Monastery of Kilifarevo

The "Rojdestvo Bogorodichno" (Virgin Mary's Birth) Monastery of Kilifarevo is situated 4 km south of Kilifarevo,
and 17 km south of Veliko Tarnovo, in the right side of the Belitsa River.

The monastery is of great significance in the history of Bulgarian culture. It was built during 1348 - 1350
by Theodosii Tarnovski with the help of Tsar (King) Ivan Alexander. In 1360, the scholars in the famous school
of Kilifarevo numbered 460 people. The future Bulgarian Pope Evtimii Tarnovski received its training in it.

During the ottoman invasion, the monastery was destroyed several times. In 1840, the monastery was reconstructed
and the most famous Bulgarian Master Kolu Ficheto built the current monastery church of St. Dimitar but kept
parts of the altar wall of the old church such as the chapels.

Both the icons and the wood- carved iconostasis, dating from 1843 were painted by the artists from Tryavna- Dosju
Kojuv and Yonko Vitanov. The main residential buildings in the monastery were built in 1849 and gave the monastery
an ancient outlook.

Source: visit.bg