I had only booked the tour to Rila Monastery yesterday afternoon so it was lucky that there was availability at the last minute. It is not easily accessible by public transport. The bus left at 0900 from behind the St Alexander Cathedral (cathedral for the Bulgarain patriachate). We had the intention of visiting the Cathedral before the tour but ran out of time.
First stop was Boyana Church in the satellite town of Boyana. This was small church where the frescoes are highly regarded and parts which have crumbled off reveal and older layer. The guide took time to explain many of the frescoes before we continue to Rilas.
Rilas Monastery is about 2h drive away from Sofia but with our stop it was nearly midday when we arrived there. The monastery was larger than I had expected both in area and in height. The guide took us around explaining the frescoes inside and out, the icons and the gilded iconostasis.
As she couldn’t talk too loudly in a functioning church we left early towards the end to feed ourselves. We settled for two kinds of local doughnuts before returning to the monastery. With our tummies satisfied, we were able to focus ourselves for a better look.
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- Rila Monastery outside Sofia.
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- Rila Monastery outside Sofia.
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- Rila Monastery outside Sofia.
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- Rila Monastery outside Sofia.
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- Rila Monastery outside Sofia.
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- Rila Monastery outside Sofia.
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- Frescoes at Rila Monastery outside Sofia.
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- Frescoes at Rila Monastery outside Sofia. God the Father is not depicted with a halo but with a triangle representing the Holy Trinity.
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- Frescoes at Rila Monastery outside Sofia. I don’t know what the angels are doing. But they’re sure making a lot of mistakes and/or changing their minds. Perhaps like “making a list and checking it twice” like Santa Claus?
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- At Rila Monastery outside Sofia.
The weather here was quite cool and I was glad I had worn long pants .Shorts for men are in theory not permitted but no one seemed to enforce it We warmed up with a cuppa tea before the return journey back to Sofia arriving at 1700.
We visited the St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. It was beautiful inside but the frescoes had aged and darkened (probably due to candle smoke). Photoos require a hefty BGN10 fee so we’ll have to rely on Google Images if we want to remember what it looks like inside.
The drizzle had turned into heavy rain by the time we re-emerged from the cathedral. We taxied back to the hotel and ate in the hotel restaurant where the food was also good and cheap.