Aladzha Monastery

The Aladzha Monastery lies 14 km of Varna in a beautiful place, into
the rocks. In Turkish its name means ”varicolored” because of the gay
mural paintings. This unique monument is hewed out in 40m high vertical
rocks. The monastery was founded in the XIII century.

It is the most celebrated monastery on the Bulgarian seaside.
Its foundation is connected with the diffusion of the Christianity,
when hermits and monk fraternities founded such kind of rocky
monasteries. It is divided into two opposite parts, featuring places
for monastery temple, monk rooms, a kitchen, a tomb, a chapel and a
dining room. The years of the Ottoman domination were a period of
decline. Its location in a beautiful forest makes it a very attractive
place. There are a lot of legends for unknown tunnels and labyrinths
into the rocks where great treasures were hidden.

In 1912 the Shkorpil brothers made extensive researches. The
monastery was declared a national record, and in 1957 it became a
monument of culture.

Today Aladja is a tourist center. There are stairs, leading to
it. Near to the the remains of the monastery there is a hall with a
collection of archeological finds and greatest samples of the Medieval
Bulgarian Art.

Source: visit.bg