St.Petka Monastery in Bistritsa

Overview

The Bistrita Monastery "St. Petka" is a nunnery from the tenth century with a church dedicated to St. Elijah. The monastery is located in the area Kalugerovi livadi on Vitosha mountain, on the northwestern outskirts of the village of Bistritsa, about 15 km from Sofia. A few years after the death of the last nun in 1998, it was transformed into a Men's monastery.

The Monastery was founded in the 10th century, but, like most monasteries in Bulgaria, it was destroyed during the Ottoman invasion in the 14th century. After the Liberation a small church was built, which lasted until 1951. In 1956 the present church was built.

The monastery consists of a small church, residential and farm buildings. The church of St. Elijah is one-nave, one-apse, domeless, and with a narthex and a bell tower above it.