Rila Monastery
Рилски манастир
Bulgaria's largest and most sacred monastery, a World Heritage Site whose striped arcades and walls covered in frescoes are tucked away in the Rila valley.
Rila Monastery was founded in the 10th century by the hermit St. John of Rila and is the spiritual center of Bulgarian Orthodoxy. It was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1983. Most of the surviving buildings were rebuilt after a fire in 1833. A four-story arcade surrounds the courtyard. The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin in the center has exterior galleries covered in colorful murals, including the Last Judgment. The Hrelyo Tower, dating from 1335, is the oldest building. Entry to the monastery is free, while the museum and tower charge admission. Outside the gates, you can taste the fried dough cakes sold by vendors. It is about 120 km from Sofia, roughly a 2-hour drive. Visit by tour or by car, and it is often combined with the Stob Pyramids.
Opening hours
Approx. 07:00–20:00 (museum approx. 08:30–16:30)
Nearby sights
- Malyovitsa Peak
- Seven Rila Lakes
- Stob Earth Pyramids
- Vitosha Mountain (Cherni Vrah)
- Zlatnite Mostove (Golden Bridges)
- Boyana Waterfall
- Vrana Palace
- Boyana Church