A place where the world is still

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Bulgaria's Rila Monastery is a place where time stands still in reverence to the beauty of nature and in remembrance of ages past. This is a Holy Place for Bulgarians and is the country's most visited landmark destination, giving visitors a sense of isolation and spirituality. The ancient wooden monastery is situated within a tranquil mountain setting that is surrounded by rock peaks, evergreen forest and beautiful meadows. Rainy Day at Rila Located in the southwest corner of Bulgaria, the Rila Monastery is the largest and most important symbol of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. It was founded by Ivan Rilski (John of Rila) in the 10th century as a colony for Orthodox hermits of the early middle ages. He came to this isolated valley to escape the savagery of feudal life and the corruption in the established monasteries of the time. The Rila Monetary's namesake lived most of his life as a hermit in a nearby cave, and his life and teachings laid the foundation of the monastery that still attracts pilgrims even today. When John of Rila died, the present day monastery was built near the site where the holy man lived as a hermit in spiritual self-exile. The history of the Rila Monastery is as long and interesting as the history of Bulgaria. In times past, the monastery has been destroyed by fire, later abandoned by the monks in disrepair, and then rebuilt in the 14th century by Dragoval Hrelyo, an independent ruler, who commissioned many of the impressive wood buildings seen in the monastery today. Rila_06.jpg The monastery's most treasured historic and artistic monuments include the 14th century Hrelyo's Tower, the five domed Birth of the Blessed Virgin Church and the astonishing original monastery kitchen that was built in the 9th century. There are also some elaborate wall murals painted between 1840 and 1848 by some of the finest artists of the time and intricate wood carvings and icons quietly adorn the interior spaces. The monastery also houses a rich museum collection of valuable old manuscripts, documents, charters, jewelry, gold and silver church plates. To the traveler, the monastery is a place where the material world gives way to the spiritual world. You walk away with the feeling of having visited a holy place. A calm and quiet place where floor boards squeak as you walk and heavy wooden doors slam shut startling the visitor lost in thought. The Rila Monastery is a sacred place for all Bulgarians, for it preserved their pride, national identity, faith, and hope through the centuries.

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