Across the river, enclosed by a high wall, is Târnovo’s oldest church, the beautifully proportioned Church of Sveti Dimitâr. Built in the so-called Târnovo style, it was named after St Dimitrios, patron saint of Thessaloniki (Greece). During its 1185 consecration, Tsars Asen and Petâr proclaimed an uprising against Byzantine rule, which would create the Second Bulgarian Empire (1185–1396).

　　It’s often closed, but the Church of Sveti Petar & Pavel's caretaker can open it on request.