Metropolitan church “Assumption of the Virgin” was built on the site of a small church in the XVII century by local patriotic citizens as a small church for prayers. Half hidden in the ground, it was also surrounded by a ring of tall stone wall. Since 1557 Samokov is center of diocese and seat of the bishop. In 1791 decree to build the church with the condition that there were no bells came. The reconstruction of the existing church began in 1793 and after a few months, in the day of consecration, the Athonite Master Andon prepared iconostasis, pontiff’s and churchwarden’s thrones and two special tables for icons. The carved iconostasis was made of walnut wood delivered from Mount Athos. Icons that were painted into the recesses of the iconostasis are the work of the Master painter Hristo Dimitrov. This iconostasis is the first monument that commemorated the birth of Samokov art school. In 1859 a significant event occurred – Metropolitan Avksentiy Veleshki served bishop liturgy in Slavic language and delivered sermon in Bulgarian in the Metropolitan Church. This became a popular celebration that selfless fighter for independence of the church Avksentiy performed in his hometown one year before the Bulgarian Easter in Istanbul. After the Liberation the narthex together with the colonnade were built. The belfry was built in 1892. Till present days Church “Assumption of the Virgin”is called Metropolitan, although the statute of the Bulgarian Exarchate after the death of Metropolitan Dositey /1907/ Samokov diocese ceases to exist.
