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Rila monastery Bulgaria is the biggest and most famous of Bulgaria’s monasteries. It’s situated in the northwestern part of the Rila Mountains and is one of the most significant monuments on the Balkan Peninsula. Rila Monastery was founded by a hermit, St John of Rila, in the 10th century. His ascetic dwelling and tomb became a holy site and were transformed into a monastic complex that played a primary role in the spiritual and social life of medieval Bulgaria.
Destroyed by fire at the beginning of the 19th century, the complex was rebuilt between 1834 and 1862. The monument is a characteristic example of the Bulgarian Renaissance (18th–19th centuries) and symbolizesan awareness of a Slavic cultural identity following centuries of occupation. Having survived fire, abandonment and plunder, the monastery fascinates visitors today with its exquisite architecture, rich murals and icons and valuable museum collection, including old manuscripts, jewelry, textiles, church treasures and a library containing thousands of books.

Tourists get to see from that time the fortress tower (1334), the bishop's throne, richly carved doors and some manuscripts, icon-paintings and church plates. In the l5th century, when Bulgaria fell to the Ottoman Turks, the monastery was abandoned for a short time but in the second half of the same century it was restored to a new life. The tours to Rila Monastery Bulgaria has been listed as a world monument of culture. In it there is a well-appointed museum.
The majestic Rila Mountains are a hiker's dream south of Sofia. A trip across the mountains to Rila Monastery can be done in a couple of days, depending on your nerves. One can start at the Borovets ski resort and climb Musala Peak, the highest mountain in the Balkan Peninsula. Its nestled in a narrow valley, Rila Monastery has helped to keep Bulgarian culture alive during the dark age of Turkish rule from the 15th to the 19th centuries.