The Rila Monastery, located in the Rhodope Mountains of south-western Bulgaria was founded by St John of Rila in the 10th century. St John was canonised by the Orthodox Church and his tomb and monastery became a holy site.
Being the most prominent monastery of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Rila Monastery attracts a large number of pilgrims and tourists annually. The Rila Monastery has always been supported and respected by the Bulgarian rulers, all of whom gave donations to the Monastery.
It grew into a powerhouse in the 13th and 14th centuries and was the centre of the Bulgarian national revival in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Monastery complex was destroyed in a fire in the early 1800s but was rebuilt between 1834 and 1862.
It supported the publication of books, and the establishment of libraries, archives and educational institutions. Rita became a symbol of Bulgarian national identity. It is a major tourist attraction for Bulgaria as well as Southern Europe. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 1983.
Picture Credit : Google
