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Description:

The Rila monastery lies in the very Rila mountain, at 1,147 meters above sea level. It is situated 117km away from Sofia to the south, and is no doubt the most popular tourist site among all monasteries in Bulgaria equally for its size, natural surroundings, architecture, wall paintings and ancient history. The Rila monastery is flanked by the small mountain rivers of Rilska and Drushlyavitsa and is only 4 hours walking distance from the Malyovitsa peak, rising at 2,729 meters above sea level. The highest peak of the Rila mountain, Mousala (2925 meters), which is also the Balkan peninsula's highest point, is further away at about 8 hours' walk. The Rila monastery offers a great view to the surrounding peaks of the mountain and represents a developed tourist sight with all the accompanying facilities such as souvenir shops, restaurants and inns.

The church's interior is extremely impressive. The murals were painted between 1840 and 1848 by some of the finest artists of the time: Ivan Nikolov The Iconpainter, Kosta Valyov, Zahari Zograph, Dimiter Zograph and his sons - all from Samokov, Dimiter Mollerov from Bansko and his son Simeon. The icons of the main altar were painted by Ivan Obrazopis- son from the town of Samokov. The twenty donors' potraits in the church mark the beginning of Bulgarian secular painting, of realistic portraits. This gallery of art was enriched by the murals in the churches and chapels outside the monastery. Thirty-six figural scenes, the figures of the Old Testament Kings, apostles martyrs, an exceptionally rich ornamentation of flowers, birds and stylized figures - this, in short, is the subject-matter of the main carved altar of the Holy Virgin Church fashioned by four masters over a period of five years.

Stunningly carved is the entrance gate of the church of Protosebast Hrelyo, preserved today in the Rila monastery's museum of history. The museum also contains a multitude of gold and silver church plates, collections of coins, weapons, jewelry goldweave materials and embroidery. A unique masterpiece is the carved cross of the Monk Raphael worked over a period of 12 years. The library contains 16000 volumes including 134 manuscripts from l5th to 19th century, numerous incunabula and documents. The donations received from all parts of the country represent a very rich ethnographic collection - a national collection of works of arts and crafts. Retaining the names of the donors and the exact date of donation, they represent an original chronicle of the national consciousness, of those pure patriotic feelings and hopes which were inspired throughout centuries in every Bulgarian by the Rila Monastery - the country's largest spiritual and cultural temple.