Description of the attraction
The Kalofer Monastery of the Nativity of the Virgin is an old active Orthodox monastery located on the banks of the Byala River, at the foot of the Balkan Mountains. It is located about seven kilometers north of the town of Kalofer, 40 kilometers from the town of Kazanlak and 64 kilometers from the town of Plovdiv.
The monastery of the Nativity of the Virgin was founded in 1640. Twice the monastery was destroyed and ruined, because of which it fell into desolation for some time. In 1819, the building was restored, and with it the church.
During the Russian-Turkish War in 1877, the monastery, along with many others located in the neighborhood, was destroyed by the Turks. Several years later, in 1881, the holy monastery was rebuilt on this site.
The monastery complex consists of a church building, a chapel, residential buildings and outbuildings. The temple was erected in 1881 on the foundations of the former church. Nearby is the chapel of St. Panteleimon, built in 1825.
In honor of the 1300th anniversary of the founding of the Bulgarian state, restoration work was carried out on the territory of the complex. In 2003, the church was painted by painters Mikhail Minkov from the city of Plovdiv and Nanko Nankov and the city of Shumen.
The monastery stands in a picturesque place surrounded on all sides by the Balkan Mountains. At a distance of about 200 meters above there is a natural landmark - the Bulgarian National Park "Central Balkan". The tourist trail "White River" passes here.
