Rila Monastery

People believe that The Monastery of Sain Ivan of Rila (better known as the Rila Monastery) was founded by hermit Ivan of Rila in the first half of the 10th century. He lived in a cave not far from the monastery’s current location. From the beginning on, the monastery has been supported and respected by Bulgarian rulers who made large donations. From 1334 until 1335, a protective tower, monastic cells and a temple were built. Unfortunately, the monastery underwent numerous raids and destruction by Ottomans from the end of the 14th century until the middle of the 15th century. The monastery got rebuilt at the end of the 15th century. In 1833, the monastery was destroyed by fire and reconstructed between 1834 and 1862. Today it is seen as the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria.