Blog Posts Hole in the Donut

Rila Monastery, Symbol of Bulgarian National Identity

June 26, 2014December 26, 2013 by Barbara Weibel

Looking through fresco-painted colonnades of the Nativity of the Virgin Church to arches set upon stone columns that form the loggias of the monastic apartments at Rila Monastery

During my visit to Sofia I heard repeatedly that the nearby UNESCO World Heritage Site of Rila Monastery was a must see. Based upon this endorsement my expectations were high, but my first view of the monastery’s tall stone walls left me uninspired; it appeared to be nothing more than a simple stone fortress tucked … Read more

PHOTO: Ceiling in the Cloister of the Church at Rila Monastery in Bulgaria

July 12, 2021December 26, 2013 by Barbara Weibel

Ceiling in the Cloister of the Church at Rila Monastery in Bulgaria is Painted With Gorgeous Frescoes

Dome and ceiling in the cloister of the church at Rila Monastery in Bulgaria is painted with gorgeous frescoes

PHOTO: Fountain and Frescoes at Rila Monastery in Bulgaria

July 12, 2021December 25, 2013 by Barbara Weibel

Fountain and Frescoes at Rila Monastery Decorate the Front Cloister of the Church at This Famous Bulgarian Site

Fountain and frescoes at Rila Monastery decorate the front cloister of the church at this famous Bulgarian site

PHOTO: Sanctuary of the Church at Rila Monastery in Bulgaria

July 12, 2021December 24, 2013 by Barbara Weibel

Sanctuary of the Church at Rila Monastery in Bulgaria is Famous for its Gold-plated Iconostasis

Gold-plated Iconostasis at Rila Monastery in Bulgaria, dominates the sanctuary of the church

PHOTO: Church at Rila Monastery, the Most Famous Eastern Orthodox Monastery in Bulgaria

July 12, 2021December 23, 2013 by Barbara Weibel

Church at Rila Monastery, the Most Famous Eastern Orthodox Monastery in Bulgaria