Visit Rila Monastery, the oldest religious center in the Slavic world, to appreciate the harmony between architecture and painting. The students of St. Ivan of Rila built the monastery in the 10th century near the hermit ascetic's cave and tomb. This World Heritage site is a cultural and spiritual center of Bulgarian national consciousness. The main church features beautiful frescoes and a gold-plated iconostasis, famous for its wood carvings. Don't miss Rafail's Cross in the monastery museum, which depicts 104 religious scenes and includes 650 miniature figures. At the end of the 18th century, a monk named Rafail used magnifying lenses to whittle the wooden cross. It took him 12 years to complete the cross, and the work cost him his sight. Plan your Rila Monastery visit and explore what else you can see and do in Rila using our Rila trip itinerary builder tool.
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Rila Monastery reviews
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An amazing architecture and experience. This is so far the best place to visit in Bulgaria. I was really impressed by this place - highly recommended!
An amazing architecture and experience. This is so far the best place to visit in Bulgaria. I was really impressed by this place - highly recommended! more »
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This is a must do if you are in this part of Bulgaria. Sadly we had very heavy rain when we visited and the road was closed for a short time due to trees falling down. Worth getting wet for though!
This is a must do if you are in this part of Bulgaria. Sadly we had very heavy rain when we visited and the road was closed for a short time due to trees falling down. Worth getting wet for though! more »
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If one visits Sofia for more than 2 days, I would recommend to visit the monastery. We went by renting a car, which is really cheap and worthwhile. Just for the trip up there, the trip is worthwhile. The monastery itself is stunning. The church is jaw dropping. I get "anxious" in a place so filled with "stuff", but it's still interesting to see. We went to the restaurant right outside of the monastery, and had a drink. Definitely worth recommending. The views are amazing and the staff very friendly.
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Very beautiful and spiritual place. The ride to the Monastery is calm and enjoyable. The place itself is quite inspiring. There's some trails, restaurants, souvenir shops. Parking is paid - 5BGN, but it's a question of lick whether you'll find a spot there. It is definitely worth the visit. Recommend.
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