The Rila Monastery “St. Ivan Rilski” is a Bulgarian stauropegial monastery, among the most important cultural monuments in Bulgaria, a symbol of the country, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
It is located in southwestern Bulgaria, Kyustendil district, Rila municipality. It was founded in the 10th century by St. John of Rila the Wonderworker on the upper reaches of the Rila River.
The current monastery is located near the village of Pastra - not far from the place of its original construction. The Rila River flows along it. This is the largest monastery in Bulgaria - 5 floors, 4 of which are visible. This feature of the building is explained by the restrictions imposed by the Ottoman government in 1834, when the current buildings were built. The museum is located on the ground floor.
The monastery "St. John of Rila" was built on the site of an old fasting house in 927 - 941 by St. John of Rila the Wonderworker (according to some authors - by his students) in the Rila Mountains. In the yard of today's monastery in 1335 a defensive tower and a small one-nave church were built by the local feudal ruler Protosevast Hrelio. The tower is the oldest preserved building in the monastery complex. At the top of the tower is the chapel "Holy Transfiguration" with valuable frescoes from the 30s of the 14th century.
Tsar Ivan Shishman (1371 - 1393) issued on September 21, 1378 the Rila charter, signed and sealed with a gold seal, which gave the monastery as feudal estates 20 villages, along with their lands.
As early as 1402, the Ottoman government ordered the Kyustendil kadi to confirm the pre-existing rights of the monastery. The tax register from 1520 to 1521 lists by name 21 monks living there. In 1469, with the help of Mara Brankovic, the relics of St. John of Rila were transferred back from Tarnovo to the Rila Monastery.
Since its founding, the monastery has become a literary and educational center. Neofit Rilski developed a great pedagogical activity in it, who during the revival founded a cell school here. The monastery provides shelter to great Bulgarian revolutionaries, including Vasil Levski, Ilio Voivoda, Gotse Delchev, Peyo Yavorov and others.
In 1778 the monastery "St. John of Rila” fell victim to a wildfire. It was rebuilt in 1784 by Alexi Rilets, who in 1816-1819 designed and built the east, north and west wings. A significant part of the monastery was burned down again in 1833, and its restoration was again carried out by Alexi under the leadership of the then abbot Joseph the Builder. In 1840 a new iconostasis of the church was made by Petar Filipov, Anton Stanishev and Dimitar Stanishev.
According to testimonies of American missionaries who visited the monastery in 1862, there were 350 monks there, and on the eve of Easter, 400 guests stayed there.
Today the ensemble of the monastery covers an area of 8800 m², of which 5500 m² built-up area. The monastery wings, built at different times on the 4th and 5th floors, surround on all sides the only courtyard in the shape of an irregular pentagon.
It is located in southwestern Bulgaria, Kyustendil district, Rila municipality. It was founded in the 10th century by St. John of Rila the Wonderworker on the upper reaches of the Rila River.
The current monastery is located near the village of Pastra - not far from the place of its original construction. The Rila River flows along it. This is the largest monastery in Bulgaria - 5 floors, 4 of which are visible. This feature of the building is explained by the restrictions imposed by the Ottoman government in 1834, when the current buildings were built. The museum is located on the ground floor.
The monastery "St. John of Rila" was built on the site of an old fasting house in 927 - 941 by St. John of Rila the Wonderworker (according to some authors - by his students) in the Rila Mountains. In the yard of today's monastery in 1335 a defensive tower and a small one-nave church were built by the local feudal ruler Protosevast Hrelio. The tower is the oldest preserved building in the monastery complex. At the top of the tower is the chapel "Holy Transfiguration" with valuable frescoes from the 30s of the 14th century.
Tsar Ivan Shishman (1371 - 1393) issued on September 21, 1378 the Rila charter, signed and sealed with a gold seal, which gave the monastery as feudal estates 20 villages, along with their lands.
As early as 1402, the Ottoman government ordered the Kyustendil kadi to confirm the pre-existing rights of the monastery. The tax register from 1520 to 1521 lists by name 21 monks living there. In 1469, with the help of Mara Brankovic, the relics of St. John of Rila were transferred back from Tarnovo to the Rila Monastery.
Since its founding, the monastery has become a literary and educational center. Neofit Rilski developed a great pedagogical activity in it, who during the revival founded a cell school here. The monastery provides shelter to great Bulgarian revolutionaries, including Vasil Levski, Ilio Voivoda, Gotse Delchev, Peyo Yavorov and others.
In 1778 the monastery "St. John of Rila” fell victim to a wildfire. It was rebuilt in 1784 by Alexi Rilets, who in 1816-1819 designed and built the east, north and west wings. A significant part of the monastery was burned down again in 1833, and its restoration was again carried out by Alexi under the leadership of the then abbot Joseph the Builder. In 1840 a new iconostasis of the church was made by Petar Filipov, Anton Stanishev and Dimitar Stanishev.
According to testimonies of American missionaries who visited the monastery in 1862, there were 350 monks there, and on the eve of Easter, 400 guests stayed there.
Today the ensemble of the monastery covers an area of 8800 m², of which 5500 m² built-up area. The monastery wings, built at different times on the 4th and 5th floors, surround on all sides the only courtyard in the shape of an irregular pentagon.
