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…. - nowadays it is an original living museum, an architectural phenomenon with many of the houses of those times’ most prominent Bulgarians turned into museums, galleries hosting various art exhibitions and festivals.

Duration: 8 hours approximately

Price includes:

• transport car / mini van A/C
• fuel costs,
• guide services
• VAT

For more information and reservations:

Telephone: 00 359 878 956 414

e-mail: info@guidesofbulgaria.com

Skype: polinkaa1

or use the contact form: (You will receive our response within less than 12 hours): 

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The Cherepish Monastery, named “The Assumption of Virgin Mary

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, the monastery grew into a cultural and educational centre. It hosted a monastery school, while books, saints’ biographies and gospels were written and rewritten there. Relics such as the Cherepish Gospel, enclosed in golden bindings in 1512 and decorated with scenes from the bible, as well as the Gospel of Monk Danail and the Book of the Apostles of Jacob, all date to that period. St Sofronii of Vratza seeks and finds shelter in the monastery in 1797. Between 1872 and 1876, the monastery is visited by the Vratza revolutionary committee, plotting against the Turks, and the central revolutionary committee. The Rashov Dol place, where the last battle of Botev’s detachment of rebels against the Turks, led by Georgi Apostolov, lies in the neighbourhood of the Cherepish monastery. In addition, the cloister was visited by the famous Bulgarian writer Ivan Vazov in 1889 and 1907, while in 1897 another renowned author, Aleko Konstantinov, dropped by here during his tour of the region. Following his visit to the monastery, Konstantinov publishes one of his popular travel notes, Bulgarian Switzerland. Old Christian churches have been found in the area surrounding the monastery. A large part of the cloister was renovated and restored in recent times. A monastery school has been open for year at the monastery, the theological institute and the Sofia orthodox seminary. The numerous picturesque buildings of the cloister, most of which were build leave a strong impression on visitors around 1836 by father Yosif. The St George’s church which keeps its original design and a part of its frescoes (painted in the 19th century by a priest, Yoanikii) despite repeated reconstructions, together with the bone-vault, which perches from a steep rock over one of the buildings, stands out among the buildings in the complex. The church represents a one-nave building with a spacious entrance, an open gallery and a pointed dome. An iconostasis with fine woodcarvings and a representation of the burial of Christ, embroidered in 1844, are some of the impressive items of the interior. The Cherepish monastery is a declared monument of culture of national significance.

Sofia - Rila Monastery - Sofia

The Rila Monastery is located in 1147 meters altitude in the middle of the fragrant coniferous forests of Rila Mountain. The monastery is a complex of cultural, dwelling and farming buildings which take about 8800 square meters. The Rila Monastery has an unique architecture. Outside, the monastery looks like a fortress. It has 24-meter stone walls which forms irregular pentagon. That’s why when some tourist enters the monastery’s yard from some of the two iron gates he is surprised by its architecture: arches and colonnades, covered wooden stairs and carved verandas and the 300-400 monastic cells. The temple has five domes, three altars and two chapels. Maybe the most important thing in the church is the iconostasis which has incredible wood-carving.

The church of the Nativity of the Virgin is the monastery’s main church and the core of the architectural ensemble. Its construction began in 1835. That was an event of paramount importance for the entire Bulgarian nation. The innovative daring and the flexibility with which tradition has been interpreted in the architectural design of its imposing church reveals the nature of art during the National Revival Period. This church building is unique in the Balkans. It was built by the then widely known master builder Pavel from the village of Krimin who had worked on Mount Athos and from where he borrowed the original spatial design of the church. The compositional scheme includes medieval elements and baroque spatial principles, an approach which distinguishes Bulgarian church architecture and whose features are observed in the art of the epoch.

   Duration: 7 hours (two hours in each direction) 

Price includes:  

• transport car / mini van A/C
• fuel costs,
• guide services
• VAT

For more information and reservations: 

Telephone: 00 359 878 956 414 

e-mail: info@guidesofbulgaria.com 

or use the contact form (You will receive our response within less than 12 hours): 

[contact-form]