Varna Monastery "St. St. Constantine and Elena"
Location
The St. St. Constantine and Elena” monastery lies in the very centre of the St. St. Constantine and Elena sea resort near Varna (8km. to the north of the town). In fact, the oldest sea resort in Bulgaria was built around the monastery in 1908.
History
The monastery is far older than the surrounding resort with its 5 centuries of existence. The first cloister was built in the 16th century around a holy spring but was destroyed during the 1828-1829 Russian-Turkish War. At that time, monastery possessed a miracle-working icon of St. St. Constantine and Elena that is no longer to be seen. Yet, the holy spring is still flowing out just beneath the altar of the church and is believed to cure eye diseases, among others. The monastery was rebuilt in 1972 and the church was painted then, too. At present, the only remaining building of the monastery is the church, built of stone and half-hidden beneath the surface. The church’s wooden dome is particularly impressive for its almost rounded shape and its rich internal decoration with carved wood. The church still performs the usual services, while orthodox music can be heard inside it. The entire complex consists of a church, a bell-tower, a small yard and a surrounding wall of stone and wood.
Accommodation
Neither food, nor accommodation is offered.
Transport
The monastery is easy to find, as there are a number of signs that start to appear even before one enters the resort.
Photo Gallery
Ratings
History: 10.00
Architecture: 10.00
Location: 10.00
Overall Rating: 9.99
Our Presentation: 9.00
Total Votes: 1
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