Welcome to Kilifarevski Monastery!

The monastery complex “Birth of Virgin Mary” is situated on the right bank of the Belitsa River to the south of the city of Veliko Tarnovo, near the town of Kilifarevo.

The monastery was founded in 1348 by the famous Bulgarian Hesychast Teodosiy Tarnovski with the support of Tsar Ivan Alexander. Soon, due to the special care by the Tsar, the holy cloister became an important literary center of the Turnovo kingdom. In the monastery were produced books, translations of the life stories of Bulgarian, Greek and Serbian saints, liturgical books, Byzantine chronicles and compendiums. This is how the famous in the Bulgarian literature Kilifarevska School originated.

When the Turks conquered Turnovo, in 1393 the monastery was demolished and burned down and for a long time remained uninhabited. Only in 1718 at the foot of the old monastery, was erected the present Kilifarevski monastery.

Today, the holy cloister is transformed into a nunnery. The abbess of the monastery welcomes pilgrims and tourists and among countless blooming flowers tells about the spirit and glorious history of the Kilifarevski Monastery.

Come and discover Kilifarevski Monastery!

IMPACT TOUR – Simply Adventure!