Rila Monastery (1983)

Thanks to Irina from Bulgaria 

The Monastery of Saint Ivan of Rila, better known as the Rila Monastery  is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. It is situated in the southwestern Rila Mountains.

Founded in the 10th century, the Rila Monastery is regarded as one of Bulgaria‘s most important cultural, historical and architectural monuments and is a key tourist attraction for both Bulgaria and Southern Europe.

The monastery complex, regarded as one of the foremost masterpieces of Bulgarian National Revival architecture, was declared a national historical monument in 1976 and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. Since 1991 it has been entirely subordinate to the Holy Synod of theBulgarian Orthodox Church.