soldiers inscribed on walls within and their remains held in stone sarcophagi in the church’s crypt.

The funds for the construction of the temple were raised through donations, mainly collected in Russia, but also in Bulgaria. The initiative for its construction was by Count Nikolay Ignatiev and Olga Skobeleva, the mother of the Russian hero from the war - Major General Michael Skobelev. The construction began in 1885 and was completed in 1902 under the guidance of Russian architects. The temple was officially opened on September 27, 1902 in the presence of Russian army generals and many honorable guests. The huge bells, the largest of which weighs 12 tons, are cast off from the bulkheads collected in the area. The opening and consecration of the temple coincided with the 25th anniversary of the Shipka Battle in July-September 1877.

Initially, the entire monastery was Russian property, but in 1934 it was granted by the Soviet government of Bulgaria for eternal times. In 1970, the monument was declared a cultural monument and later became part of the Shipka-Buzludzha Historical and Architectural Reserve. The church has a bell tower rising 174 feet, with bells cast from battle cartridges weighing up to 12 tons. The church’s exterior is stunning, especially experienced in its remote and isolated mountain setting, while the interior is decorated with gilded ornamentation and intricate paintings.

The church which was built at the foot of the historic Mount Shipka and at the foundation of which the remains of hundreds and thousands of the Russian and Bulgarian soldiers who gave their lives for the freedom of Bulgaria lie, will always remind future generations about Russia’s remarkable exploit and about the sacrificial love that her sons showed in liberating the Orthodox Bulgarian people from the centuries-old yoke.

The students need to visit the church to broaden their knowledge.