Sites of Bulgaria

The Rila Monastery is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. It is situated in the northwestern Rila Mountains, 117 km south of the capital Sofia, in the deep valley of the Rilska River, at an elevation of 1,147 m above sea level. Founded in the 10th century, the Rila Monastery is regarded as one of Bulgaria's most important cultural and historical monuments and is on account of this also a key tourist attraction.The whole complex embraces an area of 8,800 m2 and is rectangular in form, centred around the inner yard (3,200 m2), where the tower and the main church are situated.

          It is traditionally thought that the monastery was founded by the hermit St. John of Rila (Ivan Rilski), whose name it bears, during the rule of Tsar Peter I (927-968). The hermit actually lived in a cave not far from the monastery's location, while the complex was built by his students, who came to the mountains to receive their education.
          Ever since its creation, the Rila Monastery has been supported and respected by the Bulgarian rulers. It was reerected at its present place by a local feudal lord named Hrelyu Dragovola during the 14th century. The oldest buildings in the complex date from this period — the tower Hrelyova kula (1334-1335) and a small church just next to it (1343). The bishop's throne and the rich-engraved gates of the monastery also belong to the time. However, the arrival of the Ottomans in the end of the 14th century was followed by numerous raids and a destruction of the monastery in the middle of the 15th century.
          Thanks to donations by the Russian Orthodox Church and more precisely the Rossikon monastery of Mount Athos, the Rila Monastery was rebuilt in the end of the 15th century by three brothers from the region of Kyustendil, who moved John of Rila's relics into the complex.
          The complex acted as a depositary of Bulgarian language and culture in the ages of foreign rule. During the time of the Bulgarian National Revival (18th-19th century), it was destroyed by fire in 1833 and then reconstructed between 1834 and 1862 with the help of wealthy Bulgarians from the whole country. The erection of the residential buildings began in 1816, while a belfry was added to the Tower of Hrelyu in 1844. Neofit Rilski founded a school in the monastery during the period.
          The monastery complex was declared a national historical monument in 1976 and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. Since 1991, it is entirely subordinate to the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

The Bachkovo Monastery is an important monument of Georgian Christian architecture and one of the largest and oldest Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Eastern Europe. It is located on the right bank of the Chepelare River, 89 km from Sofia and 10 km south of Asenovgrad, and is directly subordinate to the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.
The monastery is known and appreciated for the unique combination of Byzantine, Georgian and Bulgarian culture, united by the common faith. It was founded by Prince Grigol

Bakurianis-dze, prominent Georgian statesman and military commander in Byzantine service, in 1083. Since the 13th century, Georgians lost their domination over the monastery, but nevertheless, Georgian traditions were preserved until the beginning of 14th century.
          During the time of the Second Bulgarian Empire, Bachkovo Monastery was patronized by Tsar Ivan Alexander, which is evidenced by an image of him on the archs of the ossuary's narthex. Since the 11th century, a school was housed in the monastery.
          It is believed that the founder of Tarnovo Literary School and last patriarch of the mediaeval Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Evtimiy, was exiled by the Turks and died in the monastery in the 14th century.
          Although the monastery survived the first waves of Turkish invasion in Bulgarian lands, it was later looted and destroyed, but restored near the end of the 15th century. The refectory, whose mural paintings by an anonymous author bear a significant artistic value, was reconstructed in 1601 and the Church of Virgin Mary, still preserved today, was finished in 1604.
          A 14th-century donor's mural portrait of Bulgarian tsar Ivan Alexander in the ossuary. Bachkovo Monastery is the final resting place of both Patriarch Evtimiy (1375-1393) and Patriarch Cyril (1953-1971).