Bulgaria Inside

One of the most beautiful monasteries in the west part of Stara Planina Mountain is Vrachesh Monastery St. Forty Martyrs. It is situated on the bank of Cheshkovitsa River, five km away from the village of Vrachesh and 10 km away from Botevgrad.

Vrachesh Monastery was constructed during the Second Bulgarian Kingdom to honor the victory of tsar Ivan Asen II near Klokotnitsa. The monastery was turned into a convent in 1937 and has been functioning as such ever since.

Monks from the Vrachesh Monastery worked actively on the preservation of Bulgaria’s cultural heritage. Once the monastery was founded, monks started copying religious books, some of which are preserved today in St. St. Cyril and Methodius library in Sofia.

The monastery was destroyed and renovated several times. In the 14th century it was partially burned during an Ottoman assault. A second assault during the 18th century destroyed the monastery completely.

A legend has been told about its reconstruction. In his dream, a young shepherd saw Virgin Mary who told him about the monastery and a healing spring nearby. The shepherd told other people in the village about his dream and they started reconstructing the old church. A bell tower appeared right next to it.

Apart from the church, the monastery complex has residential and other premises, as well as an incredibly beautiful garden. Nuns take care of everything inside the complex.

Vrachesh Monastery offers no accommodation but is situated near Botevgrad. An asphalt road leads to the town.

If you want to see the healing spring that the shepherd dreamt of, you need to follow a mountain path starting at the monastery. You can also explore Cheshkovgrad fortress, which is located one km away from the monastery. The fortress is surrounded by cliffs and can be reached only via a narrow mountain path.