Sopot, BG

Sopot Monastery

Sopot Monastery is an Orthodox Monastery close to the town with the same name.

About this building

The monastery was probably founded in the 13th century, although no exact information about its foundation has survived to the present day. Like many other Christian sites, the Sopot Monastery was destroyed and rebuilt many times during Ottoman rule.

For centuries it was an important centre of Bulgarian literature, producing and preserving numerous manuscripts.

A curious historical fact is that, national hero Vasil Levski was ordained deacon here before starting his revolutionary campaign against the Turks.

Key Features

  • Architecture
  • Links to national heritage
  • Famous people or stories

Other nearby buildings

Mariana Ivanova Ruseva

Dryanovo Monastery

The Dryanovo Monastery is located in the valley of Andaka River, approximately 4km away from the town of Dryanovo. It was built to house the relics of St Michael in the 13th century. It played an important role during the April Uprising of the 19th century.

Wikimedia Commons/Красимир Косев

Troyan Monastery

Although less well known than the Rila Monastery or the Bachkovo Monastery, the Troyan Monastery is a popular destination for religious tourism in the Balkans. The monastery was built at the turn of the 16th to 17th century and houses one of the most treasured icons of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church: the Three-Handed Virgin.

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