Rila Monastery
The Rila Monastery is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. At the heart of this monastery's history is the story of the medieval hermit Ivan. He was born in the 970's, and chose seclusion because of the moral decline during the reign of the Bulgarian Tsar Peter. He retreated to the almost inaccessible Rila Mountains. There he worked on his ideas, that were aimed at the underprivileged and for equality between people. His cave became a place of veneration for the Bulgarian people.
After his death, his legend only became stronger. His relics were transferred all over the Balkans by contemporary leaders to give legitimacy to their rule and power. Since the 15th century they have been laid to rest in the monastery itself.
Rila's monastic buildings originally date from the late 10th century, and were set up by the monastic community around Ivan. In the 14th century they were turned into a fortress by Hrelyo Dragovol, a feudal lord. Part of the walls and the tower today still remind of that period.
On January 13th 1833, a fire broke out and destroyed almost all (wooden) residential quarters. This national calamity was put right by thousands of Bulgarian craftsmen, that restored the buildings in a couple of years. The auspicious church in the center of the monastic grounds, the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin, was constructed in the same period. The master builder Pavel of Krimin, who also had worked on Mount Athos, was responsible for the design.
Visit May 2004
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Inaccesible for the medieval man, stil a time-consuming trip for the modern traveller. From Sofia it takes almost all day by public transport to get there (and back), so I decided to be clever and rent a car. And this also took me best part of the day....
Driving in Bulgaria means escaping the potholes in the streets, pedestrians crossing 'the highway', circling around the ubiquitous horse-carriages, dead dogs and other runover animals. This can be fun, but what they add is totally erratic signposting. Although I had a detailed road map in Cyrillic, I took the wrong way seriously three times. In all, it costed some four hours to arrive at the monastery 120 kilometres from Sofia. What a day...
Here the lamenting stops: because it was worth all the trouble. Rila's is the most momentable, awe-inspiring, colourful and eccentric monastery I have ever been to (and I've seen many). Its location, in the dark green forests and with snow-clad mountains in the backgrounds, couldn't be better. The outside walls are a bit bleak, but entering via the Dupnitsa-gate, my mouth fell open taking in the spectacle. I can't begin to describe the colours, the frescoes, the architecture and all the details, but I hope I can give an impression via the pictures on this site.
More photos can be found in the Picture Gallery
Reviews
Steven (USA):
I knew from my tour guide that Rila monestery was spectacular, but I really didn't expect what I saw. Such grandeur and sheer beauty is simply shocking.
I've been to most European countries and this is by far the most spectacular monestery there is. A must see, if you are comming to europe. |
| Date posted: October 2008 |
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I traveled to Bulgaria this past summer with Rila being the main reason for the visit. I hired a wonderful guide in Sofia to drive me to Rila. Going up the mountain towards Rila was beautiful with the forests and waterfalls. I wasn't prepared for the beauty of Rila. It was breathtaking. My guide let me wander around on my own, leaving me to enjoy the solitude and beauty of Rila. I would put it on the top of buildings I have seen in my many travels. |
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Simply one of the most stunning buildings on earth!. The murals depict various sections of the bible from Genesis to Revelation. Alongside these are paintings of Orthodox saints. Architecture at its very highest! The wooden staircases and use of red and white produce a stunning effect.
Take time to visit the museum. It contains the most beautiful carved cross which is a masterpiece of carving. |
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The frescoes are simply astonishing, but the beauty of the interior of the chapel is even more so. Upon my first visit here in 2002, I declared the interior of the chapel at Rilski Manastir to be the most beautiful monument to God I've ever seen, if not the most beautiful man-made object. One simply cannot go to Bulgaria without a visit to Rila |
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Horváth Máté (Hungary):
I visited Bulgaria this August, and I must say that the Rila monastery was one of the most beautiful things I saw there, though I travelled around the country (Sofia, Varna, Plovdiv etc.) and I saw quite a lot if monuments and sights.
I think that the cloister looks fantastic and that it's situated in a gorgeous location, among those fantastic mountains. I really liked those verandahs and balconies, with columns and arches, and the mural paintings were amazing too. |
| Date posted: August 2005 |
Vlady Ardenski (Canada):
I used to live in Bulgarai, until i immigrated to Canada. My mother told me that it would be a horrbile waste to have lived in Bulgaria and not to have seen the Rila Monestery. So she got me a ticket and i went to Bulgarai. After a few days of hanging out with my friends i went to the Rila Monestery (with not too much enthusiasm knowing i could be hanging out with my friends). The moment me and my grandparents arrived i was shocked at the beauty and the arcitecture i had seen before my eyes. When i saw the well preserved arcitechture that stood before my eyes i had one more reason to be proud of being Bulgarian. The Monestery is located in the Rila mountain, where it was made to preserve Bulgarian culture from the invasion of Turkie. For anybody who has the time, belive it is something worth seein in your life time.
- An anonomous Bulgarain |
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Marie t (france):
Monastery of Rila it's the first reason why i gone in Bulgaria the first time. i really love it and be happy to see it eache time i can. it's a beautiful monastery "lost" in the Mount Rila, in the south west of Bulgaria. It was founded in the X century by the monk-hermit St John of Rila and it played an important role in the intellectual and political life of Bulgaria during the Middle Ages After the etablishment of the ottoman rule the cloister quickly falls into decay, but in the XV century it is again restored and inhabited and becomes a stronghold of the Bulgarian national spirit and culture. In the epoch of the Bulgarian national revival the Rila cloister is enlarged an renovated withe the help of the whle nation and participation of the most priminent Bulgarian craftsmen -builders and painters. In its present appearance it is the most impresive monument of the Bulgarian revival- a unique architectural ensemble, in wich are preseved artistic welths an rich museum collections. |
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