Bulgaria's great monastery in the Rila mountains
Rila Monastery was founded in the 10th century by the hermit St John of Rila, and became a guardian of Bulgarian culture during Ottoman rule. Its present buildings date mostly from the 19th century: striped arcades surround a courtyard with the Church of the Nativity, covered inside and out in vivid frescoes. The medieval Hrelyo's Tower is the oldest surviving part. The surrounding Rila mountains offer hiking, including to the Seven Rila Lakes.