A path about 500m long leads to this rock church. The monks lived in the surrounding natural caves and converted this place into a chapel. There are impressive paintings on the walls and on the way to the church there are always interesting views of the valley and other rock grottos.
The way back goes down a steep staircase to the car park and a small souvenir stand.
We are in the Church of St. Mary. It was part of the rock monastery of St. Michael the Archangel, which operated during the Second Bulgarian Empire from 1220 to around 1450. The church was carved into the rock and was painted around 1360. The entrance was where the balcony is today. The opening through which we now enter was drilled in 1936 by French scientists who were researching the wall paintings. To the left of the original entrance are depicted Tsar/King Ivan-Aleksander and his second wife, Tsaritsa/Queen Theodora, who donated funds for the carving and painting of the church. They are holding the rock in which the church is located and presenting it to St. Mary.
This has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. In the 1980s, the rock was impregnated to prevent moisture from seeping in and damaging the frescoes. The wall paintings themselves are coated with a special varnish that protects them from negative effects.
Chapel:
This is the chapel of Saint Gerasim Yordanski. According to legend, he healed a lion's paw. In gratitude, the lion allowed Saint Gerasim to ride it. On the west side of the chapel, the saint is depicted riding the lion among a group of worshipers on the way to Jerusalem.
Translated by Google •
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