Lopushanski monastery "St. Yoan Predtecha"

A monastery of north-western Bulgaria

Lopushanski Monastery, dedicated to St John the Forerunner (Sveti Yoan Predtecha, that is St John the Baptist), lies in north-western Bulgaria in the Montana region, at the foot of the Western Balkan range, in a green and secluded valley. In its present form it is a 19th-century foundation, built during the Bulgarian National Revival, and was a place loved by the cultural figures of the age; tradition links the monastery with stays by the writer Ivan Vazov.

What to see

The monastery church, in the characteristic Bulgarian Revival style, preserves a finely carved iconostasis and 19th-century icons, the work of painters from the schools of the period. The quiet courtyard, the fountain and the buildings with their wooden galleries give the place a particular charm, heightened by the natural setting of the valley. It is a monastery little known to foreign tourists, which makes it all the more suited to an unhurried visit.

Practical

It is reached by car from Montana along local roads through the surrounding villages; the monastery sometimes offers lodging for pilgrims. As an active foundation, modest dress and quiet during services are expected. It is most pleasant from spring through autumn; nearby, the villages and nature of the Western Balkans are worth exploring.