These haunting images show the partially-submerged ruins of a church where a town was swallowed by an artificial lake 50 years ago . The St Ivan Rilski Church is the only remaining evidence of the community of Zapalnya , Bulgaria , where residents lived until they were forced to leave their homes to make way for a dam built by the Communist regime . Named after the patron saint of Bulgaria , the crumbling stone structure now cuts a ghostly figure in a few feet of water at the Zhrebchevo reservoir , near the town of Tvardica . The partially-submerged ruins of the St Ivan Rilski Church are visible at the Zhrebchevo reservoir , near the town of Tvardica , Bulgaria . The church is the only remaining evidence of the settlement of Zapalnya , Bulgaria , where residents were forced to leave in the 1960s . Located about 175 miles east of the capital , the ruins and the reservoir itself have become a popular destination for photographers . Residents ’ abandoned homes were inundated and destroyed when the settlement and surrounding area – including two other villages – in south-east Bulgaria were submerged in 1965 . Most inhabitants moved to neighbouring villages that were not affected when the man-made lake formed . Located about 175 miles east of the capital , Sofia , the ruins and the reservoir itself have become a popular destination for tourists , photographers and fishermen . With rolling hills in the distance , aerial photos show vegetation growing on top of the church ’ s walls after the roof collapsed long ago . Homes were inundated and destroyed when the settlement and surrounding area – including two other towns – were submerged in 1965 . With rolling hills in the distance , aerial photos show vegetation growing on top of the church ’ s walls , which once supported a roof that collapsed long ago . Vagabond , an English-language news magazine in Bulgaria , wrote that a segment of the cemetery is visible at times , depending on water levels . The scene is not unique to the Zhrebchevo reservoir , the third largest dam in Bulgaria . The church , built in 1895 , was the heart of life in the valley , and Zapalnya was known for rose oil production during the Ottoman Empire . Named after the patron saint of Bulgaria , the crumbling stone structure now cuts a ghostly figure in a few feet of water . A segment of the cemetery is visible at times , depending on water levels in the reservoir , which is a popular fishing spot . It is one of several settlements which no longer exist due to homes being washed away by Communist-era dams . Radio Bulgaria said the church , built in 1895 , was the heart of life in the valley , and Zapalnya was known for rose oil production at the time of the Ottoman Empire . Now wiped off the face of the planet , the town existed before the 13th century under a different name .
The crumbling St Ivan Rilski Church is the only remaining evidence of the community of Zapalnya , Zhrebchevo . Named after the patron saint of Zhrebchevo , the stone structure cuts a ghostly figure in the Bulgaria reservoir . The settlement and two other villages were wiped out when the land was submerged in 1965 .