Hotels in Sofia
A walk to the wonderful German Monastery and through its surroundings (phototrip)
Anita Valentinova, 24.07.2009
It does not really matter whether you are in Sofia for business purposes or just you have decided to set off for an exciting weekend tour to Bulgaria’s capital city. What is sure though is that you will not be disappointed if you visit one of the monasteries in Sofia region. We are glad to present you one of the representatives of the group of monasteries in Sofia region. , also known as “Sofia’s Little Sveta Gora” (The Small Mount Athos). This beautiful pilgrimage German monastery is located only 30 minutes by car from Sofia city.
The German monastery lies in the Lozen mountain, in immediate proximity to the villa area of the village German (Sofia region). The lush vegetation and majesty of the wonderful Vitosha Mountain add special charm to this small, but interesting and humbly decorated holy cloister. The small monastery boasts one of the most glorious locations near Sofia as the lush vegetation in the locale of the monastery makes one feel relaxed and reinvigorated. Only 1-2 hours walk in the vicinity of the monastery gives a fresh new lease of life due to the crystal clear air and complete serenity. The monastery reveals a spectacular view to the Sofia
. The 30-minute walk through the green paths near the monastery is a romance itself. The monastery is noted for a simply decorated facade and unique church interior. The garden in front of the main monastery’s church is breathtaking! You will be amazed at the diversity of colours! The picture in the gallery does them no justice at all. While being in Sofia , consider visiting a monastery that everyone wishes to go once in a life. Enjoy the superb location of the holy cloister and experience true religious ambience.Brief info:
Anita Valentinova, 24.07.2009
The German monastery was established in the 10th century and according to the legend, the venerable St.Ivan Rilski has lived there for a while just before he has found his solitude in the Rila Mountain. During the reign of the kind Petur, the monastery has been turned into an important spiritual centre and, respectively, a part of the “Sofia’s Little Sveta Gora” (Sofia’s region is abundant in cloisters). Soon afterwards, during the time of Byzantine domination when the monastery has flourished, it has been sent presents by the Byzantine Emperor Alexius I Komnin. The holy cloister was completely destroyed during the time of the invasion of Ottoman conquerors in 1382 when Sofia city fell under their power. The shrine was restored one century later and it has rapidly turned into a cultural centre. The evidence for the importance of the monastery is the preserved German collection of the saint Nikola which is kept safely in the National Library in Sofia. In the 18th century, however, the German monastery was plundered again by the so-called Kardzhalii detachments. The monks who managed to flee and local residents started the reconstruction of the sanctuary and a simple, in terms of architecture, one-nave church, half-hidden beneath the surface was built. After the Liberation, the then father superior of the the German monastery , Nikifor and his brother Cyril decided to rebuild the sanctuary. In 1886 the old church was torn down and a new one was erected over the same place. A new iconostasis, representing icons of St Ivan of Rila, St God’s Mother with Christ, Jesus Christ, St John the Precursor and St Nikolay Miriklijski, was also created. The icons were painted by the talented brothers from the town of Samokov-Ivan and Nikola Dospevski.Please, click on the photo in order to enlarge it and take a tour through the gallery
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Hotels in Sofia
- Anel Hotel
- Arena di Serdika Boutique Hotel
- Grand Hotel Sofia
- Hilton Sofia Hotel
- Holiday Inn hotel
- Hyatt Regency Sofia Hotel
- Intercontinental Sofia (ex Radisson Blu Grand Hotel)
- Sofia Hotel Balkan a Luxury Collection Hotel (ex Sheraton Hotel)
- Best Western Hotel Europe
- Best Western Premier Sofia Airport
- Central Hotel
- City Hotel
- Crystal Palace Hotel
- Downtown Hotel
- Festa Sofia Hotel
- Geneva Hotel
- Gloria Palace Hotel
- Hill Hotel
- Hotel Coop
- Les Fleurs Hotel
- Metropolitan hotel
- Novotel Sofia
- Ramada by Wyndham Sofia City Center
- Rodina Hotel
- Rosslyn Central Park Hotel
- Rosslyn Thracia Hotel
- Salt Palace Hotel
- Sveta Sofia Hotel
- The Stay Hotel Expo Center
- VEGA Hotel Sofia
- Vitosha Park Hotel
- Akord Hotel
- Aleksander Palace - Advi
- Arte Hotel
- Best Western Losenets Hotel
- Best Western Plus Bristol
- Brod Hotel
- Budapest hotel
- Earth and People hotel
- Hemus Hotel
- Legends hotel
- Light hotel
- Lion Hotel
- Maxim Hotel
- Meg-Lozenets Hotel
- Montecito Hotel
- Park Hotel Moskva
- Rocentro /ex Renaissance Hotel/
- Slavyanska Beseda Hotel
- Sofia Place Hotel
- Medic Hotel
Upcoming events in Sofia
- Sofia Dance Week 2010
- Art festival in Sofia city
- Scorpions in Sofia city 2010
- International Feline Show in Sofia
- Paco De Lucia performs in Bulgaria
- Drumset Competition 2010- Sofia Drum Day
- TOP 100 DJs party Monarchy performs in Bulgaria
- Chris Norman performs in Bulgaria 2010
- Harlem Gospel Choir performs in Bulgara
- Yann Tiersen's concert for Students Holiday
- Disco Legends Boney M concert in Bulgaria
- Legendary Firewind performs in Sofia
- Barclay James Harvest performs in Bulgaria
- Vaya Con Dios in Bulgaria
- 15th Sofia International Film Festival
- Absent Minded
- Concert of the queen of fado Marisa in Sofia, Bulgaria
- Guano Apes in Bulgaria
- Toto Cutugno in Bulgaria
- Manu Chao in Sofia city
- Children of Bodom in Bulgaria
- Alphaville in Sofia
- Rosalia de Souza in Bulgaria
- Vassil Vassilev and Chambao
- 100 Gypsy Violins in Bulgaria
- Raul Midon in Bulgaria
- Omega- the most successful Hungarian Rock Band gigs in Bulgaria
- Joe Cocker
- Roxette in Sofia, Bulgaria 2011
- Isthar in Sofia city
- Sting in Bulgaria
- CINDERELLA & MR.BIG in Bulgaria
- Dragana Mircovich and Vesna Zmijanac gig in Bulgaria
- Michel Legrand in Bulgaria
- Linkin Park in Bulgaria
- Mellow Music Festival
- Omara Portuondo and Buena Vista Social Club in Bulgaria
- ARASH feat. Rebecca concert in Bulgaria
- Mor Karbasi’s concert in Bulgaria
- Alice Russel in Sofia city
- Gipsy Kings gig in Bulgaria
- Jean Michel Jarre in Bulgaria
- Eric Sardinas concert
- Pooh gigs in Bulgaria
- Manhattan Transfer's concert in Bulgaria
- Hindi Zahra’s concert in Bulgaria
- Amon Amarth concert in Bulgaria
- Sade gigs in Bulgaria in November
- Genesis gigs in Bulgaria
- Julio Iglesias concert
- Sofia Rocks festival 2012
- Jennifer Lopez- concert in Bulgaria
- Depeche Mode performs in Bulgaria in May 2013
Places to go in Sofia
- St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral
- Boyana Church
- National Museum of History
- Alexander Nevsky Crypt Icon museum
- Vitosha Nature Park
- “Ivan Vazov” National Theatre
- The St. Petka Samardjiska Church /St. Petka of the Saddlers/
- Borisova Gradina Park (Central Park)
- Bulgarian National Gallery for Foreign Art
- St. George Rotunda-the oldest Eastern European Orthodox church
- Bulgarian National Gallery of Arts
- National Archaeological Museum
- Fountains in Sofia
- Public gardens and green areas
- St. Sofia church- ancient Eastern Orthodox church in Sofia
- St. Nikolay Russian church
- Sofia botanical garden
- Church of the Holy Seven
- Sofia Zoo
- Bulgarian Natural History Museum
- Sofia City Art Gallery
- Pancharevo lake
- Ethnographic Museum
- St. Nedelya church
- Museum of Earth and Man
- Sofia University Botanic Garden
- Cathedral of St Joseph
- Independence Square
- Boyana waterfall
- Alexander Nevski Square
- King Alexander Battenberg Square
- National Assembly's building in Sofia
- Tsar Osvoboditel Boulevard
- Vitosha Boulevard
- St. Paraskeva Church
- Eagle's Bridge
- Atanas Burov Square
- St. 40 Martyrs Church
- Oborishte street
- Rila monastery
- Slaveikov square
- National Palace of Culture
- National Library St. St. Cyril and Metodius
- Banya Bashi Mosque
- Jewish synagogue in Sofia
- Lion's bridge
- Law Courts