「新・文明の旅」プログラム　視察リポート

The Rila Monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is an important holy place for people who are Bulgarian Orthodox. However, throughout history, the monastery helped preserve Bulgarian culture and educate people. Today about 10 monks live there.

When we left the hotel at about 9:00 am, it was 0 degrees and a cold wind was blowing. A light snow was falling. It takes about 2 hours to Rila Monastery from Sofia so we were happy that the bus was warm and cozy.

On the way to the monastery, we stopped in a small town where there is an unusual sight. It is a popular place with cranes. They build their nests on the top of the chimeneas of the houses. Our wonderful guide Ele said that in June you can baby cranes peeping their heads out over the top of the nests.

The road to Rila Monastery is narrow and winds in between steep mountains. The forest floor was covered with white snow. At times, we could see huge rocks sticking out of the face of the mountains.

The monastery is very isolated. It is in the middle of the mountains, surrounded by tall thin pine trees. From the outside, you only see very thick stone walls. When you cross through the entrance, a beautiful scene opens in front of you. In the middle of a large courtyard there is a church and a tall brick tower. The front of the church is covered with brightly colored paintings. The paintings illustrate stories from the Bible.

The courtyard is surrounded by the monks’ rooms. These buildings make a square shape. They have 4 floors and are painted white. The whiteness of the buildings frames the colorful church in the center. It is a calming and peaceful sight.

by　Gilner