"Rila Monastery" a Rilski Manastir Travel Page by chbuchie

Next to Sofia , Plovdiv and one of the 3 moutain chains, you should definitely take the time to visit the Monastery in Rila.

It is situated in the Rila mountain, at 1,147 meters above sea level.

It was founded in the l0th century by The Bulgarian monk St. John of Rila and rebuilt in the l3th -l4th century. In the l5th century, when Bulgaria fell to the Ottoman Turks, the monastery was abandoned for a short time but in the second half of the same century it was restored to a new life. Later it was for several times plundered and destroyed by fire. Its thorough renovation began in the early l9th century, when the residential wings and the church of the Holy Virgin were raised (1834-1837). The Rila Monastery has been listed as a world monument of culture by UNESCO in 1983.

Buses from Sofia bring you first to Rila town and then over a good asphalt road up in the mountains straight to the monastery’s gates .