Карта на манастирите около Велико Търново

Арбанашки манастир "Св. Богородица", XIII век, обновен XVII век, действащ, девически, храмов празник 15 август, Великотърновска духовна околия.

Арбанашки манастир "Св. Никола", XIII век, обновен XVII век, действащ, девически, храмов празник 6 декември, Великотърновска духовна околия.

Батошевски манастир "Въведение Богородично"

XIX век, действащ, девически, храмов празник 21 ноември, Севлиевска духовна околия.

Батошевски манастир "Успение Богородично"

XIII век, обновен XIX век, действащ, мъжки, храмов празник 15 август, Севлиевска духовна околия.

Буйньовски манастир "Св. Пророк Илия", XX век, действащ, девически, храмов празник 20 юли, Еленска духовна околия.

Габровски Соколски манастир "Успение Богородично"

Основан началото на XIX век, действащ, девически, храмов празник 15 август, Габровска духовна околия.

Горнооряховски манастир "Св. Пророк Илия", XX век, действащ, девически, храмов празник 20 юли, Горнооряховска духовна околия.

Дряновски манастир "Св. Архангел Михаил"

Основан XIII век, обновен XIX век, действащ, мъжки, храмов празник 8 ноември, Дряновска духовна околия.

Капиновски манастир "Св. Никола", Основан XIII век, обновен XVII век, действащ, мъжки, храмов празник 6 декември, Великотърновска духовна околия.

Килифаревски манастир "Рождество Богородично"

Основан XIV век, обновен XVIII век, действащ, девически, храмов празник 8 септември, Великотърновска духовна околия.

Марински манастир "Св. Преображение Господне", Основан XX век, действащ, мъжки, храмов празник 6 август, Еленска духовна околия.

Мердански манастир "Св. 40 мъченици", Основан XIII век, обновен XIX век, действащ, девически, храмов празник 9 март, Великотърновска духовна околия.

Патриаршески манастир "Св. Троица", XIII век, обновен XX век, действащ, девически, храмов празник на Петдесетница (подвижен), с аязмо, Великотърновска духовна околия.

Петропавловски манастир (Лясковски манастир "Св. св. Петър и Павел")

XII век, обновен XVII век, действащ, девически, храмов празник 29 юни, Горнооряховска духовна околия.

Плаковски манастир "Св. Пророк Илия", XIII век, обновен XIX век, действащ, мъжки, храмов празник 20 юли, Великотърновска духовна околия.

Преображенски манастир "Св. Преображение Господне" край Велико Търново

Основан XIV век, обновен XIX век, действащ, мъжки, храмов празник 6 август, Великотърновска духовна околия.

Присовски манастир "Св. Архангел Михаил", XII век, обновен XIX век, действащ, девически, храмов празник 8 ноември, Великотърновска духовна околия.

Присовски манастир "Св. Пантелеймон", XIX век, действащ, девически, храмов празник 27 юли, Великотърновска духовна околия.

Свищовски манастир "Св. Ап. Петър и Павел", XX век, действащ, девически, храмов празник 29 юни, Свищовска духовна околия.

Свищовски манастир "Св. Богородица", XIV век, обновен XIX век, действащ, девически, храмов празник 15 август, Свищовска духовна околия.

Map of monasteries in the surrounding of Veliko Tarnovo

Marjanski Monastery

Legends tell that there was a monastery on this spot even in the VIII – IX centuries. Six capitals from Theodosian pillars testify to that fact. Four of the capitals can be seen in the National historical museum in the city of Sofia and two are still treasured in the monastery itself. The present-day church was built in 1835. During the excavation work there were found the foundations of an old Christian orthodox temple and in the altar of this temple – a marble sarcophagus, in which the remains of a skeleton with a Gospel in the hands and a crown next to the head were discovered – Spiritual and Worldly powers tied together as one. When that grave was found the residents of the village decided because of the sayings and legends and correspondences left in the church books that it most probably was the tomb of Tzar Boris-Mihail Christenizer. For fear of the Turkish authorities almost at once all discoveries were again hidden under ground and now only parts of the sarcophagus can be seen, built in the walls of the present church. Another legend tells that tzaritza Mara – sister of Tzar Ivan Shishman remained in the monastery on her way to Constantinopolis, where she was supposed to marry sultan Mourad. After the death of the sultan tzaritza Mara returned to that same place. Maybe that is why the village was named Maryan, after tzaritza Mara. The contemporary monastery is active since 1992. In the temple, which is one of the biggest and most beautiful in the spiritual district of Elena, there can be seen icons, drawn by the old masters from the school in Triavna.

Kapinovski Monastery

The Kapinovski Monastery is situated in the skirts of the picturesque Stara Planina Mountain, 24km northwest of the town of Elena, at the banks of Veselina River. It is one of the biggest Bulgarian monasteries. According to the inscription on the west façade of the monastery it is established in 1272 at the time of king Konstatin Tih rule (1257 – 1277). At the beginning of the Ottoman rule the monastery was burned down and abandoned. Only in 18 century the cloister was restored. There are monastery diary, wood carved frieze and carved throne preserved from that period. In 1835 a new monastery church was built. It is a long basilica with spacious parvis, entrée and no domes. To the west there is an open-air narthex with wooden columns and parapets. An enormous construction work started in 1865. It prolonged 8 years. The new 2-storey houses were built then. Their outward wall is 8m high and 1,5 m wide. Thus the monastery looks very imposing like a Middle Age fortress. In 1864 the chapel “Presentation of the Blessed Virgin” was built. It impresses with its wall paintings and majesty. During the National Revival epoch the Kapinovski cloister was a centre of struggles for national freedom and enlightenment. Icons and wall paintings: In the church of the monastery there is a marvelous wood-carved iconostasis from 18 century. There are very interesting icons – “St. Ilia in a chariot” and 12 scenes from his life, “St. Dimitar on a horse” and 12 scenes from his life, “Presentation of the Blessed Virgin”, “Virgin Mary with prophets”, “Christ with the apostles”. All of them date back to 18 century and have similar style of painting. On the iconostasis lie the icons of “St. Nikola” and 12 scenes of his life, “St. Joan the Baptist”, “Arahangel Michail” drawn by Papa Vitan in 1820 – an artist from Triavna, “Virgin Mary” drawn by Joan Popovich from Elena in 1820, and “All-powerful Christ”. Very interesting are the carved doors of the iconostasis and a throne from 19 century.
The only wall-painting in the cloister is on the eastern side of the open air narthex. It illustrates scenes of the Day of Judgment. It is one of the biggest wall-paintings in Bulgarian monumental painting.

The Plakovski Monastery "St. Prophet Ilia

is situated near the village of “Plakovo”, 18 km south of Veliko Tarnovo, at the northern foot of the Elena Balkan, part of the Stara planina mountain range. The monastery is located approximately 2 km away from the Kapinovski monastery, and the two of them are known as the “twin-monasteries”. The monastery, which towers up as a medieval castle was founded at the time of the Second Bulgarian kingdom and when Bulgaria fell under Turkish yoke, was destroyed. It was renovated in XV century (1450) and after that was repeatedly burned and robbed. In 1835 in the monastery was organized the Velchov fellowship, one of the leaders of which was Father Sergii – a former abbot of the monastery. After that fellowship was suppressed the monastery was destroyed again. The monastery is a complex of a church, residential and agricultural buildings. The church of the monastery, built in 1845 is a rare phenomenon in the Bulgarian cult architecture. It is Athon type, characteristic for the architecture of the Second Bulgarian kingdom. The church is one-nave, elongated building, with 3 tall apses and 6 massive cylindrical columns with capitals and its western facade presents an open-air narktika. Over the entrance of the church, under the open-air narthex may be seen the only mural paintings covered with inscriptions about the donors of the monastery. The extremely valuable icon “Christ – Great prelate with 12 apostles” made by Zahari Zograf in 1845 is treasured in the church. The residential buildings and the majestic belfry, 25.90 m high from ground level, which were built by Master Kolio Ficheto in 1956 are also a place of interest to visit. The monastery treasures old icons painted by Zahari Zograf and other masters and also old manuscripts and books. Currently the monastery, which is constantly active, is declared a valuable monument of the national culture.

Kilifarevo Monastery

The Kilifarevo Monastery has gone down in the annals of Bulgarian history as the "Second University of Mediaeval Bulgaria", following that of Clement of Ochrid's large School in Ochrid. It was founded between 1348 and 1350 upon the order of Tzar Ivan Alexander, 12 km south of Turnovo, for the purpose of providing shelter for the Hesychast and hermit Theodossius of Turnovo, a man of letters and an enlightener roaming the Bulgarian lands at the time. The monastery soon gathered writers, philologists, translators and calligraphers alongside with clergymen who spread Hesychasm, theologians and philosophers. Liturgical books and Byzantine chronicles were translated, volumes were compiled of the lives of Bulgarian, Serbian and Greek saints, and sermons were written against the different and numerous heresies. The most remarkable work of art here is again in the chapel: the old carved iconostasis, probably the work of Tryavna masters, fashioned with great imagination, seen above all in the figures of mythical monsters and beasts, with great sculptural talent, manifesting at the same time a perfect measure for decorativeness. Kilifarevo Monastery repeatedly restored and reconstructed, has a complete, harmonious appearance, blending with the enviroment, which ranks it among the finest architectural ensembles of the Bulgarian National Revival period.

The Merdanski Monastery

The Merdanski Monastery of “St. 40 Martyrs” is a part of the Veliko Turnovo eparchy. It is situated in the Turnovo elevations in Central Stara planina, 14 km southeast of Veliko Tarnovo, at the west part of the village of Merdania. The monastery was built in 13 century during the time of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom and was renovated in 19 century. Today the cloister has a statue of functioning temple for nuns. The “St. 40 Martyrs” Monastery is a complex that includes a church, residential and farm buildings. The church is a basilica with 2 conchas, narthex and a dome. It was built in 1876 due to the financial help of Hadji Kesrii Horzov from Elena, who later became an abbot of the cloister. According to a legend the monastery was built on the place, where Joankii II (the Patriarh of Veliko Tarnovo eparchy) met officially the Bulgarian king Ivan Assen II, after he had defeated the Bizantyne Emperor at the village of Klokotnitza. The monastery complex is proclaimed a monument of culture.

The archeological reserve of Nikopolis ad Istrum

is situated at a distance of 18 km north of Veliko Turnovo and 54 km of Elena on the main road E85 and 3 km southeast of the village of Nikyup. The City of Victory was founded by Emperor Trayan at the beginning of the second century in honour of his victory over the Dacians. Nikopolis was established on the fertile bank of Rossitza River and on a crossroads of important ways. The favourable location of the town brought it prosperity during the second to the fourth century. The territory of the ancient town covered the nowadays Veliko Turnovo district south of the road Byala – Pleven. It lasted till the end of the 6th and the beginning of the 17th century - in that period the town was devastated by the invasions of the Avars. Deep moats and high stone walls surrounded the town. A forum (square), straight and wide streets, temples of Roman, Greek and Eastern gods, white-stone private and public buildings were found there during archeological excavation works. The town was provided with sewerage and water-supply systems. An enormous water pipeline, 27 km in length, supplied abundant mountain spring water from the cave near the village of Moussina. Veterans, big land owners, merchants and craftsmen from different parts of the Roman Empire, Asia Minor, Syria Minor, Egypt, inhabited the town. Nikopolis ad Istrum was one of the biggest trade centres of Lower Moesia. Over 900 kinds of colonial coins were minted there. Well organized stone roads connected it with the other Roman centres in Moesia and Thrace. The first excavations there started in 1900. Since 1975 the surveys have been conducted by the Archeological Institute Sofia and the Historical Museum Veliko Turnovo with the help of students from Veliko Turnovo University. A Roman marble statue of the God of Love – Eros, a bronze head of Emperor Gordian III (238 – 244), architectural details, statuettes, inscriptions and others were found there.

Kilifarevo Kloster

Das Kilifarevo Kloster "Rozhdestvo Bogoroditschno" befindet sich 4 km südlich von Kilifarevo und 17 km südlich von Veliko Tarnovo, auf dem rechten Ufer des Flusses Belitza.

Das Kloster nimmt einen besonders wichtigen Platz in der Kulturgeschichte Bulgariens ein. Von Teodossi Tarnovski mit der Unterstützung des Zaren Ivan Alexander im Zeitraum 1348-1350 gebaut, wurde es bald zum Zentrum des Issihasmus in Bulgarien und ein Ort des Literaturschaffens und der intensiven Aufklärungstätigkeit. Um 1360 zählte die berühmte Kilifarever Aufklärungsschule 460 Schüler. Eine Ausbildung bekam hier auch der zukünftige Patriarch Evtimi Tarnovski.

Bei der Eroberung Bulgariens durch die Türken wurde das Kloster mehrmals zerstört und 1840 erneuert. Koljo Fitscheto baute die bis heute erhaltene grope Klosterkirche "St. Dimitar", die Teile der Altarwand der alten Kirche und die Kapellen beherbergt.

Die Meister der Trjavnaer Holzschnitzerschule Dosju Kojuv und Jonko P. Vitanov haben die Holzikonostasse (1843) und die Ikonen in der Kirche gefertigt. Die großen Klosterwohngebäude, die 1849 gebaut wurden, lassen das Kloster mit ihren schönen Holzaltaren altertümlich und romantisch aussehen.

Plakovo Kloster

Mitten Wäldern und Gebirgskämmen, im nördlichen Teil des Balkan Gebirge, 18 km südlich von Veliko Tarnovo, erhebt sich das Plakovo Kloster "St. Ilija" wie ein mittelalterlichen Schloss.

Nach den Sagen, baute Zar Ivan Assen hier in der Nähe ein großes Kloster. Die Überreste der alten Klosterkirche kann man noch heute neben dem Wald sehen. Bei der Eroberung Bulgariens von den Türken wurde das alte Kloster zerstört. Später in der Zeit des Jochs wieder aufgebaut, wird es nicht ein Mal zerstört und im 1845 zum dritten Mal wiederaufgebaut. Dann ist auch die heutige Klosterkirche gebaut. Sie ist eine seltsame Erscheinung der bulgarischen Kultarchitektur. Über der Eingangstür hat ein unbekannter Maler die einzige in der Kirche Wandmalerei "Iliajas Himmelfahrt" mit Stifterüberschriften. Einbisschen später baut der Meister Kolju Fitscheto die großen Wohngebäuden mit dem majestätischen Glockenturm, der 15, 90 m hoch ist. In der Kirche bewahrt man alte Ikonen auf, die von Zachari Zograf im 1845 gemalt wurden.

In der Zeit der türkischen Herschafft ist das Plakovo Kloster ein wichtiges geistiges und Aufklärungszentrum. Hier gibt es viele alte Handschriften und Bücher.

Das Kloster ist mit dem Kampf der Bulgaren für Befreiung von dem Joch. Hier wird eine Verschwürung gegen die Unterdrücker im 1835 organisiert, die so genannte Veltschover Verschwörung.

Heute ist das Kloster ein wertvolles Denkmal der Nationalen Kultur.

Kapinovo Kloster

Im Balkangebirge, in der Nähe von Elena, am Fluss Veselina erhebt sich majestätisch das Kapinovo Kloster "St. Nikola". Es ist eines der größten Klöster Bulgariens und ein interessantes Denkmal der bulgarischen Wiedergeburtsarchitektur und -Kunst. Eine Inschrift auf der östlichen Fassade der Kirche zeigt das Jahr der Klostergründung 1272, die Zeit vom Zaren Konstantin Tich. Während der Eroberung des Tarnover Königreiches von den Türken wurde das Kapinovo Kloster mehrmals vernichtet und wieder aufgebaut. 1835 erneuerten Drjanover Baumeister die Klosterkirche, in der die großen Ikonostasenikonen vom begabten Trjavnaer Ikonenmaler Papa Vitan gemalt wurden. Auf der westlichen Wand der Kirche sind Szenen aus dem "Jüngsten Gericht" dargestellt. Das ist eine der größten Wandmalereikompositionen, die in Bulgarien je gemalt wurden. Ihr Autor ist der Gemäldemaler Johan Pavlovitsch, der in Razgrad geboren wurde.

1856 wurden die alten Klostergebäude weggerissen und auf ihrem Platz die heutigen großen, massiven, zweistöckigen Wohngebäude, mit Geldmittel der beiden Brüder Horosovi aus Elena, aufgebaut. Ihre äußeren Wände, 8 m hoch und 1,5 m dick, sind aus Stein und das lässt das Kloster imposant und majestätisch aussehen. Von Norden aus beobachtet sieht das Kloster wie eine Festung aus.

Bei seiner Erneuerung im Jahr 1856 wurden hoch über der Eingangspforte die beiden Brüder Kiril und Metodi, die die slawische Schrift geschaffen haben, abgebildet. Ein unbekannter Maler bemalte die inneren Wände der Kapelle, die 1864 gebaut wurde, vollständig. Hier hat der Maler Szenen aus dem Evangelium sowie in ganzer Größe die Gestalten bekannter Geistlichen und Literaturschaffenden abgebildet. Unter ihnen sind die Bilder von Ivan Rilski, Teodossi Tarnovski, Patriarch Evtimi, Ilarion Maglenski. Von einer großen Bedeutung sind auch die Bilder von den beiden Stiftern, den Brüdern Horosovi.

Noch am Anfang der bulgarischen Wiedergeburt verwandelte sich das Kapinovo Kloster in einen Ort der Bildung und Aufklärung. 1794 wird Pope Stojko Vladislavov Abt des Klosters. Er ist der zukünftige Bischof Sofroni Vratschanski, der eine Abschrift der "Slawisch- bulgarischen Geschichte" mitbrachte. Darin wurde zum ersten Mal die bulgarische Geschichte beschrieben. 1830 wurde im Kloster eine Schule für Sprachgelehrte und Geistliche gegründet, die schnell an Prestige gewann.