Rila Monastery
里拉修道院 · Rila, Bulgaria
Bulgaria's largest Eastern Orthodox monastery, in a deep valley of the Rila Mountains, with a five-domed main church covered in murals and the 14th-century Hrelyo Tower, its oldest surviving building.
Know before you go
- Entering and disturbing a service in progress
- entering the church in shorts or a vest
- touching icons or exhibits
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Stories & people
Stories & people
History
St. John the Hermit
The monastery's founder was the hermit St. John of Rila (876–946). He lived without possessions in a mountain cave; the monastery was founded near his hermitage in the 10th century, and the cave can still be visited near the monastery.
Source: Wikipedia: Rila Monastery; Wikivoyage: Rila Monastery
History
Hrelyo and His Tower
In the early 14th century, the feudal lord Hrelyo rebuilt the monastery on its present site. The tower that bears his name, built in 1334–1335, is the oldest surviving building in the complex; a belfry was added to it in 1844.
Source: Wikipedia: Rila Monastery; Wikivoyage: Rila Monastery
History
The Arrival of the Saint's Relics
After the Ottoman arrival the monastery suffered repeated raids and was destroyed in the mid-15th century. In 1469, the relics of St. John were moved from Tarnovo into the rebuilt monastery.
Source: Wikipedia: Rila Monastery
History
The Fire of 1833 and the Rebuilding
In 1833, a fire destroyed the monastery. Between 1834 and 1862 it was rebuilt with the help of wealthy Bulgarians from all over the country. It was also one of the hideouts of Bulgarian revolutionaries such as Vasil Levski.
Source: Wikipedia: Rila Monastery; Wikivoyage: Rila Monastery
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
The monastery lies in the Rila Mountains of southwestern Bulgaria, in the valley of the Rilska River, at an elevation of 1,147 m and about 117 km south of the capital, Sofia. It belongs to Rila municipality in Kyustendil Province and stands within the Rila Monastery Nature Park. It is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria and was inscribed as World Heritage in 1983. The main church, built in the mid-19th century, has five domes and a gilded iconostasis noted for its fine wood-carving; its murals were finished in 1846, and the painters included the famous brothers Zahari Zograf and Dimitar Zograf. The museum holds Rafail's Cross, carved from a single piece of wood with 104 religious scenes and 650 miniature figures; it took no less than 12 years and was completed in 1802. The library holds about 250 manuscripts and about 9,000 old printed items. In the Middle Ages the monastery was a cultural and spiritual centre of Bulgarian national consciousness. Its present buildings are the result of 19th-century rebuilding and are regarded as a masterpiece of Bulgarian National Revival architecture. About 60 monks still live here, and it remains an active religious site.
Local customs
- Enter the courtyard to see the murals in the main church's outer gallery and its iconostasis
- climb Hrelyo Tower (subject to opening on site)
- see Rafail's Cross and the icons in the museum
- walk about 20 minutes to the hermit cave of St. John
- if you would like to stay overnight, simple monks' rooms are available, but contact the monastery in advance (subject to arrangements on site).
Etiquette & taboos
Etiquette & taboos
Don’t DON'T
- Entering and disturbing a service in progress
- entering the church in shorts or a vest
- touching icons or exhibits
- wandering into the monks' living quarters
Locals appreciate DO
- Visit quietly
- dress modestly
- follow the signs on site about photography in the church and museum
Plan your visit
Practical info
Travel tips
- The monastery is in the mountains, where the weather changes often, so bring a jacket and non-slip shoes and check the forecast before setting out
- food and lodging on site are limited, and the visit combines well with a day trip from Sofia.
- From Sofia you can drive south
- public buses go as far as the town of Rila, and according to Wikivoyage as of 2025 there is no public bus all the way to the monastery, so you can also join a day tour from Sofia. For specific routes and services, check the latest local information. Late spring to early autumn is best for visiting the mountains, and summer is the peak season
- in autumn and winter the mountains are cold and snowy with slippery roads, so check road conditions.
Photos
Photos
Jerrye and Roy Klotz MD · CC BY-SA 3.0
Biso · Public domain