Aladzha rock monastery

Aladzha rock monastery still hides golden treasures and untold riches. Or so says the legend. According to it the cloister in the rocks near the Bulgarian sea resort Golden Sands is founded on the ruins of a city founded by King Philip of Macedonia. And treasure from this period is still waiting to be discovered.

According to another legend, the last monks hid close to the church books and all their precious possessions before leaving the monastery. Some people say that today they still see the ghosts of the monks who inhabit the narrow cells to roam around in the woods. The rock monastery is actually founded in 13-14 century and is left at the end of the 16 century during the rule of the Ottoman empire.

From November to April the rock complex can be visited every day except Sunday and Monday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. While in the warmer part of the year the place is open every day from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Earlier is closing only the museum in which are exhibited the artifacts from the monastery. In the summer evenings, you can enjoy a spectacular movie that tells the story of the monastery and makes the rocks come alive in front of viewers from all over the world.

To have a look at the cells and the dining room of the rock monastery you have to climb the outside wooden stairs. On several rock levels, you can see what is left of the monastery temple, chapel, kitchen, dining room and explore the preserved frescoes. Or you can sit in the narrow monastic cells and try to imagine the difficult life of the inhabitants of Aladzha monastery centuries ago. Nearby are the catacombs, where according to the legend treasures are waiting for their discoverer.