Description of the attraction
The Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spileotis is one of the most valuable cultural and historical monuments in Melnik. It is located in a picturesque location on the eastern side of St. Nicholas Hill, south of Melnik.
The monastery was built at the beginning of the XIII century by order of the despot Alexy Slav. It is one of the earliest examples of typical monastic architecture from this historical period. Built on top of inaccessible terrain, it was part of the fortress of the Bulgarian lord Slava. The monastery had a separate fortification and its own defensive system.
Only the ruins of the holy monastery have survived to this day. The rather large complex was built according to the classical scheme and had the canonical structure of medieval monasteries. There is a refectory, monastic cells, an abbot's room, a guest room, a library, and a defensive tower. On the territory of the monastery there was a cemetery chapel and two churches - "Holy Mother of God Spileotis" and "St. Spyridon".
The monastery became famous thanks to the letter, which was published by Alexy Slav in 1220. In it, the monastery is called "despotic and royal". Until now, history does not know about the existence of another monastery with a similar status. Thanks to this, the monastery of the Holy Mother of God acquires special national and historical significance.
Over the years of its existence, the monastery complex and the clergy who lived here have suffered many troubles. From the second half of the XIV century. before the beginning of the XX century. it was destroyed and rebuilt three times. The name of the monastery was changed several times. In the period from the 17th to the 19th century, the monastery was called "Sveta Zona", which means "Holy area" in translation. From about the middle of the 19th century, it gradually began to fall into desolation and completely ceased to function after the outbreak of the First World War.
Today the monastery has the status of partially functioning. In the 40s on the foundations of the old church, the "Light Zone" chapel was erected. Despite the fact that only ruins remain from the medieval monastery, this place is still revered as sacred.
