Hotels in Veliko Tarnovo
Transfiguration Monastery
Preobrazhenski Monastery (the Monastery of the Transfiguration — Preobrazhenie) is the biggest of the monasteries around Veliko Turnovo and the fourth largest in the country. It lies at a distance of 7 km from Veliko Turnovo in the wooded gorge of Derventa, below the caves in the cliffs which surround the Belyakovo Plateau. A world of much sun and vivacity greets up here.
Transfiguration monastery was burned to the ground when the capital of the Second Bulgarian State was taken; centuries had to pass before life was reinstated here, on the top of the ruins. The monastery started its second existence only in 1825. A part of the building and the Holy Virgin Church were erected - a revival of the late 14th century Athos type of architecture, an absolute exception from the ideas and construction principles of the National Revival period. The principal Church of the Transfiguration of Our Lord was begun in 1834 by Master Builder Dimiter Sofialiyata, who took part in Velcho's Conspiracy (1835), and after he was hung it was completed by Master Kolyu Ficheto who continued the work of building the monastery. He created one of the supreme examples of Bulgarian Baroque - a cruciform, three - apside and domeshaped building.
Find out more about Transfiguration Monastery at BulgariaMonasteries.Com
The mural paintings in the Church of the Transfiguration of Our Lord were painted by Zachari Zograph, the Samokov icon painter, in 1849 — 1851. He also painted the large icons of the iconostasis. He left his signature in the lower righthand corner of the church icons of The Transfiguration, and painted his self-portrait in the north-western angle of the women's section, next to those of SS. Cyril and Methodius. "The wheel of life" is one of the most popular murals and it is painted on the outside of the church.The open-work carving of the royal altar gates is particularly beautiful.
During the Russo-Turkish War of Liberation (1877— 1878) an army hospital was quartered in the Monastery. In gratitude for its hospitality after the Liberation the Russian troops presented bells, chandeliers and liturgical books for the church to the Monastery. The Monastery possesses valuable icons, painted by the Tryavna Iconpainter Papa Vitan the Younger, and Stanislav Dospevski, the Samokov icon painter, who had studied abroad at academies and was Zachari Zograph's nephew.
In 1991, a gigantic boulder fell from the cliff above and broke into smaller pieces before crushing a few monastic cells. One large chunk split in two and the pieces miraculously ended up on either side of the central church. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
The monastery is open for visitors every day from 7am to 7pm.
Other churches in Veliko Tarnovo
Hotels in Veliko Tarnovo
- Bridges Residence (Children 10+)
- Interhotel Veliko Tarnovo
- Meridian Hotel Bolyarski
- Panorama hotel
- Premier Hotel
- Stambolov guest house
- Yantra Hotel
- Akvaya Hotel
- Alegro Hotel
- Boljari Hotel
- Camping Veliko Tarnovo
- Complex Gallery
- Concord Hotel
- Gurko Hotel
- Hotel Complex Elena
- Millenium Hotel
- Studio Boutique Hotel
- Tarnava Hotel
- Anhea hotel
- Park Hotel RAYA Garden /ex Sveta Gora Complex
Places to go in Veliko Tarnovo
- Archeological museum - Veliko Tarnovo
- Transfiguration Monastery
- “The Nativity” Church
- The monument of the Assens
- St. Dimitar Church
- “St. Archangels Michael and Gavrail”
- Sound and Lights show - Tsarevets
- Sokolovo Monastery
- Shipka Church - Memorial
- Samovodska charshia
- Patriarchal Church
- Mother Bulgaria monument
- Kiliffarevo Monastery
- Folklore and ethnographic museum Sokay
- Church St. St. Konstantin and Elena Veliko Tarnovo
- Cathedral temple
- Tsarevets Hill
Restaurants & bars in Veliko Tarnovo
Deals & discounts in Veliko Tarnovo
News from Veliko Tarnovo
- Church Saint George included in travel tours in Arbanassi
- Brand Bulgaria presented in Veliko Turnovo
- Veliko Turnovo hosts the festival of plastic arts
- Special sign for the crafts in Veliko Tarnovo
- Veliko Turnovo city welcomes Lord of the Dance
- New tourism routes in Veliko Turnovo city
- Veliko Turnovo celebrates on 22nd March
- Festival Balkan Folk is held in Veliko Turnovo
- New weekend package for a holiday in Veliko Turnovo
- Rakiya spirit drink is indeed Bulgarian
- Samovodska Charshiya Complex in Veliko Turnovo awaits you tоday
- Foreigners Fancy Bulgaria's Cultural, Spa Tourism
- Summer Opera festival ‘Scene of the centuries’ in Veliko Turnovo
- Cheap Easter Holidays in Bulgaria: the choice is yours
- Samovodska Charshia in Veliko Turnovo-attraction for tourists
- Special tourism award for Veliko Turnovo
- Bulgaria attracts Czech tourists with 100 Tourism Sites
- Djankov targets the development of Bulgaria's cultural tourism
- More Japanese tourists in Bulgaria
- Bulgaria invests in the development of cultural and history tourism
- Romanian tourists celebrate New Year in Veliko Turnovo
- Nearly one million tourists have visited Veliko Tarnovo
- Veliko Turnovo city among top 10 preferred destinations in Eastern Europe
- Arbanassi Churches Listed in UNESCO
- Americans restore Bulgarian Pompeius