Rila Monastery
The Rila Monastery is located in Bulgaria, in the south part at only 117 km away from Sofia, the capital of it. 
John of Rila is the person who dwelt in a stone cave close to the monastery’s main complex. The Rila Monastery was founded in the 10th century. whose originator lived during the Bulgarian Tsar Peter reign.
This monastery is one of the most famous building belonging to the Eastern Orthodox monastery. The history of the monastery is about the medieval hermit Ivan who was born in the 970’s, and chose seclusion due to the moral decline in the period of the Bulgarian Tsar Peter reign.
But after his death, the legend around these places of him has become stronger.
The Rila monastery’s buildings are dating also since the 10th century. 4 centuries later, these buildings were turned into a fortress by Hrelyo Dragovol. Even today, there are parts of the buildings that still remained since then.
In the 19th century it was constructed the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin, which is situated around the monastic grounds.
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