German Monastery
Good to know
- Best time to go
- April–October
- Budget
- $
- Accessibility
- limited
- Coordinates
- Open in maps
The German Monastery of Saint John of Rila stands in the hills southeast of Sofia, a medieval foundation set among woods and streams near the village that shares its name. First established in the tenth century and rebuilt several times after destruction, it holds a nineteenth-century church decorated with frescoes and icons. The peaceful complex of cells and courtyards has long been a retreat for pilgrims from the capital. Its forested setting makes it a popular weekend outing.
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