Moe and Irene's RTW blog: Rila Monastery

The Rila Monastery was founded in the tenth century in the Rila Mountains of Bulgaria. Since its founding the monastery has been destroyed, rebuilt and reconstructed many times. Its current appearance dates from the middle of the 18th century.

The Bulgarian hermit Ivan Rilsky (876-946) is considered the founder of the monastery.

One of several entrance gates

Fot centuries the Rila Monastery has been the centre of intensive literacy activities. Outstanding educators, copyists, manuscript illuminators and book-binders spent years working at the monastery. As a result of their work the library collection today is one of the richest in the Balkans.

The size of the monastery is huge as there are some 300-400 monastic cells. The number of monks at the monastery currently is very small--less than a tenth of the cells are used for monks.

The arches and colonnades stand out!

In the center of of the yard is the main church "The Nativity of the Virgin" and a tower--Hreliov's tower. The tower was built in the 14th century and the main church dates to the 19th century. The church has five domes. Inside the church is a walnut iconostasis (a screen decorated with icons that divides the sanctuary from the nave of an Eastern Orthodox church) with incredible wood carving. It was remarkable but I have no photos as they weren't allowed.

No photos inside the church; I took one through the open door. The iconostasis appears to glow in orange light.

The wall-paintings were done by master icon painters from Bulgaria. These frescoes were on the exterior of the church wall under the colonnaded walkway. They were on every surface--domes, arches and walls. Recently cleaned, they were beautiful and vibrant.