Kapinovo Monastery "St Nicholas"

Kapinovo Monastery, dedicated to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, hides in a wooded fold of the Stara Planina slopes, not far from Veliko Tarnovo. It is one of the oldest monastic sites in the region: an inscription on the church apse speaks of a place of worship raised here as early as 1272, and tradition links its founding to Tsar Ivan Asen II. Like so many Bulgarian monasteries, it was burned and laid waste after the Ottoman conquest of Tarnovo, and was brought back to life only towards the end of the 17th century.

What to see The present church dates from 1835, and in 1864 two patriotic brothers from Elena donated substantial sums for new monastic quarters. Beyond its sober Bulgarian Revival architecture, Kapinovo's value lies in its historical role: from 1830 it housed a literary school, and the monastery supported the Hadzhi Stavri uprising (1860) and the preparations for the April Uprising. It was thus not only a place of prayer but a hearth of culture and national struggle.

Practical Kapinovo is reached by car, along local roads running from the Veliko Tarnovo area towards the villages at the foot of the mountain. It is an active monastery — dress modestly, cover shoulders and knees, and respect the services and the monks' quiet. It is loveliest in late spring and autumn, when the surrounding forests turn colour. Nearby lie Plakovo Monastery and the Kapinovo waterfall, so a full day here naturally combines faith, history and nature. The 4.6 rating confirms the charm of this secluded place.