allegro tours

Even though monasteries look secluded and afar at the first sight they have always been an inseparable part of the Bulgarian history. After Christianity had been adopted and the Slav script acknowledged, the monasteries played the most important role for the education in Medieval Bulgaria. Bulgarian monasteries were places of refuge, educational institutions and meeting places for revolutionaries in the period of National Revival. They played an extraordinary role in the Bulgarian history - they were the strongholds of the Bulgarian spirit, National consciousness and culture.

Rila Monastery

The Rila Monastery is the most significant sanctuary in Bulgaria and main attraction for numerous pilgrims and tourists. The monastery has formed a part of the UNESCO-List of World Cultural Heritage since 1983 as a characteristic example of the Bulgarian National Revival period. 

The Rila Monastery was founded in the 10th century by the Bulgarian monk Ivan of Rila. He settled as a hermit in a cave in the vicinity in the present day monastery in order to withdraw from the secular life. Ivan Rilski was worshiped a holy person during his lifetime and was later on proclaimed a saint by the Bulgarian Church.

The monastery buildings appeared on their present site in the 14th century. The oldest preserved monastery building - the Tower of Chrelyo - dates back to this period. The monumental Church of the Holy Virgin was built between 1834 and 1837 on the site of the old Chrelyo’s church. The interior decoration of the Church is remarkable with its beautiful frescoes and impressive woodcarvings.

The former wine cellar of the Monastery houses nowadays the Museum with its outstanding exhibits. Here one can see a magnificent sample of Bulgarian woodcarving work: the Cross of Monk Raphael. The cross measuring 81x43 cm displays 104 scenes from the Old and New Testament with 650 miniature figures.

Bachkovo Monastery

The second largest Bulgarian monastery is situated to the South of Plovdiv in the picturesque landscape of the Rhodope Mountains. The Bachkovo Monastery was founded in 1083 by two Georgian Christian military leaders - the brothers Bakuriani. The oldest preserved building dates back to the 11th century: The ossuarium is situated a bit aside from the monastery. Its interior decoration displays valuable murals from the 12th and 14th century.

The monastery was repeatedly destroyed during the time of Turkish Domination. However it remained the main cultural centre of Orthodox Christianity in South Bulgaria.

The Church of the Archangels (12th century) is the only example of the original appearance of the monastery. The refectory and the main monastery church were built in the 17th century. Nowadays one can admire the well preserved church frescoes displaying more than 1000 characters and the remarkable murals in the refectory where the old philosophers are presented: Aristotle, Aritophanes, Diogenes, Sophocles and David.

The monastery of Troyan

The monastery is situated to the South East of Troyan on the road to the Handcrafts’ Exhibition of Oreshak.

According to the sources of history the Troyan Monastery was founded in 1600 - the altar in the church dates back to this period. During the Turkish Domination the monastery facilities were destroyed several times. The present appearance of the place is related to the 19th century when most of the premises were rebuilt and decorated. The decoration of the monastery church is impressive to the visitors with the frescoes by the famous Bulgarian master-painter Zahary Zograph and the rich decorated woodcarvings of the altar wall. The monastery was an important cultural and educational centre.

The Troyan Monastery houses one of the 3 wonder-working icons in Bulgaria. Annually on the 15th August (Assumption Day) a traditional procession takes place and the miraculous icon is taken to a small chapel nearby the monastery.  

Preobrazhensky Monastery

The Preobrazhensky Monastery (The Monastery of the Transfiguration) is situated on a picturesque mountain side of the Yantra gorge nearby the old capital of Veliko Turnovo.  It was founded in the 11th century and had a period of a great prosperity in the 14th century when King Ivan Shishman granted many means and ordered the monastery to be rebuilt and enlarged.

The Monastery appeared on its present site in 1825. The main Church of the Transfiguration was built 1834-1857 and the chapel of the Annunciation 1863.

The Bulgarian master-painter Zahary Zograph created the most impressive murals in the monastery. On the exterior wall of the main monastery church one can see his concept of life: the Wheel of Life. In the centre of the Wheel a rich lady is sitting, symbolising the vain and deceptive world. She holds ‘the chalice of joys’ in her hands. The Wheel itself is turned by two angels and displays the periods of life as the 4 season.

Rozhen Monastery

The Rozhen monastery was founded in the 13th century by the local feudal lord Slav after the small town of Melnik became the capital of his lands. The present day appearance of the monastery dates back to the 16th century. The Monastery is known for its frescoes from 1597, 1611 and 1715. The Church of the Virgin (Sveta Bogoroditsa) is famous for its outstanding woodcarvings. The chapel 'Sveti Besrebrenizi Kosma i Damian' hoses the miraculous icon of the Holy Virgin - a copy of the icon in the Georgian monastery ‘Sveta Gora’.

During the period of Turkish Domination the Rozhen Monastery was a cultural and educational centre. In the 17th century a manuscript with 117 coloured miniatures was created in the monastery - nowadays it is preserved in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

Kilifarevo Monastery

The monastery of Kilifarevo was founded in the 14th century - the period of great prosperity of the Bulgarian Medieval Culture under the rule of king Ivan Alexander. It became one of the most important educational centres of the region. The famous ‘School of Kilifarevo’ was founded and housed in the monastery.

The monastery was destroyed many times during the Turkish Domination. In 1840 the monastery church was reconstructed and the ‘revival’ of the monastery began. Nowadays the Kilifarevo Monastery is known for its beautiful icons and woodcarvings.

Sokolski Monastery

The Sokolski monastery attracts many visitors with its picturesque location on the hillsides of the Balkan Mountains and its calm green vicinity. It was founded in 1833. The first monastery building was the church built in the rocks where the ‘miraculous holy water’ is dripping. The ‘miraculous water’ is still beloved by the visitors and taken as a kind of medicine. The present day church as well as all the whole monastery complex was completely built in the 19th century thanks to donations.

Monasteries in the vicinity of Sofia

A big number of the monasteries in the vicinity of the present day capital Sofia were founded in the 13th - 14th century and counted around 100 at that time. Nowadays there are approximately 40 preserved monasteries.

The Podgumerski Monastery “Hl. Dimitrius” emerged in the 11th century. The monastery buildings were decorated with paintings by Pimen Zografski in the 16th-17th century. In the 19th century it was re-constructed with donations from the nearby villages. In the 20th century the premises of the monastery were used as an asylum for orphans.

The Kremikovski Monastery “St. George” was founded in the 14th century during the rule of king Ivan Alexander. The old church dates back to the 15th century (1493). One can see well preserved valuable frescoes and icons as well as a Gospel from 1497.

The Seslavski Monastery “St. Nicolas” was founded in the period of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom and was at that time the largest one in the region. In the 16th century it was newly founded by Pimen Zografski. One can still see some well preserved valuable frescoes.

The Bukowski Monastery “St. Maria Magdalena” emerged in an area of ancient settlements and was reconstructed in 1880 on the remainders of an ancient basilica.

The  Bukowski Monastery “St. Archangel Michael” was established by the end of the 16th century and was reconstructed after Bulgaria’s Liberation in 1878. It was a place of refuge for Prince Alexander of Batenberg.

The Eleschnischki Monastery of the Assumption was decorated with paintings in the 16th-17th century by Pimen Zografski. In the monastery church one can see well preserved valuable murals.