Dryanovo Monastery

Not far from Veliko Tarnovo, at the beginning of the road leading to the Šhipka Pass—one of the most important mountain passes in the Balkans—is the Dryanovo Monastery. This beautiful monastery lies on the banks of a river, in one of the most stunning natural locations. What characterizes the valley in which it is located is a river flowing at the foot of mighty cliffs, which once served as a home for monastic hermits who practiced the Hesychasm tradition (Christian meditation leading to enlightenment).

The monastery was founded in the 12th century and was named after the Archangel Michael. According to Balkan mythology, God had two sons: Satanel, who rebelled against Him, and Michael, who fought Satanel and restored order and light to the world. In each of us are two such brother-angels, and a war rages between good and evil; the cliffs above the monastery were considered a suitable place for this inner struggle to take place. However, at the end of the 14th century, with the conquest of Bulgaria by the Ottomans, the monastery was destroyed. It was rebuilt in the 17th century, destroyed again, and only in the mid-19th century was it rebuilt in its current location and form.

The monastery became part of the underground network organized by Levski and played an active role in the rebellion against the Ottomans, which led to its burning once again. But it was rebuilt after Bulgaria gained independence at the end of the 19th century, and those are the buildings that exist today. The site serves as an active monastery and pilgrimage destination. One of its unique features is a historical museum that recounts the history of the monastery, the Bulgarian struggle for independence over the generations, and also displays important archaeological finds discovered in the area. From the monastery, beautiful hiking trails lead into the surrounding nature.

Half an hour from the monastery lies the museum town of Tryavna, famous for its unique architecture and the icon painting school that developed there in the 19th century, whose works can be seen in the local museum. Half an hour’s drive in another direction from Dryanovo is the arts-and-crafts tourist village of Etara, where traditional crafts are demonstrated as they were once practiced.

dryanovo monastery cliffs Bulgaria