GPS coordinates: 43.01358, 22.95007
Distance: 1 h total, 2.6 km
Degree of difficulty – ★☆☆☆☆
GPS track:
Razboishki Monastery “Introduction to the Mother of God” is located at the end of the village of Razboishte, Godech municipality, in the gorge of the river Nishava.
It is located about 60 km from Sofia on the road through Kostinbrod.
The curious thing about it, is that the monastery buildings are separated at the foot of a huge rock massif, and the church is built in a high rock niche.
Razboishki Monastery – history
There are suggestions that the monastery existed from the XIII-XIV century.
It is connected with the initial rock hermitage in Bulgaria.
Initially, monastic cells connected to each other were carved into the soft limestone rock.
Due to the growing number of hermits, later the rock monastery was expanded with a chapel, which later grew into a monastery today.
During the Turkish occupation, the monastery was burned down many times and the monks were killed.
A monk who escaped, started restoring the monastery on the meadow, but the Mother of God appeared to him and told him to build a chapel up in the rock.
The residential buildings remained on the lawn below, and the temple above in the rocks.
Robbery Monastery – how to get there?
Drive straight through the village of Razboishte until you reach a dirt road, at the beginning of which you can leave your car.
The path to the monastery is easy and there are 2 signs at the beginning.
We passed through a grove and after it there was a high open place, from which the monastery was visible to the left.
The blue flowers of the thistle and the red fruits of the hawthorn created a spectacle of flowers in the bush around.
The road descends down the slope and passes for a short section through the railway line, winding down the gorge.
After a short walk on the rails, we turned left and came out in front of the old monastery buildings.
The yard of Razboishki Monastery is simple and has preserved the spiritual glory of the past.
There was an old building with a portrait of Vasil Levski, who spent the night here.
An old barn, firewood collected, geraniums adorned under the verandas – the atmosphere was an absolute pastoral idyll.
In the courtyard of the monastery there was a table with picnic benches and a rope swing.
There were also several relaxation tables on a lawn outside.
We saw a nun who told us with a smile that the rock church was open to visitors.
On a renovated bridge we crossed the river Nishava and found ourselves at the foot of the rock church.
There were several rock niches in the rock around the monastery, and icons were placed in one of them.
The interior of the rock church is tiny, but neat and all decorated with icons.
The windows offer an incredible view from high to the region.
Looking at the facade and the bell, we wondered how it was possible for an entire monastery to nestle in the rocks.
How many challenges has this place gone through and survived through the centuries!
A preserved fresco stands out on the western façade against the snow-white background.
It is the only one that has been preserved from the end of the XV – beginning of the XVI century after the restoration of the church.
It depicts scenes from the Last Judgment.
What else to visit in the region of Razboishki Monastery?
It turned out that a curious place is located near the monastery.
Leaving the old monastery buildings and approaching the railway line again, we went to the left along it and saw the so-called Tunnel of Love.
It is a romantic green arch of intertwined branches above the silent railway line.
Another interesting place to visit nearby is the Bukorovo Monastery with its impressive number – as many as 5 church buildings.
They are “St. Georgi ”,“ St. Petka ”,“ St. St. Cyril and Methodius ”,“ St. Sunday and All Saints.
GPS coordinates: 43.001810, 22.966016
The dirt road to it starts from the beginning of the village of Razboishte, where there is a sign for the monastery.
The monastery looked very well maintained, freshly whitewashed, with a well-mowed courtyard and flowering bushes.
And at the moment, repair works are underway to improve it.
10 minutes from it, on a well-marked path is the Kotlite waterfall, which unfortunately was not flooded at this time of year.
Final thoughts
The trip to Razboishki Monastery is not only religious tourism.
It is a step back in Bulgarian history and a spiritual bridge with the holy people who lived in silence and gave their lives in this sacred place.
The amazing nature and the humble and radiant with relaxation and peace of mind aura of the place left a lasting mark in our hearts.
