Historic Landmark
Belashtitsa monastery "St. George"

Belashtitsa monastery "St. George" is located at the southern end of the village Belashtitsa and 10 km south of Plovdiv. It is situated in the picturesque northern slopes of the Rhodopes.

For founding and history of the monastery there is scant historical evidence, most of what we know about him from local traditions. It was built in 1020 by the Byzantine commander Nikephoros Ksifiy. According to legend, Ksifiy contribution to the defeat of the Bulgarian Tsar Samuil in 1014 at the Battle of key village at the foot of Belasitsa Mountain. Because of their large contributions to Byzantium and in gratitude, Ksifiy was appointed by Emperor Basil II (Bulgarians) for the then governor of Philippopolis district in Plovdiv today. And since Plovdiv fertile fields needed by workers who handle good ground, the emperor sent him 15,000 captives from Samuil's soldiers. Later, these captives founded Belasitsa village, which later named Belashtitsa.

Today, at the southern end of Belashtitsa, can still see the ruins of the palace-fortress of Nicephorus Ksifiy and in the vicinity and 1,000-year-old oriental plane. Wood is the toughest in Bulgaria - the trunk circumference is 13.7 m.

In less than a kilometer from the castle built Ksifiy monastery "St. George", known today as Balashtinski. According to legend Nikofor Skifiy was a Bulgarian town of Stara Zagora who as a child was called Nikolai. At age 11 he was taken as a slave in Constantinople and the Byzantine trained soldier. Thirty participated in the Battle of Belasitsa Mountain as captain and ordered to blind even his own brother, not to issue a Bulgarian origin. Ventsislava mother was 76, when she saw this horror done to the Bulgarians and the great son of Dragomir and utter the words: "Damn, son, not to live long for what you did". Nicephorus knew words for mother, but not repentant. Revenge over Bulgars came later, was killed in 1029 at the same Belasitsa mountain.

Currently the monastery is a permanent convent.

The complex consists of a church, chapel, residential and commercial buildings. In the yard has a beautiful stone fountain, built in 1831

The great wealth of Belashtenskiya monastery, which is known throughout Bulgaria is its healing spring.

• Monastery