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Historic Places

Bulgarian Monasteries

Rila Monastery

Rila Monastery (in Bulgarian- Rilski Manastir) is thought to have been founded by a hermit named John of Rila (in Bulgarian- Ivan Rilski) in the 10th century. John of Rila was canonized by the Orthodox Church after his death and today he is honored as the traditional patron saint of Bulgaria.

The Glozhene Monastery is an Eastern Orthodox monastery located on the northern slopes of Stara Planina in Bulgaria, near the village of Glozhene and the Cherni Vit river, 12 km from Teteven.

The Kokalyane cloister, St Archangel Michael, is also known as the Urvich monastery. It is situated amid a beautiful scenery of the Plana mountain, about 4km away from the village of Kokalyane (in the outskirts of the city of Sofia) and some 6km to the northeast of the village of Zheleznitsa.

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Etropole Monastery

The Etropole Monastery “Holy Trinity” was built in the time of the Second Bulgarian Empire. It is located about 3 miles from the picturesque town of Etropole on the slopes of mount Cheren (Cheren Vrah).

Bachkovo Monastery or Bachkovski manastir is the second biggest monastery in Bulgaria. The monastery is located about 6 miles south of Asenovgrad and was founded in 1083 by Gregory Pakourianos- a Georgian military commander in Byzantine service. However, Georgia loses control over the monastery in the 13th century.

The Arapovo Monastery of Saint Nedelya (Arapovski manastir) is a Bulgarian orthodox monastery located about 4 miles from Asenovgrad. What is peculiar about it is that this is the only Christian monastery in Bulgaria, built during the Ottoman rule.

2 km to the northwest of St. Bogoroditsa Monastery on the Klisura Rhodopean peak rises the biggest monastery dedicated to the saints-healers Kozma and Damyan. This holy place is called St. Vrach by the people’s word. It was most probably founded during the independent rule of despot Aleksiy Slav in the Rhodopes in 1207. In the Medieval ages the monks in this monastery sustained the spirit of the Bulgarians. At the time of the Ottoman slavery the monastery was destroyed by fire, but patriotic Bulgarians from Krichim and the neighbouring settlements built it up again with a lot of work. Sick people used to come to the monastery and their suffering was relieved by the monks – healers who were also called Bezsrebarnitsi (Non-mammonites). For healing they used mineral water which was gathered in two cisterns in the yard.

To be honest, I was not aware of the Provadiiski Rock Monasteries. I am kind of ashamed now but I used to think that such monasteries are quite rare in Bulgaria.

Fortress Kaliakra

Cape Kaliakra is situated at the end of a long and narrow peninsula on the Bulgariansector of the north coast of the Black Sea. It is located 12 km. east from Kavarna and 60 km. north - east from Varna. The coast has very steep with vertical cliffs with a height of about 70 m. The cliffs consist of solid limestone and conglomerates, formed in the prehistoric Sarmat Sea. The iron oxides, which they contain are the reason for the crimson - red colour of the rocks.

The village of Karlukovo is located in North-Central Bulgaria. It is part of the Municipality Lukovit (Lovech District). The village of Karlukovo is situated at railway Sofia - Pleven between railway stations Mezdra and Cherven bryag.

The Bulgarian Sites in the UNESCO List

The Bulgarian Sites in the UNESCO List of the World Natural and Cultural Heritage are nine.

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Travel Bulgaria - Beglik Tash

One of the most mysterious and breathtaking sanctuaries in Bulgaria is situated four km away from the town of Primorsko in Ropotamo preserve.

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The Kosmatka Tomb

In large mound Kosmatka near Shipka, is hidden one of the largest and richest Thracian tombs in Bulgaria.

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Belintash

Belintash is a plateau in the north of the Rodopi Mountains, located at almost 4 000 ft above sea level. It is only 31 miles from Plovdiv but it is not a popular tourist destination. This place was used by Thracians more than 7 000 years ago and it was the biggest sanctuary of god Sabazios.

The Belogradchik Fortress is a stronghold, also known as Kaleto (in Turkish “kale” means fortress). It is located near the town of Belogradchik and it is one of Bulgaria’s most important and well-preserved historical sites.

Baba Vida is the only fully-preserved medieval Bulgarian castle which functioned both as a fortress and the ruler’s residence. It is located on the bank of the Danube, at the north-eastern part of the town of Vidin.

Perperikon is an archaeological complex in Southern Bulgaria. It is situated about 15 km (less than 10 miles) Northeast of the town of Kardzhali. It can easily be reached from Sofia by passing through Assenovgrad and Kardzhali or Haskovo and Kardzhali.

The Ovech fortress is located near the town of Provadiya and it was built around the 4th century by the Byzantines to defend them against the invading northern tribes. The fortress played an important role in many battles during the First and Second Bulgarian Empire.

To the west of the village of Mezek there is a fortress which among all historical buildings has best preserved the spirit of the ancient. This fortress is said to be dated from the end of 9th and the beginning of 12th century, and built at the time of the government of the emperor of all Byzantium Alexey I Komnin.

The Red Church is a large partially preserved late Roman (early Byzantine) Christian basilica in south central Bulgaria. Dating to the late 5th–early 6th century, the church stands near the town of Perushtitsa in western Plovdiv Province, some 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) southwest of the city of Plovdiv. The Red Church is a rare example of solid brick construction in a church from Late Antiquity in Bulgaria, and it was the red color of the bricks that gave the church its name.

Tsarevets

Tsarevets hill in the town of Veliko Turnovo was the main fortification of the old capital. Now it treasures the restored remains of the old fortress.

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The Etar Museum (Etara)

Etar is the oldest open air museum in Bulgaria, founded in 1964, and it is located 5 miles south from the town of Gabrovo. The museum preserves and cherishes the Bulgarian historical heritage and reveals to visitors a more comprehensible image of the past.

Just 20 kilometers west of the coastal city of Varna, near the town of Devnya, lies an interesting archeological site – a vast collection of flour mosaics from Greek and Roman times. Part of a large building, that was a central place for the citizens of the ancient town of Marcianopolis, the mosaics were found in the 70`s.

Everybody knows about the rich culture and history that Bulgaria has. Since ancient times, the territory of the country was inhabited by many peoples and cultures. Every one of them left a deep trail in Bulgarian folklore, traditions and culture. And with so much history, it`s only normal to have a vast amount of museums to store the country`s historical treasures.

Destinations

About Bulgaria

Eco Travel and Hiking

100 National Tourist Sights