Price: German monastery "St. Ivan Rilski " has a curious history and is much revered in its history . Since 1928 the monastery was destined for the Bulgarian Zograf monastery "St. Martyr . George " in the holy Mount Athos. It monks preparing for service in Mount Athos , and today the monastery stay Athos monks. During the late 19th century and give tribute to King Ferdinand and Maria Louisa . During their visit they planted two redwoods guests of the monastery can be seen today . later , in 1936, here comes the king Boris III, who also plants a tree .
According to historians German monastery gets its name from the legend that some time before retiring in Rila most beloved and revered Bulgarian saint - Ivan Rilski lived here . Cloister was founded in the X century during the reign of Tsar Peter the monastery was an important cultural center and has become a part of Sofia Mala Sveta Gora . Life in the monastery and the surrounding area has flourished until the end of the XIV century, when the Ottomans destroyed it . A century later it was restored and converted over the next two centuries in spiritual center for Christians in the region. His fate , however, still is not easy . In XVIII century Kurdzhalii plundered and burned . Faith and trust in God the local population again give life to German monastery. In place at the beginning of XIX century comes less a church dug in the ground. Only at the end of XIX century Orthodox monastery was completely rebuilt , taking the place of simple one-nave church was built new . Created new iconostasis containing icons of St. Ivan Rilski St. Mary , Jesus Christ, St. John the Baptist and St. Nicholas Mirikliyski . The icons are the work of the brothers Ivan and Nicolas Dospevski of Samokov.
Nowadays German monastery "St. Ivan Rilski " is operational and is inhabited only by a monk - Theodosius . The temple has no frescoes, but has valuable icons painted brothers Nikola and Ivan Dospevski.
To get to the monastery , use the exit from the German village near the stadium. The monastery is 5 km decent asphalt road . Public transport there is not, but walking can be reached in about an hour.
- Monastery
