Dragalevtsi Monastery

Overview

Dragalevtsi Monastery was established during the reign of Ivan Alexander (1331-1371), which was the period of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. It is believed that the monastery was a part of the group of monasteries that arose in the 14th and 15th centuries around Sofia. They were named Sofia Sveta Gora (Sofia Saint Forest) and include 14 monasteries located along Vitosha Mountain and its neighbouring mountains. The complex appeared spontaneously and has been formed over the centuries.

The Bulgarian rulers made generous donations to Dragalevtsi Monastery, such as money and real estates. That is why local people call it “royal”. After Sofia was conquered by the Ottoman Turks in 1382, the monastery was set on fire and abandoned by the monks.

In the second half of the 15th century, Dragalevtsi Monastery was renovated. It became one of the active centres of the liberation struggles during Ottoman rule and took part in the secret revolutionary activity against the Ottomans in the mid-19th century. The abbot of the monastery, Genadii, was a close friend and collaborator of the national hero Vassil Levski, and helped him actively in the organisation of revolutionary committees in the area of Sofia.

Besides its precious frescoes from three different time periods, the monastery is also famous for hosting a school during the Ottoman rule, and producing the Dragalevtsi Testament.