One of the favorite places of Bulgarian writer Ivan Vazov is situated on the bank of Iskur River and is surrounded by steep cliffs. This place is Cherepish Monastery Ouspenie Bogorodichno.
The monastery is located 95 km away from Sofia and 11 km away from Mezdra, in the beautiful Iskur gorge.
Historians believe that Cherepish Monastery was set up during the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. It was destroyed and rebuilt several times.
During the revival period, the monastery acted as a spiritual and cultural center. It played an important role even during Bulgaria’s socialist regime.
The monastery church was created in 1612 and still preserves exceptional wall paintings and wood carvings.
Cherepish Monastery offers accommodation and its kitchen prepares delicious traditional dishes. The monastery has the capacity to accommodate up to 35 tourists at a time.
To learn more about this sanctuary click here.
Chiprovtsi Monastery is also known as St. Ivan Rilski and is located only five km away from Chiprovtsi and 30 km away from Montana.
The sanctuary has long and turbulent history. It was created in the 10th century and suffered six assaults. The sanctuary was destroyed almost entirely after the Chiprovtsi uprising in 1688.
The monastery complex consists of a church, residential premises, a tower, a chapel and a bell tower. The tower acts as an ossuary where the remains of Chiprovtsi uprising participants are preserved.
Pay special attention to the church and its beautiful exterior stone decorations.
Chiprovtsi Monastery offers no food or accommodation. It would be best to book your stay in the town of Chiprovtsi. To reach the sanctuary, take the road from Belimel to Zhelezna village and watch for the road diversion to Chiprovtsi Monastery.
To find out more about the monastery click here.
The natural rock cavities situated 25 km away from Vidin house Albotinski Monastery. The sanctuary is situated between the villages of Gradets and Rabovo.
Albotinski Monastery is easily accessible. A small path starting in the area of Haidouk fountain will take you there.
Archaeologists discovered 29 Christian graves in the area. The graves contain wall paintings and writings. The monastery complex itself is situated 25 km above the river. Albotinski Monastery’s church was used for prayers and masses.
Unfortunately, treasure hunters and vandals managed to destroy large parts of this landmark.
Today, Albotinski Monastery is inactive. It has been named a monument of culture.
To learn more, click here.
One of the few Bulgarian sanctuaries constructed in the middle of a valley instead of in the mountain is Arapovski Monastery.
The sanctuary is situated eight km away from the town of Asenovgrad. You should head towards Purvomai to see the information boards directing you to the Orthodox complex.
Arapovski Monastery is the only Christian complex created in Bulgaria during the Ottoman rule. It appeared in the 19th century close to the village of Arapovo (present day Zlatovruh).
St. Nedelia church was constructed in 1859. Famous artists worked on the beautiful wall paintings inside. The church features over 150 scenes, among which the death of the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius.
Arapovski Monastery has its miracle-making icon of Virgin Mary. The image has been created in a way so that the eyes follow believers regardless of their location.
Angel Voivoda’s tower is another part of the complex. The tower has three floors and was named after one of the people who made significant donations for the monastery construction.
The monastery offers accommodation in several modest rooms. Have in mind that these use a single bathroom.
To learn more about Arapovski Monastery click here.
The central part of Sopot preserves a historic and spiritual treasure. The complex consists of Vuvedenie Bogorodichno convent and St. St. Apostles Peter and Pavel church. Both landmarks hold volumes of history connected to their development.
The convent was created in the 17th century. Its church is the only part of the original complex that survived a fire in 1877.
Vuvedenie Bogorodichno brags the oldest vine in Southeastern Europe. The vine produces grapes till present day.
No food or accommodation is available in the convent but its location in central Sopot turns it into a popular tourism landmark.
St. St. Apostles Peter and Pavel is a massive construction dating back to 1846. Bulgarian writer Ivan Vazov described it “Under the Yoke,” one of his most popular works.
The church suffered serious destruction during the Bulgarian liberation struggles. Its roof and beautiful wood carvings were destroyed in a fire. The church was reconstructed in 1879 and the bell tower appeared in 1900.
For more information click here.
Information about Chourilovski Monastery is insufficient in volume and you can find very little about it in various sites.
Chourilovski Monastery St. Georgi is situated 200 km away from Sofia and 25 km away from Petrich, close to the village of Chourilovo.
From Petrich, you need to head to the village of Gega. The monastery is located close to the border between Bulgaria and Macedonia.
The monastery was created in the 14th century. Its wall paintings were drawn in 1858. Today, the monastery is named a monument of culture.
From the bell tower you can enjoy Belasitsa Mountain and the view towards the villages of Chourilovo, Baskaltsi and Volmo. It was constructed in 1857.
Take a close look at the wall paintings. These feature a bipolar model. In the upper part, you will see the heavenly world. Beneath it, the artists have depicted earth that is entirely under the control of evil.
Chourilovski Monastery’s holiday is on May 6.
To learn more about the monastery click here.
Basarbovo Rock Monastery is situated 10 km away from the city of Rousse, near the village of Basarbovo.
Ottoman registers show that the monastery existed back in the 15th century. St. Dimitri Basarboski lived there. According to a legend, after his death the saint appeared in the dreams of a blind girl. He showed her where her relics were located.
The relics were taken back to the monastery and the blind girl was able to see once again.
Basarbovo Monastery is the only active rock monastery in the country today. In 1978, it was named an archaeological monument of local importance.
Visitors today can see the well that Dimitri Basarbovski created, as well as his sleeping premise, the cave-ossuary and the rock church. The church iconostasis was created in 1941.
A regular bus line from Rousse will take you to the monastery.
To learn more click here.
One of the most beautiful Bulgarian mountain monasteries is situated in Stara Planina Mountain. It carries the name Sveta Bogoroditsa but is better known as Etropole Monastery.
The monastery is situated only a few km away from the mountain town of Etropole. The best time to visit is during the summer, when the mountain is covered in lush greenery. You can reach the monastery walking from Etropole.
Sveta Troitsa is also known as Varovitets. The name is derived from the limestone rock formations situated nearby.
A steep path starting in the monastery yard will take you to a beautiful waterfall that has shaped the rocks in the area. During the summer, the waterfall dwindles, revealing the cavities and stones behind the water.
The monastery offers accommodation and is an interesting place to explore. It served as the hiding place of many Bulgarian revolutionaries. Even today, you can see the tunnel that allowed them escape unnoticed.
To learn more about Etropole Monastery click here.
Ivanovski Rock Churches complex is a monastery situated about 18 km away from the city of Rousse.
The complex is one of the nine Bulgarian cultural and historic landmarks under UNESCO protection.
The rock churches still preserve wall paintings. Ivanovski Rock Churhes consists of a system of churches that differentiates it from other rock monasteries in the country. Churches are carved at various levels in a cliff and are connected via a system of stairs.
During the Second Bulgarian Kingdom, the complex was under the special protection of tsars Ivan Asen II and Ivan Alexander.
Visitors can still see today the confessions of monks carved into the rocks.
No accommodation is possible in the region of the rock monastery but Rousse is situated nearby.
To learn more about Ivanovski Rock Churches click here.
Ouspenie Bogorodichno, or Sokolski Monastery, is situated 12 km away from the town of Gabrovo and four km away from the ethnographic complex of Etura.
According to historians, the monastery appeared in 1833. According to others, a monastery existed in the region before that period but underwent renovations in the 30s of the 19th century.
A priest named Pavel and his son Nikolai created the church paintings. Other artists worked on it later on. The richness of styles shows that a number of revival period painters worked there.
Sokolski Monastery has an exceptionally beautiful fountain, created in 1868 by famous Bulgarian craftsman Koliu Ficheto.
In 1959, the monastery became a convent. Nuns brought valuable relics and beautiful icons.
The road leading to the monastery is in good condition. Sokolski Monastery offers accommodation.
To learn more about the monastery click here.
