Rila Monastery is a foremost symbol of Bulgaria. It was declared national monument of history in 1976 and in 1983 was included in the UNESCO world heritage list. The monastery compound spreads on 8800 sq. m. Stone walls, 22 m high, encircle the ample courtyard of the monastery, the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, Hrelyo's Tower, the dormitories and the farm buildings. The monastery has about 300 rooms and a museum displaying its remarkable legacy. It was founded in the first half of 10 c. when monk St. Ivan (John) of Rila, the heavenly patron of the Bulgarian people, chose retreat as a way to unite with God. With time the place grew into a foremost Orthodox Christian center of Bulgaria, and two tsars, Ivan Alexander and Ivan Shishman allocated funding to it. With this support and with the assiduous work of pilgrims, Rila Monastery saw its heyday in the bracket from 12 to 14 c. In 14 c. with the benevolent donation of the local feudal lord Hrelyo Dragovol the monastery was transformed into a solid structure with sophisticated interiors and decoration.

The Bulgarian National Radio Golden Archives keep an audio of the late librarian of Rila Monastery, Stoyan Bahchevandzhiev. Listen to his words about the history of the holy place.

"From the very start Rila Monastery emerged as a center of literary activity. We believe that St. Ivan of Rila was not only literate but highly cultured person. No one has contested his covenant left by his disciples that contains interesting data about relations between monks, between the Father Superior and the brothers, and overall, about old Bulgarian monkhood. It is quite possible that Ivan of Rila taught most of the monks how to read and write and gave them directions to develop these skills. After his demise brisk literary activity began at the monastery. A colophon left on a 14 c. copy of the Ivan of Rila Covenant reads that as the Turkish invaders neared the monastery, the then Father Superior Domecian instructed monks to hide any gold and valuable church plate, clothing and liturgical books so as to avoid their desecration by the miscreants. We are not aware what actually happened to the holy place after its conquest by the Turks. It is however known that after the very first years of the Turkish yoke the monastery - thanks to the Tsar Ivan Shishman's diploma giving the holy place special rights - it obtained decrees from the Turkish sultans which provide for the privacy and integrity of both the monks and their properties. Circa 1420 the monastery was in part destroyed and it was deserted for about 30 years. We are aware that circa 1450 the monastery was restored because the so-called Simon Tetraevangelia did exist at that time.”

During the Bulgarian National Revival (18-19 c.) Rila Monastery ignited the sparks of faith, spirituality and education in the Bulgarian lands by opening about 50 convents in the biggest Bulgarian towns.

The present-day exteriors of the monastic buildings derives from the work of one of the first modern Bulgarian architects Alexi Rilets who from 1816 to 1819 developed the architectural designs and managed the construction of three of the wings - the eastern, northern and western ones.

The main monastery church the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary dates back to mid-19 c. and was built by master Pavel Ivanovich. Its frescoes are the work of many artists however only the notorious Zahari Zograf has left his signature over his murals. One priceless item is the gilded iconostasis that is impressive with its breathtaking woodcarving artwork.

Today, the beauty and history of Rila Monastery have been preserved in all their splendor and it is a living museum of the Bulgarian spirit through the ages. Under its status of national and world monument it is a worthy attraction of a great number of Bulgarian and foreign visitors every year.

English Daniela Konstantinova