Rock monasteries in the Shumen plateau
The rock monasteries on the south and southeast slopes of the Shumen plateau represent a whole complex consisting of medieval rock monasteries, churches and monastic cells scattered here and there whch were occupied by monks and hesychasts during 12th-14th century.
The rock monasteries are some remarkable sites connected with the religious, cultural and educational life from the time of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. It is considered that the monasteries are built in the period of 12th-14th century together with the emergence and spread of the doctrine hesichastic in Medieval Bulgaria.
The Han Krum, Kostadinov and Divdyadovski rock monasteries are accessible on foot through marked trails. The access to some of the monasteries is not safe and it's possible to reach the monasteries only through rock climbing. The Osmar monasteries are situated in the Osmar boaz region located to the north of the village of Osmar, two of the monasteries are situated in the Troitski boaz region, the Han Krum monastery is located in the Kaluger boaz region and the Divdyadovski monastery is positioned near the Divdyadovo living district in the town of Shumen.
Osmar monasteries
They are situated around 3 km north from the village of Osmar in the beautiful Osmar boaz through which the Osmar river flows. The Osmar monasteries are bounded by the steep and rocky slopes of the Chetika hill on the east and there are slopes full of forests situated on the Kochovski share of the Shumen plateau on the west. The monasteries are situated on a steep rocky slope in the bottom of the boaz which is also known by the local people as the monastery valley. Thse monasteries are some of the most famous and often-visited by tourists due to the easy access to them. There are a lot of fountains and places for recreation and picnic in the boaz near Osmar.
Kostadinov monastery
The Kostadinov monastery is the biggest and the most well-preserved of the rock monasteries in the Shumen plateau. It was carved at height of about 8-10 m in a steep rock. It could be reach on a wooded ladder. It is assumed that the monastery had been called St. Konstantine and St. Elena. There you can see an altar and fragments of frescoes. It consists of two departments. The eastern department represents a church almost square in shape. The western is irregularly shaped; it has a lot of niches, recesses, a monk's grave and plank-beds carved in the rock. There is an interesting natural formation called ‘The Eye' or ‘The Ring' situated right on the top of the rock where the Kostadinov monastery is located.
Direkliyata
На около стотина метра източно от Костадиновия манастир е разположена друга скална обител известна с името Диреклията. Another rock cloister known as Direkliyata is situated a hundred metres east of the Kostadinov monastery. It is called so because there is a pole, next to its entrance, known by the Turkish word ‘direk'. The church was built ten metres above ground and is inaccessible without the proper equipment.
Troitski monasteries
They are situated around 2.5 km from each other in the Trotski boaz, northwest from the village of Troitsa. One of them is carved in the rock and is named ‘Momina skala' or ‘The Lass'.
Han Krum Monastery
It is located near the village of Han Krum in the western slope of the Kaluger Boaz. A natural cave, which is only transformed a bit, is used for its construction. It consists of three premises; one of them is a church with well-formed altar. You can climb up to the monastery on a carved-in-the-rock staircase.
Divdyadovo monastery
This monastery is situated on the eastern slope of the plateau. It's hard and risky to get there. It consists of more than ten cells in the rock, parts of which are integrated into the horizontal dent. According to the legend it was inhabited by a wild old man (‘div dqdo'- a Bulgarian phrase meaning a wild old man - probably the monk). He gave the name of the village underneath - Divdyadovo, today being a living district in the town of Shumen.
20 km away from the Rock Monasteries in the Shumen plateau the Kireka area is located. Kireka hotel-restaurant is situated in the Kireka area where you could stay after hiking on the eco routes or you could just get away from the noise of the city. Kireka hotel-restaurant has room for 35 to 45 people; it consists of of suites, double and single bed rooms and a restaurant which could take up to 60 people on the ground floor.
Kireka Hotel-Restaurant
Kireka hotel-restaurant is situated in the beautiful locality called Kireka in the municipality of Kaspichan and near the town of Shumen.