Rila Monastery and Boyana Church (Group Tour)

The Rila Monastery, formally known as the Monastery of Saint Ivan of Rila, is Bulgaria’s largest and most renowned Eastern Orthodox monastery. Founded in the 10th century, it stands as one of the country’s most significant cultural, historical, and architectural monuments. Relocated to its present site in the 14th century, the oldest structures still visible today include the Tower of Hrelyu (1334–1335) and a small adjacent church (1343). The monastery faced destruction during the Ottoman raids of the 15th century but was rebuilt and expanded over the centuries. Recognized as a masterpiece of Bulgarian National Revival architecture, it was declared a national historical monument in 1976 and added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1983. On May 25, 2002, Pope John Paul II visited the monastery, welcomed by Bishop Ioan, a participant in the Second Vatican Council.

Boyana Church, located on the outskirts of Sofia, is a medieval Bulgarian Orthodox church of immense historical and artistic value. Its eastern wing dates to the late 10th or early 11th century, with a central addition in the 13th century during the Second Bulgarian Empire and a western expansion in the mid-19th century. Boyana Church is internationally celebrated for its frescoes from 1259, which overlay earlier paintings and represent one of the most complete and well-preserved examples of Eastern European medieval art. The frescoes depict 89 scenes and 240 human figures, capturing the rich religious and cultural history of Bulgaria.