Bachkovo Monastery and Asen's Fortress - the rich historical heritage of Bulgaria

We head towards the Rhodope Mountains passing through the pretty town of Asenovgrad. Nearby we see the remarkable remains of King Ivan Asen's Fortress - a wise ruler of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. There we are to find an old church dating from the 13-th century. Next, we go deeper in the Rhodope Mountains towards the picturesque Bachkovo Monastery. The cloister is the second largest in Bulgaria, founded in 1083 and one of the most sacred places in Bulgarian history. Inside the monastery, we visit the main church of the Virgin Mary built in 1604 where a valuable icon of the Virgin Mary from 1310 is kept. According to the legend, this remarkable icon is miracle-working. Attached to the Virgin Mary church we see the Archangels' Church dating to the 12th century. The monastery refectory is another jewel in the complex which has preserved colorful murals from 1643. Finally, we see the Saint Nikola church from the outside (built between 1834 - 1837) and we admire the authentic murals at its entrance.