Zhrebchevo Reservoir

The Zhrebchevo Reservoir sits between the Balkan Mountains and the Sredna Gora range in central Bulgaria, covering a large area at an elevation of 260 meters (853 feet). The body of water supplies agricultural zones with irrigation and serves power generation through a hydroelectric facility.

Construction started in 1959 and finished in 1966, flooding three villages including Zhrebchevo, Zapalnya and Dolno Panicherevo. The residents had to leave their homes and begin again elsewhere.

The nineteenth-century church stands partly underwater where the village of Zapalnya once existed. Visitors can see the remains of the building when water levels drop, while the original iconostasis is kept in nearby churches.

The area works well for walking and observing the landscape, especially in spring and autumn when temperatures are milder. Access is via paved roads, and some sections allow entry to the shore zones.

When water levels are low, the partly submerged church emerges again and allows visitors to step inside. The walls still carry traces of old frescoes, though they spent decades underwater.