The Preobrazhenski Monastery

The Preobrazhenski Monastery is situated on the left rocky shore of the river Yantra, some 7 km north from Veliko Tarnovo. It was built in the 14th century, during the reign of king Ivan-Alexander, originally 500 m south from its current location. After Bulgaria fell under the Ottoman yoke, it was burnt and destroyed. It was restored in 1825. The oldest buildings in it are the underground chapel St. Andrey Purvozvani and the main monastery church St. Preobrazhenie Gospodne. Its construction started in 1834 by Dimitar Sofianliata, and was finished in 1861 by N. Fichev, who also built the small church “Blagoveshtenie”. The main church was painted by the icon-painter Zharii Zograf. The most remarkable piece of mural is " The Wheel of Life ". The woodcarved iconostasis and its related icons have similarly impressive characteristics. The Preobrazhenski Monastery had played an important role in the struggles of the Bulgarian people for national independence. The Apostle of Freedom Vassil Levski had often found refuge among its walls. The monastery is active even today.