Repairs planned for railing by Holy Forty Martyrs church

Veliko Tarnovo. Veliko Tarnovo Municipality has commissioned repairs to the damaged railing beside the historic church “Holy Forty Martyrs”. The work follows a road incident about a week ago, when a vehicle struck the barrier near the church. Citizens reported the damage, according to bTV and Darik.

According to the municipality, one of the railing's supporting beams was damaged, but the structural integrity of the church's retaining wall is not at risk. This distinction matters: the reported damage concerns a roadside structure, and there is no confirmation that the historic church building itself was damaged.

Mayor Daniel Panov said the repair has been commissioned and work is expected to begin by the end of the week. Plans include welding the damaged beam and restoring the adjacent pavement. Traffic may be reduced to one lane during the work, but no final traffic arrangement had been announced at the time of the report.

Police are working to identify the driver and establish the circumstances of the incident. Once responsibility is determined, the municipality intends to seek reimbursement of repair costs. The initial report does not establish that a responsible driver has already been identified.

Photo: Powerfox / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 — an archival photograph of the church from 2016, resized for this website; it does not show the damage. Original image and licence.

Sources: bTV News, October 28, 2026; Darik.bg, October 28, 2026