Bulgaria's Monasteries Beyond Rila: Bachkovo, Troyan & Rozhen

Everyone visits Rila — and rightly so — but Bulgaria's monastic heritage runs far deeper than a single mountain. Scattered across the Rhodopes, the Balkan range and the hills above Melnik are monasteries almost as old, nearly as large, and every bit as beautiful, each a self-contained world of frescoed churches, carved iconostases and miraculous icons. If you've seen Rila and want more, these are the three to build a trip around.

This guide covers Bulgaria's three great monasteries beyond Rila — Bachkovo, Troyan and Rozhen — with the history, the art and the practicalities for each. For the flagship itself, start with our Rila Monastery day-trip guide.

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⛪ Bachkovo Monastery

Bulgaria's second-largest monastery after Rila, Bachkovo Monastery was founded in 1083 by the Byzantine statesman Grigorii Bakuriani and his brother, making it one of the oldest in the country. It lies in the northern Rhodopes on the Chepelare River, about 30 km south of Plovdiv and just beyond Asenovgrad.

Bachkovo's treasures are exceptional: a revered miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary, drawing pilgrims from across the country; a medieval ossuary decorated with rare 11th–12th-century frescoes; and later wall paintings by the great National Revival master Zahari Zograf. The main courtyard, refectory and shaded terraces make it one of the most atmospheric religious sites in Bulgaria.

Because it's so close to the second city, Bachkovo is an easy half-day out — see our best day trips from Plovdiv for how to combine it with Asen's Fortress and the Rhodope foothills.

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⛪ Troyan Monastery

Deep in the Balkan Mountains above the village of Oreshak near the town of Troyan stands Troyan Monastery, the third-largest in Bulgaria. Dedicated to the Dormition of the Mother of God and founded around the end of the 16th century, it grew into one of the country's most important spiritual centers.

Its fame rests on two things. The first is art: the church interior carries the vivid frescoes of Zahari Zograf, painted between 1847 and 1849 and among his finest work. The second is its miraculous icon of the Three-Handed Virgin (Bogoroditsa Troeruchitsa), a copy brought from Mount Athos. During the National Revival the monastery was also a hotbed of the liberation movement — Vasil Levski founded a secret revolutionary committee within its walls. For a smaller, far quieter monastery in the same range, Glozhene sits on a cliff above the Vit valley near Teteven. To stay for a weekend — with Troyan, the Oreshak crafts exhibition and Apriltsi — see our Troyan and Apriltsi guide.

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⛪ Rozhen Monastery

In the far southwest, above the village of Rozhen near the wine town of Melnik, Rozhen Monastery is one of the oldest in Bulgaria, with origins in the 13th century. It sits amid the surreal Melnik sand pyramids, and the setting alone is worth the drive.

Inside, Rozhen preserves a beautifully carved wooden iconostasis, unusual stained-glass windows — a rarity in Bulgarian churches — and layers of murals from across the centuries. It pairs perfectly with a tasting in Melnik's cellars; see our Melnik wine guide to make a day of it.

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🗺️ How to Visit

These three don't sit on a single loop — they belong to different corners of the country — so treat each as the anchor of its own trip:

• Bachkovo → from Plovdiv (~30 km), an easy half-day, ideally with Asen's Fortress.
• Troyan → in the central Balkan Mountains, best reached by car and paired with the Troyan Pass or the region's ceramics villages.
• Rozhen → in the Pirin/Melnik southwest, combined with Melnik town and its wineries.

A few practical notes: dress modestly (covered shoulders and knees), photography inside churches is often restricted, and all three offer simple guest rooms if you want to wake up to the monastery bells. Major feast days bring crowds and colour but also full car parks — arrive early.

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Rila may be the crown, but Bulgaria's faith is written across all its mountains — in Rhodope courtyards, Balkan cloisters and the painted churches above Melnik. Seek them out, and keep exploring with Mestala.com.