The Lopushanovo Monastery was restored during 1850-1853 with the support of archimandrite Dionisii. The new monastery is located in a spacious yard, surrounded by a stone wall. The design of the church is an almost exact replica of the main church of the Rila Monastery. The interior of the church "Saint Joan the Baptist" has no murals. The stone decoration of the external walls and the giant yard gate consists of several stone sculptures which have a characteristic naivety of the images and awkwardness of the performance. Interesting is the main iconostasis of the church which was made by the master from the Samokov art school Stoycho Fandakov. The iconostasis has representations of different animals, mild forms of plant elements, harmoniously intertwined in Baroque shells. In the gates one can feel the spirit of monumentality and solemn festivity. There are eight icons in the main iconostasis made by Nikola Dospevski. His elder brother and famous artist painted two of the icons on the iconostases of the side chapels. The Lopushanovo monastery was a centre of educational and revolutionary activity during the period of the National Enlightenment. The beautiful location, the calmness and peacefulness attracted the great Bulgarian poet and writer Ivan Vazov who wrote the novel "Under the Yoke" here.
Performance of Bulgarian Orthodox Choir
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Icon of Saint John the Baptist
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