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Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Reinhard P. Braun~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons
The Monastery of the Nativity of the Mother of God by the village of Rozhen is the largest monastery in the Pirin mountains (though that's not very large). Established in the Middle Ages, it was last restored in the 18th century after a fire. In 1973, it was declared cultural heritage of national importance. Functioning male Orthodox monastery, so try to act more as a pilgrim than a tourist.
The Rozhen Monastery of the Nativity of the Mother of God is the biggest monastery in the Pirin Mountains in southwestern Bulgaria, nestled in the Melnik Earth Pyramids. It is one of the few medieval Bulgarian monasteries well preserved until today.
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The villagers of Lyubovishte had petitioned the government for years to build a more direct road to their village without any success. Finally, in 1961 they took the matter in their own hands and dug a tunnel through a mel without any machines, greatly shortening the road distance to the village. Ultimately, this wasn't enough to stall the march of time: at the end of 2023, Lyubovishte had a permanent population of 11.
A very beautiful place with a peaceful atmosphere. The church is located in the forest and has beautiful and unique ornaments. It is a 5-10 minute walk from Melnik. Also easily accessible for children.
The trail is about 4 km long and connects Melnik with the Roshen Monastery.
Only the foundation walls of the former monastery remain. The view from there is well worth the walk.
There are two paths to St Nikola, one behind the Kordipul house and one behind the road bridge. The first is a bit steeper. From here it goes up to the restored chapel of the Holy Virgin of Spiliotissa and from here, in a few minutes, in a westerly direction, to the ruins of the church of St Nikola.
The ruins of the small fortress above Melnik offer a magnificent view and are well worth a visit. Unfortunately, it has not been much restored. However, it is clear of bushes and can be reached in 15 minutes from the centre of Melnik.