The Cherepish Monastery, named “The Assumption of Virgin Mary”, is to be found 29km to the southeast of the town of Vratza, in the Iskar defile of the Balkan mountain – the latter widely known for its unique richness of natural forms and sights.

The origin of the Cherepish monastery dates to the Second Bulgarian State. It was built during the rule of Tsar Ivan Shishman (1371-1393), if judging from a document, preserved in the Sofia church, historical and archeological museum. During the time of the Ottoman domination, the cloister was ruined and set on fire more than once. At the end of the 16th century, it was reconstructed by St Pimen of Sofia. During the times of the Bulgarian Renaissance, Read the rest of this entry →

Destination: Sofia – Bachkovo Monastery – Plovdiv – Sofia

Situated 20 km away from Plovdiv it is the second largest in Bulgaria. On all sides, the monastery is surrounded by the hills of the Rhodopi mountain, which together with its size and ancient spirit make it one of the most visited monasteries in Bulgaria. It was founded in 1083 by the Byzantine military commander of Georgian origin, Grigorii Bakuriani and his brother Abazii. Yet only the two-storey bone-vault, which lies about 300m to the east of the present-day complex, is still kept from that time. The bone-vault is a must-see building there, for its unique wall-paintings, which rank among the most valuable works of Orthodox art of the 11th – 12th c.
Visit Plovdiv with its most impressive sightseeings – Antique Amphitheatre, The Roman Stadium, The Old Plovdiv…. Read the rest of this entry →