The Rila Monastery is one of the most important cultural monuments and also the biggest in Bulgaria. It was founded by Ivan Rilski in 10th centuary. In 1778 the monastery got caught on fire but 6 years later Aleksi managed to repair it. It's devided into 3 parts- Main church, Residential part and Monastery museum.
The Main church has 5 domes, 3 altars and 2 side chapels. It's famous for its wood carvings and also contains the most precious items inside like the gold-plated iconostasis.
The residential part consists of 300 champers, 4 chapels, and abbot's room, a kitchen and a library housing 250 manuscripts and 9000 old printed matters. The exterior of the complex with its high walls and small windows resembles more a fortress more than a monastery.
The monastery museum is famous for housing Rafail's cross- an wooden cross(81x43cm) containing 650 miniature figures and recreating 104 religious scenes. Rafail worked on it for 12 years before it was done.
Martin Uzunov
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