The Rila Monastery is situated in Rila Mountain at a height of 1147 meters. It is the biggest tourist attraction among the monasteries in Bulgaria because of the beautiful nature around it, its architecture, murals and history. The monastery was founded by the hermit-monk Ivan Rilski in X c. at the time of the reign of King Peter (927-968). Saint Ivan Rilski lived in a cave at a distance of half an hour on foot from the present-day complex. His mummified relics are displayed for worship in the main church. The monastery was respected by all the Bulgarian kings. Their official support helped the monastery to become a cultural and spiritual centre. The monastery reacheed its zenith in XII-XIV c. After the fall of Bulgaria under the Ottoman yoke the monastery was plundered and destroyed several times. The monastery got its present-day outlook in XIX c. The monastery has the shape of an irregular square. In the middle of the internal yard stands the oldest building in the complex - the stone tower, built in 1334-1335. Immediately next to it there is a small church from 1343. The rest of the monastery was built in 1834-1837. The murals and the wood carvings of the iconostasis are incredible. Another masterpiece is Raphael's Cross. It was named after its creator and was made of a piece of wood with a size of 81 x 43 cm. On the cross are carved 104 religious scenes and 650 small figures. The monk worked over the cross for 12 years and stopped work in 1802 when he lost his sight. The monk used fine chisels, small carving knives and magnifying lenses.
The whole complex of the Rila monastery is impressive. The four-floor housing building consists of 300 monk's cells, 4 chapels, a kitchen, a library, the abbot's room and a room for donors.
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