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Spread out over an area of 8800 square meters (94722.4 square feet), the monastic complex dedicated to Saint Ivan of Rila resembles a fortress from the outside. Founded by a hermit monk in the 10th Century, the monastery was fraught with several ordeals in the centuries that followed its construction – from a shift in location, to being a subject of Ottoman plundering, and near total destruction by fire. The present avatar is a result of the Bulgarian Renaissance in the 19th Century. This historic monastery remains inextricably intertwined with Bulgarian heritage and culture even today. Within the complex can be found the Hrelyu Tower, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, several chapels, a museum, and a library. Most of the existing structures except the tower dates back to the 19th Century. The monastic complex of Rila is one of the most important Slavic monuments and is a must-visit.
