Rila Monastery, Symbol of Bulgarian National Identity

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