Monasteries in Bulgaria

Located in Northern Bulgaria, about 5 kilometers southwest of the town of Dryanovo and approximately 15 kilometers from Gabrovo, lies the Dryanovo Monastery. Accessible by an asphalt road, it is also served by the Bacho Kiro railway stop on the Ruse-Momchilgrad railway line, originally named St. Archangel until October 20,…

Tucked away in the serene embrace of the Lozen Mountain, the German Monastery of “St. Ivan Rilski” stands as a testament to Bulgaria’s deep spiritual roots. Located a mere 5 kilometers southeast of the village of German in the Sofia region, this sacred site carries a rich history that echoes…

Nestled within the serene embrace of Vitosha Mountain, the Bistritsa Monastery “Saint Petka” stands as a testament to time, faith, and resilience. This men’s monastery, founded in the 10th century, boasts a history both turbulent and triumphant, with its church dedicated to the venerated Saint Elijah. A Hidden Gem in…

Kilifarevo Monastery “Nativity of the Mother of God” stands as a revered symbol within the spiritual landscape of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, nestled in the Veliko Tarnovo region. Its history is a tapestry woven with threads of faith, scholarship, and resilience. Ancient Echoes Beneath the Monastery’s Grounds Near the site…

East of Sofia, beneath the sprawling Trakia Highway, and near the Verila railway junction lies the Lozen Monastery “St. Apostles Peter and Paul.” This sacred place, located in the lands of Dolni Lozen, has long been intertwined with the spiritual lives of the local Christians, just like its counterpart, the…

In the heart of Northern Bulgaria, near the town of Gabrovo, lies the Sokolsky Monastery “Assumption of the Virgin Mary,” also known as the Gabrovsko-Sokolski or Gabrovski Monastery. This active convent, a beacon of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, was founded in the early months of 1833 by the enigmatic Joseph…

The Praveshki Monastery “St. Theodore Tyron,” a Bulgarian Orthodox gem, nestles quietly 2 to 3 kilometers from Pravets, on the road to Etropole. It sits within the Etropole division of the Balkan Mountains, with Bilo Mountain to the south and the Vitomeritsa River gorge to the north. Always overshadowed by…

Chekotinski Monastery “St. Archangel Michael” is an active male monastery of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, part of the Lovech Diocese. Nestled along the course of the Malak Iskar River, near the village of Svode, it lies approximately 15 kilometers from the town of Pravets. The monastery’s name derives from the…

The Trojan Monastery “Assumption of the Virgin Mary” is a stavropegial monastery of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, founded no later than the end of the 16th century. Nestled on the picturesque banks of the Cherni Osam River, in the village of Oreshak, a mere 10 km from Troyan, this monastery…

Initially, the monastery was situated in the Kitka area at the foot of Mount Tumba. The oldest monastic buildings date back to the 11th-12th centuries. Excavations at both its old and new locations reveal remnants of a rectangular monastic wing and a rectangular defensive tower. Such fortifications were common for…