Aladzha Monastery

One of the most famous medieval cave monasteries in Bulgaria is the Aladja Monastery. It is located 10km away from Varna and 2km away from the seaside resort town of Golden Sands. Aladzha Monastery was established sometime between the twelfth and thirteenth century. Translated from Turkish, Aladzha means colorful. The monastery was carved into a limestone rock and was constructed on two levels. On the first level were the monastery church, the monks’ cells, the kitchen, the dining room, and the ossuary. On the second level, there was a chapel. Aladzha Monastery’s decline occurred after the fall of Bulgaria under an Ottoman rule and was abandoned sometime between the 16th and 17th century. Near the monastery there are caves called “the Catacombs”. Thanks to the troves found in them, it is clear that the place was inhabited during the IV-VI century. The exploration of the Aladja Monastery began at the end of the 19th century and was set by the Karel brothers and Hermann Škorpil. Also, a museum building was constructed in the 1970s, showing the history of the Aladja Monastery, which also takes part in the 100 national tourist sites list.