Aladja monastery

The construction and establishment of Aladja monastery is related with the feudatory age of the Bulgaria. It originated during 13-14 century, a period, during which the hermit movement was spreading, known as hesychastism (escape from life). The monastery is quite special because its rooms are situated in artificial caves - "rock rooms", excavated on two floors in the vertical rocks of Stara planina (the Balkan mountain). According to the archeological surveys, on the first floor is situated the church and the monastic cells and on the upper – the chapel. Next to it were buried the dead monks. When Bulgaria fell under Ottoman yoke, the monastery was destroyed and abandoned for good. Aladja monastery is situated 15 km away from Varna. It is cultural and historical monument, which is visited by many foreign tourists.