Monastery Tour - Monasteries in Europe

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.

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.

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.

Founded in the 11th century, it is one of the oldest monasteries in the Balkan Peninsula. It was connected with three cultures: Byzantine, old Georgean and Bulgarian. It has preserved unique and highly valuable monuments of architecture and painting, typical of Eastern Orthodox culture.