Kapinovo monastery

The Kapinovo monastery is one of Bulgaria’s biggest monasteries. It is situated in the Stara Planina mountain, some 24 km northwest from the town of Elena, by the river of Veselina. It is famous for an inscription on the cornice above the altar in the church, according to which the monastery was founded in 1272, during the ruling of king Constantine the Quiet (1257 – 1277). Following repeated destructions and restorations, the temple was rebuilt in 1835 by two self-taught masters from the town of Dryanovo. During the Bulgarian National Revival period, the Kapinovo monastery was one of the biggest enlightenment and revolutionary centers in Bulgaria.