Ivanovo Rock Monasteries

Not far from the village of Ivanovo, Rusensko / Bulgaria / Rousse Lom River runs through a deep, picturesque gorge. Tens of monastic cells, churches and chapels have been carved in its upright rocks. Monks who have left the secular vanity to dwell in solitude and prayers to God have lived there. In six of the wonderful rock churches, remarkable frescoes have been preserved, for which the Ivanovo scabil complex is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The main church in the complex is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It was cut at a height of 38 m. Its donor was Tsar Ivan Alexander. The murals in the church "St. Virgin Mary "are world-famous.
Ivanovo rock monastery was visited by the Bulgarian kings. It is known that Ivan Assen II came here on a pilgrimage and donated gold for the foundation of a monastery named Archangel Michael. Today, the only rock monastery in Bulgaria is St. Demetrius Basarabovski.