Rila Monastery, Bulgaria

One of the few official cards I received last year...the PC stats said that my mailbox last year was happy for only 27 days and that's not a result to be bragging about....but we all know by now that postcard-wise, 2015 cannot be considered one of the most successful years and it is pointless to be sticking to it...so lets hope for a brighter and more prosperous 2016 :)

BG-53544

The card shows the Rila Monastery founded in the 10th century and is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. (and even though it is not that far away I haven't visited it...yet).

It is traditionally thought that the monastery was founded by the hermit St. Ivan of Rila, whose name it bears, during the rule of Tsar Peter I (927-968). The hermit actually lived in a cave without any material possessions not far from the monastery's location, while the complex was built by his students, who came to the mountains to receive their education. Ever since its creation, the Rila Monastery has been supported and respected by the Bulgarian rulers. Large donations were made by almost every tsar of the Second Bulgarian Empire up until the Ottoman Conquest, making the monastery a cultural and spiritual centre of Bulgarian national consciousness that reached its apogee from the 12th to the 14th century. The Rila Monastery was reerected at its present place by Hrelyu, a feudal lord under Serbian suzerainty, during the first half of the 14th century. The oldest buildings in the complex date from this period -— the Tower of Hrelja (1334–1335) and a small church just next to it (1343). The bishop's throne and the rich-engraved gates of the monastery also belong to the time. However, the arrival of the Ottomans in the end of the 14th century was followed by numerous raids and a destruction of the monastery in the middle of the 15th century.

Unfortunately, many places that are considered a cultural heritage have been the subject of destruction...that is really sad and such a pity....

The colours of the card are really beautiful btw...esp. against that lovely blue sky and the green woods lurking in the background

the stamp was issued in 2012, showing the Bulgaria's Tourist Logo.....