Arapovo Monastery, the fortress-like monastery near Asenovgrad

Church & monasteryCentral Bulgaria & the Balkan Range

Arapovo Monastery, the Fortress-Like Monastery of St Nedelya in the Rhodopes

Arapovo Monastery of St Nedelya is a Bulgarian Orthodox monastery about 6 km east of Asenovgrad, founded in the mid-nineteenth century beside a holy spring. High stone walls give it the look of a medieval fortress, while inside wait arcades, a three-storey tower and a church painted by Georgi Danchov, a friend of Vasil Levski. It is a rewarding quiet stop in the Plovdiv countryside.

A stone tower beside the church is linked in local memory to the hajduk leader Angel Voyvoda, and a fresco of Samson slaying a lion on its wall was used for patriotic ends.

WhereAbout 6 km east of Asenovgrad, near the village of Zlatovrah (formerly Arapovo), Plovdiv Province

TypeBulgarian Orthodox monastery of the Plovdiv eparchy, a national cultural monument

Best forLovers of Bulgarian Revival art and architecture, pilgrims and travellers seeking a quiet corner of the Rhodopes foothills

Getting thereBy road from Asenovgrad (about 6 km), to the right of the road towards Parvomay

The history of Arapovo Monastery

The monastery grew up around a holy spring, an ayazma, near the village then called Arapovo, today Zlatovrah. A legend recorded in the German Wikipedia tells that a Greek woman, guided by a dream, uncovered the spring and healed her sick child with its water. Later, the Turkish landowner Arap Aga is said to have brought his daughter, who was losing her sight, to the spring; she washed her eyes, recovered, and in gratitude her father had the spring enclosed and funded a monastery.

The documented history is more modest and begins in the mid-nineteenth century. Construction started around 1856 on the initiative of the hieromonk Sophronius, and the site was chosen because of the holy spring. Money was not spared: the renowned master builder Stoyu from the village of Yugovo was invited to lead the work, and the model used was the Gorni Voden Monastery. The main church, dedicated to St Nedelya, was completed in 1859. The monastery was one of the last newly founded Bulgarian monasteries before the Liberation, and a monastic school was set up for the children of the area.

The church is a large cross-domed building with three naves and three apses. Its frescoes were painted by Georgi Danchov, known as Zografina (1846–1908), a personal friend and associate of Vasil Levski, together with Aleksi Atanasov. The cycle includes scenes of St John the Baptist and St Paraskeva, rows of saints and patriarchs, and a scene of Tsar Boris being baptised by Methodius. According to the German Wikipedia, the paintings also illustrate the lives of Saints Cyril and Methodius, reportedly for the first time in Bulgarian mural painting. The chapel at the holy spring has frescoes finished in 1870.

The monastery also had a patriotic side. The stone tower in the southern part of the courtyard is linked by popular memory to Angel Voyvoda, one of the best-known hajduk leaders of the region and, according to tradition, the main donor of the monastery. The German Wikipedia adds that the monks supported Bulgarian independence and that a secret revolutionary committee was founded here under the abbot. The tower was built to give the monks shelter during raids.

In 1928 a strong earthquake damaged the main church and its frescoes. In 1930 the painter Nikolay Evrov restored the dome of the church. Today the monastery is a national cultural monument, and its patron feast is celebrated on 7 July, the day of St Nedelya. Since 2022 a three-day festival named after Angel Voyvoda has been held in the meadow in front of the monastery in summer.

Curious facts about Arapovo Monastery

Legend says the spring that gave birth to the monastery cured the failing eyesight of a Turkish landowner's daughter.
The three-storey tower has two stone floors with narrow loophole-like windows and a top floor of timber with projecting bay windows and four rooms for living.
On the north wall of the tower is a mural of Samson slaying the Nubian lion, which was used for patriotic purposes.
The frescoes were painted by Georgi Danchov, a personal friend of the national hero Vasil Levski.
The church is dedicated to St Nedelya (Kyriaki), a martyr said to have been put to the sword in Nicomedia in 289; her relics were later carried to Tarnovo under the Asen dynasty.
The courtyard walls are so high and solid that the monastery looks like a medieval fortress from outside, yet inside the arcades, bay windows and staircases soften the effect.

Tours near Arapovo Monastery

Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:

Food Walk: Bulgarian Food and Culture Tour in Plovdiv

★ 5 (35 reviews) · 3 h

See details ›

Plovdiv, Asen's Fortress and Bachkovo Monastery small group tour with pickup

★ 5 (27 reviews) · 9 h

See details ›

E-Motorcycle Tour in Rhodope Mountains to a Beautiful Canyon View

★ 5 (26 reviews) · 3 h

See details ›

Plovdiv Full-Day Small-Group Tour from Sofia with Pickup

★ 5 (10 reviews) · 7 h

See details ›

Visiting Arapovo Monastery: what to expect

The monastery lies about 6 km east of Asenovgrad, just off the road towards Parvomay, and is easiest to reach by car or taxi.
Look for the large church with its frescoes, the three-storey tower in the southern courtyard, and the small chapel at the holy spring near the north gate.
A wonder-working icon of the Virgin is kept in the church and still draws pilgrims; as in any active monastery, dress modestly and keep your voice low.
Check the current opening hours and visiting conditions before you go; the tower was restored and is reported to house a museum.
Asen's Fortress is about 10 km away and Bachkovo Monastery about 14 km, so the three sites combine well into one day.

Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.

Map: where Arapovo Monastery is

Photos of Arapovo Monastery

Questions

What is Arapovo Monastery?

It is a Bulgarian Orthodox monastery dedicated to St Nedelya, founded in the mid-nineteenth century near Asenovgrad. It belongs to the Plovdiv eparchy.

Where is Arapovo Monastery and how far is it from Asenovgrad?

It lies about 6 km east of Asenovgrad in the Plovdiv region, to the right of the road towards Parvomay, near the village of Zlatovrah.

Who painted the frescoes of Arapovo Monastery?

The church was painted by Georgi Danchov, known as Zografina and a friend of Vasil Levski, with Aleksi Atanasov. Nikolay Evrov restored the dome frescoes in 1930.

Why is the monastery called Arapovo?

It was named after the nearby village of Arapovo, today Zlatovrah. A local legend tells of the Turkish landowner Arap Aga, who is said to have funded the monastery after his daughter was healed.

When is the patron feast of Arapovo Monastery?

The feast day is 7 July, the day of St Nedelya.

What else can be visited near Arapovo Monastery?

Asen's Fortress is about 10 km away, Bachkovo Monastery about 14 km and Belintash about 18 km.