Description of the attraction
The Rozhen (Christmas) Monastery of the Most Holy Theotokos is located near Melnik, a small Bulgarian town. It is one of the few medieval monasteries that have survived to this day.
The exact time when the monastery was founded, as well as the name of the founder, is not named. There were several versions, none of which could be documented. However, the analysis of the architecture and the plan of the structure of the monastery and the cathedral church made it possible to attribute the building to the 12-13 centuries.
After the conquest of Bulgaria by the Turks, the Rozhen Monastery gained fame as a major spiritual and cultural center. In the 16th century, a calligraphic school was opened here, several valuable manuscripts were written, for example, "The Interpretation of Job", which is now kept in Jerusalem in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
The monastery was repeatedly robbed and arson during the Ottoman rule and several times was restored, completed and rebuilt. In 1597, large-scale restoration work was carried out, during which the ossuary of St. John the Baptist was erected, the church building was reconstructed, and the process of painting began, which stretched for 30 years. In the 16-17 centuries, many buildings of the monastery were painted in the traditions of the Athos art school, but in the 18th century, new ones were applied over most of the old paintings, which have survived to this day. The final reconstruction of the monastery took place in 1715-1732 with the financial support of the country's residents.
The Rozhen Monastery reached its true heyday in the 19th century, becoming the spiritual center of the region. In addition, the monastery became a real refuge for the leaders of the revolutionary movement. The famous Bulgarian national liberation fighter Yane Sandansky is buried nearby.
Nowadays, the monastery is open to visitors, it is maintained in excellent condition. Visitors can appreciate the murals, unique stained glass windows and wood carvings of iconostases and lecterns. The main treasure of the monastery is the miraculous icon of the Mother of God. The Rozhen Monastery houses an impressive collection of icons from the 16th-19th centuries, as well as valuable examples of ritual temple utensils.
