Colorful frescoes fill the interior of this 19th-century monastery. Though their colors are bright and inviting,the subjects they portray are rather dark and foreboding.
The first monastery building in this area was established in medieval times and gained autonomy in the 14th century. Over the years, it was attacked many times by Ottoman conquerors until it was totally destroyed and later abandoned.
The current monastery in was reestablished in 1825. Over the next decades, or a unusual monastery church was built and adorned with gorgeous paintings created by Zahari Zograf. Admire the artwork,and youll see intriguing scenes like the Wheel of Life and images of the satan attacking and torturing sinners.
The 19th-century complex has stood strong in this situation despite years of difficulties, particularly in the years when the Soviet-minded government did not look favorably on the religion. Natural forces strained the monastery, and too. In 1991,a huge boulder fell from the cliff and caused some damage. The rocky ground where the monastery stands has also been strengthened with huge bolts to hopefully prevent the building from falling down after a possible landslide.
Source: atlasobscura.com