The Rila monastery lies in the very Rila mountain, at 1,147 meters above sea level. It is situated 117km away from Sofia to the south, and is no doubt the most popular tourist site among all monasteries in Bulgaria equally for its size, natural surroundings, architecture, wall paintings and ancient history. The monastery is flanked by the small mountain rivers of Rilska and Drushlyavitsa and is only 4 hours walking distance from the Malyovitsa peak, rising at 2,729 meters above sea level. The highest peak of the Rila mountain, Mousala (2925 meters), which is also the Balkan peninsula’s highest point, is further away at about 8 hours’ walk. The monastery offers a great view to the surrounding peaks of the mountain and represents a developed tourist sight with all the accompanying facilities such as souvenir shops, restaurants and inns.
The monastery is believed to have been founded by a hermit, John of Rila, in the 10th century, during the reign of the Bulgarian Tzar Peter (927-968). St John of Rila, whose mummified relics are exhibited for pilgrims in the main church, in fact lived in a cave about half-an-hour walk away from the present-day monastery complex. The monastery itself is considered to have been built by his scholars, who came to the place to be taught by him.
The monastery has enjoyed great respect and privileges ever since it was established. For instance, all the Bulgarian tzars from Ivan Assen II (1218-1241) to the fall of Bulgaria under Ottoman rule at the time of Ivan Shishman (1371-1393) made generous donations to the monastery. The Donation Deed of Tzar Ivan Shishman (1378) testifies to that and also to the preferences the monastery benefited from. The official support helped the monastery grow into a cultural and religious centre of that time. Indeed it saw its prime in the 12-14th centuries and its upsurge was broken only by the arrival of the Ottomans in the end of the 14th century, which was followed by raids and destruction of the complex in the mid-15th century.
The turn of the 15th century saw the revival of the establishment. This was done with the assistance of the Russian orthodox church, which gave donations to visiting monks in the form of books, money, and church accessories in the second half of the 15th century. The national Renaissance period of the 18th and 19th centuries gave a further impetus to the recovery of the monastery. At that time, the complex was reconstructed and rennovated with donations of wealthy Bulgarians from all over the country (Koprivshtitsa, Teteven, Chirpan, Stara Zagora, Samokov, Sofia).
The present-day look of the monastery dates back to the 19th century. The residential buildings, which form a closed irregular quadrangle, started in 1816. In the middle of the inner courtyard rises the oldest building of the complex - an impressive stone tower, built by the local feudal Sebastocrator Hrelyu in 1334-1335. A small church, which is just a few years younger (1343) stands next to the tower. In more recent times, a belfry was added to the tower (1844). Around that time, the monastery’s main church, “the Nativity of the Virgin” was built as well. The architect is master Pavel Ivanovich, who worked on the building in 1834-1837. The church is a 5-domed one with three altar niches and two side chapels. One of the biggest valuables of the church is its wooden iconostasis with azure fretwork. The wall paintings, finished in 1846, were made by many artists, but it was only the famous Zahari Zograf (whose work can be still seen in quite a few monasteries nowadays) who signed below his works. Besides, the monastery treasures a number of valuable icons painted in the 14th-19th centuries.
The entire complex is quite impressive for its size. The 4-floor residential part consists of no less than 300 monks’ cells, 4 chapels, an abbot’s room, a kitchen, a library and guestrooms for donors. The kitchen is particularly interesting for its really huge cooking vessels. The exterior of the monastery is no less intriguing for its high and severe stone walls (reaching 4 floors and even more at some places) cut through by small windows – reminding of a military fort rather than a monastery.
Once in the complex, it is worth visiting the monastery’s museum, which hosts a unique work of art, namely The Raphael’s Cross. The cross is made of a whole piece of wood (81cm x 43cm) and is named after its creator. The monk used fine chisels, small knives and magnifying lens to carve 104 religious scenes and 650 small figures into the cross. The cross was finished in 1802 after the monk worked on it for no less than 12 years, losing his sight upon completion.
Similarly to other Bulgarian monasteries that survived during Ottoman times, the Rila monastery has acted as a centre of spiritual and cultural life for the Bulgarian nation during the foreign rule. During that time, the monks created new works and made copies of medival Bulgarian authors, representing mainly the Turnovo and Mount Athos schools.
The monastery was declared a national historical monument in 1976, while in 1983 it was inscribed in UNESCO’s list of world heritage.
There is a good, signed asphalt road off the main road from Sofia to the southern border checkpoint of Kulata that passes through the town of Rila and then leads straight to the monastery’s gates.
The reserve is one of the largest biosphere reserves in Bulgaria. It is established in 1973 to preserve the northern coniferous forests of Bulgaria. In 1977 it was included in the list of biosphere reserves under the program "Man and Biosphere".
See on the mapWater Holes Cave is located in Apriltsi Municipality, within the Central Balkan National Park on the northern slope of the massif of Botev Mount.
See on the mapAlbotin monastery is an inactive Medieval rock monastery included in Vidin diocese.
See on the mapUzana - the heart of the Balkans. In its embrace, the mountains has kept this extraordinary place where you can fully take charge with power and hours to enjoy its grandeur and beauty of nature.Far from the urban vanity you will find abundance of colors and shades, serenity and peace of mind. Here the warbling of the birds and the whisper of wild grasslands will put a spell on you forever.
The natural phenomenon Chervenitsa is a molded boulder, rising more than 150 m above the terrace of the river Iskar in village of Kunino. It is located about 46 km east of Vratsa and approximately 120 km northeast of Sofia.
See on the mapThe Lopushanski monastery is located in the Balkan Mountain in the valley of Dalgodelska Ogosta river. It is operational and consists of a church, residential and farm buildings and a white stone fountain, all surrounded by a stone wall.
See on the mapA unique museum in the whole Eastern Europe dedicated to the production of salt by solar evaporation of sea water, Pomorie
See on the mapNatural Reserve Taukliman typical landslide with length of about 4 km, formed between the edge of the Dobrudzhansko plateau and the coast.
The Early Christian basilica Sveta Sofia is an active Orthodox church in the center of Sofia city. The church was probably built in the early VI century on the ruins of early Christian tombs from II - IV century and the ruins of two earlier churches from IV-V century. It is located among the necropolis of the ancient Serdica.
See on the map"Monyak" fortress is one of the largest and high located fortresses in the Rhodopes near the village of Shiroko pole, Kardzhali Region
See on the mapVakarelski monastery "St Petka" was found in XX century and now it is working occasionally. It was functioning as nunnery.
See on the mapA unique Thracian temple near the village of Nenkovo, Kardzhali Region
See on the mapThe megalithic complex "Gluhite kamani" is one of the largest Thracian sanctuaries since BC, whose strength continues to act today to anyone who visits it.
See on the mapA medieval fortress located on a picturesque cliff above Arda River near the village of Bashevo, Kardzhali Region
See on the mapThe monastery of Lazdha or Ivaylovrad monastery "St. Konstantin and Elena" is situated close to Ladzha quarter in the town of Ivaylovgrad
See on the mapRakovitsa monastery Sveta Troitsa was was found in X-XI century and during the Middle Ages was an important literary and cultural center in Bdin area.
See on the mapThe Hisar tomb is a late Roman family tomb built in the second half of the IV-th century.
See on the mapElenska basilica is early Christian temple that is preserved to nowadays and is situated in proximity to the town of Pirdop
See on the mapA unique monument of culture with extremely precious frescoes and icons included in UNESCO's list with the World Cultural Heritage, village of Dobarsko, Blagoevgrad Region
See on the mapOne of the oldest fortresses in Bulgaria located on a high mountain plateau above the town of Provadiya
See on the map