Monastery Tour - Monasteries in Europe

Rila Monastery was founded in the 10th century by St John of Rila, a hermit canonized by the Orthodox Church. His ascetic dwelling and tomb became a holy site and were transformed into a monastic complex, which subsequently played an important role in the spiritual and social life of medieval Bulgaria.

Dragomirna Monastery is situated in the northeastern part of Romania, in Bukovina region, in the proximity of Sucheava town. The church in Dragomirna was erected in 1602. With its 42 meters on vertical and only 9,6 meters width, the church is the highest in Moldavia Region, and extremely narrow, that gives an uncommon elegance.

St. Nikola Shishovski Monastery is located in the northern part of Macedonia, about 20 km from Skopje, on top of the cliff above Lake Matka. There is no written evidence for the original building of the monastery but it was first mentioned in the 17th century.

The Benedictine abbey of Tihany is located in the Western part of Hungary on the peninsula in Lake Balaton. The Benedictine abbey of Tihany was founded in 1055 by András I. in honour of the Virgin Mary and the bishop Saint Ányos. The royal founder of the abbey found his final place of rest in the crypt of the abbey in 1060, his burial-stone has been preserved intact. The foundation charter of the abbey, safeguarded in the archive of the arch-abbacy of Pannonhalma.

Capriana Monastery is located in Moldova Republic, about 40km west of Chisinau. Capriana Monastery is one of the oldest monasteries in Moldova; it was originally built in first half of the 15th century. Capriana Monastery was founded by the ruler of Stefan the Great; and it was center of Moldova’s bishops for a long period.

Durdevi Stupovi Monastery is located in the eastern part of Montenegro, near the town of Berane. The monastery was constructed in the second half of the 12th century. It is the center of the Serb Orthodox Eparchy of Budimlje-Nikšić in Montenegro.