Monasteries in Bulgaria

Tourists who want to get acquainted not only with the beauty of Bulgaria, but who would also like to feel the spirit of the Christian culture in its pure form, must visit its monasteries.The first monasteries in our lands were set up even before the establishment of the Bulgarian state on the Balkans. In the second half of the 4th century the monks' life got organized and it was at that time that the first cloisters appeared. The oldest of them were cut in the rocks: like the Aladja monastery, the Albutinski monastery near Vidin, the Razboishte monastery near Godech, the Ivanovo monasteries un ... more

Monasteries accompany Christian civilization from its roots. They originated with the hermits who appeared in the second half of the 3rd and the beginning of the 4th c in the desert regions of Egypt. The lonely hermits denounced all earthly goods and joys and took the road of suffering and isolation in their attempt to rise to the purity of Christian faith on earth. St. Anthony the Great (251-356) is said to be the father of monkhood and the founder of the first community of monks - St. Pahomius. He also created the first monastic statute (tipik), which established the rules of spiritual activ ... more

The Rila monastery originated in the 30s of the 10th c and soon after that became an important spiritual centre. It was founded by the monk Ivan Rilski in a secluded place in the magnificent Rila Mountain. At first he settled ,,alone with the beasts, with no roof over his head and no food". Soon he was followed by his disciples and this set the beginning of the monastery. Its glory spread so widely that the Bulgarian King Peter (927-968) wanted to meet the hermit but he refused the invitation and sent back the royal presents.Ivan Rilski died in 946 and was soon canonized. This fact and the fam ... more

About 10 km off the town of Troyan, in the colourful valley of the river Cherni Osam and the foot of the Balkan Mountain, is situated the famous Troyan monastery, second in size in Bulgaria. According to the legend, in the end of the 16th c an anonymous monk built a small wooden church in this place.The monastery is among the most important literary and educational centres of the National Revival. A school was opened in it for the population in the area since 1765. Because of the frequent attacks, for several decades the literary activity and the school were moved to the small isolated monaste ... more

The Bachkovo monastery was established in 1803 in the beautiful valley along the river Chaya, 11 km south of Stanimahos (today Assenovgrad), by the Byzantine military commander Grigoriy Bakuriani, Georgian by birth, and his brother Abazius. According to its statute, the monastery is independent and is managed ,,without being under the power of anybody". The founders donated large land property. The monastery acquired great influence and turned into a school for the preparation of young monks and a literary centre.Only the bone-vault and the church have remained of the original monastery, situa ... more

It is situated at 8 km off Assenovgrad, not far from the village of Zlatovruh (former Arapovo). As different from most of the other monasteries, it is situated in the fields, near a mineral spring (ayazmo). It was founded in 1856 and soon became a complete monastery complex of living quarters and farm buildings, surrounded by solid stone walls. It is preserved almost in its original from.In the southern part of the monastery yard rises a three-storey tower related to one of the most famous haidouks of these parts, Angel Voevode. The first two floors are made of stone, with loop-holes, and the ... more

The monastery is situated at 3 km west of the town of Assenovgrad, directly above the village of Gorni Voden. Data about its past are scanty. Probably it existed during the Middle Ages, being destroyed and restored many times. This was what happened also at the time of the forceful Islamization of the Bulgarians of this region in 1657. The monastery is part of the group of religious complexes, connected culturally and historically with the Bachkovo monastery.In its present state the monastery was formed in the first half of the 19th c. It is among the big Bulgarian monasteries. In the middle o ... more

The Preobrazhene monastery (,,The Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord" -,,Sveto Preobrazhenie Gospodne") is about 6 km off the town of Veliko Turnovo, the old capital of the Bulgarian State. It is situated on rocky hills of the Dervent (Dragon's) canyon of the river Yantra.It is believed that it was founded by King Ivan Alexander (1331-1371) who has remained in history with numerous monasteries built or renovated by him. But it is also connected with his second wife Sara who also built churches and monastic places and supported them. For that reason it is also called ,,Sara's monastery". The medi ... more

The monastery "Holy Trinity" (also called Shishman's, Assenov's, or Patriarchal monastery) is situated in the canyon of the river Yantra, in the foot of magnificent rocks near the old capital Turnovo.It is believed that is was founded in the 11th c but its real prosperity was when, in 1371, the follower of Teodosiy Turnovski, the monk Evtimiy returned from Mount Athos and in 1375 was elected Patriarch of Turnovo. During the reign of Ivan Alexander and Ivan Shishman the monastery was a lively cultural and educational centre.In the beginning Evtimiy settled in a cave but after that, with the hel ... more

The monastery is situated at about 2 km from the small town of Lyaskovets and several kilometers off Veliko Turnovo, standing on a high rock of the Arbanassi Plato.The legends mention a fortress of the Assen family in these parts. This is the centre of the uprising of the brothers Assen and Peter in 1186 which led to the liberation of Bulgaria from Byzantine rule and the establishment of the Second Bulgarian State. The legend has it that the two brothers made a pledge - if their plan is successful they would build a monastery on the high rock.During the Ottoman invasion in the end of the 14th ... more