Rila Monastery Museum

The Monastery of Saint John of Rila is the largest and most famous Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. It lies in the valley of the Rilska river, 117 km south of Sofia, at 1,147 metres, inside the Rila Monastery Nature Park. It was founded in the 10th century and rebuilt in its present form in the 19th century.

The museum holds church treasures, manuscripts and Rafail's Cross, a wooden cross carved with more than 650 tiny figures. The monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

What to see

• Rila Monastery museum