RILA MONASTERY а UNESCO World Heritage | Рилски манастир | BULGARIA| Aerial Drone view 4K UHD 60 FPS

It is believed that its name comes from the first Bulgarian hermit, John Rilski, who settled in the area and gave himself only 7 years of fasting and prayer. The saint’s relics are displayed in the main church “Nativity of the Virgin” of the complex. In the monastery’s yard, you can see the well-preserved Hrelyova Tower - 25 meters, a medieval defensive tower dating from the year 1335.
On the last 5th floor, there is a small church “Transfiguration of the Lord”, a bell tower and a clock. A carpenter’s workshop, a monastery bookstore, a library and, of course, the church-historical museum ( 8 leva fee) are only part of the wonders of the beautiful monastery complex, which is quite impressive because of its size.
Rila Monastery was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.
Founded in the 10th century, Rila Monastery is regarded as one of Bulgaria's most important cultural, historical and architectural monuments and is a key tourist attraction for both Bulgaria and Southern Europe for religious tourists.
Architecture
The whole complex occupies an area of 8,800 m2 and is rectangular in form, centred on the inner yard (3,200 m2), where the tower and the main church are situated.
Main church
The main church of the monastery was erected in the middle of the 19th century. Its architect, Pavel Ioanov, worked on it from 1834 to 1837. The church has five domes, three altars and two side chapels, while one of the most precious items inside is the gold-plated iconostasis, noteds for its wood-carving, the creation of which took five years to by four handicraftsmen: Atanas Teladur, Petar and Georgi Dashini and Dimitar Stanishev. The frescoes, finished in 1846, are the work of many masters from Bansko, Samokov and Razlog, including the famous brothers Zahari Zograf and Dimitar Zograf. The church is also home to many valuable icons, dating from the 14th to the 19th century. Porticos in the courtyard have Mamluk influence with the striped painting and the domes, which became more popular in the Ottoman Empire after the conquest of Egypt.