Churches & Monasteries

The presently preserved churches and monasteries are a living chronic of the Bulgarian culture and creative spirit. They contain marvelous architectural ensembles, old icons, unique masterly wood-carvings and wall-paintings. The miraculous icons, the artistically built altar walls and the traditional living create the unique atmosphere in these amazing monuments of architecture.

While travelling in Bulgaria, you will see churches of different kinds and with different architecture and history. Some of them are newly built and with modern architecture – “St. Viserion Smolensky” (Smolyan), “Holy Mother of God” (Pamporovo), “St. Petka” (Rupi), the Cathedral “Aleksander Nevski” (Sofia). Others remind us of the Ottoman yoke, when the churches must have been half dug into the ground – “St. St. Teodor Tiron and Teodor Stratilat” (Dobarsko), “St. Nedelja” (Batak), “Christ’s Birth” in Arbanassi and others. The well-preserved decorations, the finely carved iconostases and the carefully painted icons tell the story of Bulgaria. When you enter a church, you will become part of this tale and the exciting stories of your guide will make you feel as if you were direct witnesses of the Bulgarian history.

The monastery is another “keeper” of the Bulgarian culture. It will be absolutely right to say that the monasteries were and still are centers of literacy and enlightenment, and temples of art and architecture. But that still does not say everything. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the history of the Bulgarian monasteries is a political history in full. From their fight for the laying of the Slavic literacy and culture, through their role as a bastion against the Byzantine conquerors (XI – XII c.), it is a history full of hard historic trials, that Bulgarians must have overcome. The monasteries testify to the abilities and skills of the Bulgarian icon-painters, builders and woodcarvers.

During this kind of journey the interested visitors can experience and learn much about the eventful history of this part of Europe.

For a particular travel request, our team is gladly at your disposal!

Yours,

Ulpia Tours team

Churches and monasteries Gallery