Sokolski Monastery
The Dormition Monastery of Sokolova Peshtera ( Bulgarian Соколски манастир "Успение Богородично" , German also Falk Monastery , also Monastery Gabrovo (Габровски манастир) or Monastery Gabrovo-Sokolski (Габровско-Соколски манастир)) is a Bulgarian Orthodox monastery in northern Bulgaria . The monastery was founded in 1833 by Joseph von Sokolowa and is still used by monks and nuns today. It is subordinate to the diocese of Veliko Tarnovo .
location
The Sokolski Monastery is located in the Sokolowa peschtera (Bulgarian Соколова пещера, to German Falcon Cave ) in the valley of the Jantra River, on the northern slopes of the Balkan Mountains . The monastery is located approx. 4 km south of the Etar ethnographic open-air museum and 12 km south-east of Gabrovo . The geographical center of Bulgaria is located in the immediate vicinity in the Usana area .
The name of the monastery and the nickname of the Hegumens ( monastery chief ) are also derived from the name of the area . The first hegumen was Josif Sokolski.
history
The current church was built in 1834 and decorated with wall paintings in 1862. The monastery was consecrated by the Greek Metropolitan Ilarion Kritski von Tarnowo on August 15, 1834. The iconostasis was also made in 1862 by masters of the Trjawna school. It is believed that the icon of the Mother of God with the baby Jesus works miraculously. The stone fountain built in the courtyard by the builder Kolju Fitscheto is a valuable architectural monument.
The Sokolski Monastery was closely linked to the liberation struggle of the Bulgarian people. In 1865 the flag was consecrated here by Captain Djado Nikola and in 1876 the monastery was the meeting point for the Gabrov participants in the April uprising, led by Zanko Djustabanow . In the northern part of the monastery there is another chapel with iconostasis and icons of Jesus Christ and the Mother of God with the baby Jesus, by the well-known painter Sachari Sograf .
Web links
- History of the monastery (bulg.) On www.pravoslavieto.com
- The monastery on www.visitbg.de
Coordinates: 42 ° 47 '56 " N , 25 ° 20' 9.2" E