Bulgaria Attractions - Bachkovo Monastery

💥Bachkovo Monastery Bachkovo Monastery of the Theotokos Dormition is the main Eastern Orthodox monastery in southern Bulgaria. The monastery is known for its unique combination of Byzantine, Georgian and Bulgarian cultures, united by a common faith. It is the second largest monastery in Bulgaria. There are 2 churches within the complex, but only one is open to the public. Founded in 1083 by Prince Gregory Pakourianos, a famous politician and military commander of the Byzantine army, the monastery is a predominantly Georgian Eastern Orthodox monastery. Although the monastery survived the first wave of Turkish invasions of Bulgarian lands, it was subsequently looted and destroyed, but was restored in the late 15th century. The only surviving part of the original structure of the monastery is the ossuary, which features a specific architectural design and ancient frescoes, located 300 m from the contemporary monastic complex. The Cathedral of the Virgin Mary (built in 1604) is where the precious icon of the Virgin Mary Eleusa (brought from Georgia) from 1310 is kept, which is considered a miracle. The church was built on the site where the oldest church in the monastery was destroyed by the Turks. Another medieval church at the monastery is the Archangel Church, which probably dates from the 12th century and whose vaulted open narthex was painted in 1841 by Zahari Zograf. The interior of the church was painted in 1846 by artist Joan Mosch. 💥Bachkovo monastery Monastery of the Dormition of the Theotokos The Bachkovo Monastery of the Dormition of the Theotokos is a major Eastern Orthodox monastery in Southern Bulgaria. The monastery is known and appreciated for the unique combination of Byzantine, Georgian and Bulgarian culture, united by the common faith. It is the second largest monastery in Bulgaria. There are 2 churches in the complex, but only one is open to the public. The monastery was founded in 1083 by Prince Gregory Pakourianos, a prominent statesman and military commander in the Byzantineservice, as a Georgian-dominated Orthodox monastery. Although the monastery survived the first waves of Turkish invasion in Bulgarian lands, it was then looted and destroyed, but restored near the end of the 15th century. The only part that has survived from the monastery's original structure is the ossuary, which has a specific architectural design and ancient frescoes, and is situated 300 m away from the contemporary monastery complex. The Cathedral Church of the Virgin Mary (dating from 1604) is the place where a valuable icon of the Virgin Mary Eleusa from 1310 is kept (brought from Georgia) which is believed to be miraculous. This church was built in the place of the monastery's oldest church destroyed by the Turks. Another medieval church of the monastery is the Archangels' Church dating back probably to the 12th century, the vaulted open narthex of which was painted by Zahari Zograf in 1841. The inside of the church was painted by the artist Joan Mosch in 1846.