Rozhen Monastery in Bulgaria
Rating: 8,1/10 (1506 votes)  The Nativity Monastery is one of the largest Orthodox monasteries in the country. The monastery is located in the southwestern part of Bulgaria on the Pirin mountains. According to historical sources, the monastery was built in 890. During the reign of Alexy Slav, as well as Tsar Kaloyan and his nephew, many new buildings arose in the monastery. In the 17th century, the monastery was badly damaged by fire, but in the 18th century, thanks to the help of the inhabitants of Bulgaria, the building was completely restored ... In the 19th century, the monastery reached the apogee of its development, becoming the spiritual center of Orthodoxy in the region. The main church of the monastery was dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin. The construction of the church dates back to the 16th century, but the building acquired its modern look only in 1732. The church was built separately from the main building. A small chapel located in the southern part of the altar has its own carved iconostasis. Today the monastery is one of the country's national tourist sites. Externally, the monastery is similar to a medieval fortress, has the shape of an irregular hexagon. On its territory there is a farm and a crypt. The courtyard is surrounded by residential three-tier buildings, which include a refectory and cells. Part of the yard is also occupied by vineyards. Next to the monastery you can also see the grave of Yana Sandansky – an outstanding Bulgarian revolutionary.   
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